California dreaming in North Carolina

California dreaming in North Carolina
Jane McGary (Tue, 11 May 2010 10:46:32 PDT)

Mark Mazer wrote,

Blooming this week in the garden: Calochortus striatus and simulans,
several of Ratko's pink Brodiae californica collections.

Mark is being very self-effacing here. C. striatus is an extremely
difficult species to grow at all, much less flower in the open garden
in North Carolina. It is native to alkali desert on the east side of
the Sierra Nevada. I have a few in the bulb frame but have not
flowered them. Congratulations!

C. simulans is not very easy, either, but well worth any effort.
Brodiaea californica (I like the typical blue better than the pink)
is a good garden plant in many areas, with the largest flowers in its genus.

Jane McGary
Northwestern Oregon, USA