I also had little success with Ixiolirion tataricum (which is often available from commercial bulb catalogs). Recently I saw it in the wild and now understand it better. It was flowering at mid elevations (around 1,000-1800 m) in very moist, rocky loess and silty soil just after snowmelt. Later in the year the habitat becomes quite dry. Jim Waddick's success with them on a west-facing slope apparently comes from his placing them where they would get good drainage and summer drying. Add to that the severe winter weather his area of the Midwest has just experienced, and they may have felt more at home than usual. I think the generally mild, mostly snow-free winters of western Oregon may not suit it so well, so I'll have to rely on other bulbs for early blue color in the garden. Jane Mcgary Portland, Oregon, USA On 6/13/2015 9:33 PM, James Waddick wrote: > Family Themidaceae …. refers to Brodiaea, Triteleia, Dichelostemma, and a few other American genera > > Dear PBSers, > > These have proven totally worthless in Kansas City. A few will winter over a year or two, most not at all. Instead I have had an expanding clump of the wonderful rich blue Ixiolirion tataricum in bloom for the last few days. I admit I had to spread and remove some ‘natives’ (i.e.weeds) i did find them in glorious bloom. Although these should be no-brainers for my climate, I have found them happy in only one location : a west facing slope. I do enjoy them and can console myself that I can grow these gorgeous bulbs. > > See them at http://pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/index.php/… <http://pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/index.php/…> Best Jim W. > > James Waddick > 8871 NW Brostrom Rd > Kansas City, MO 64152-2711 > USA > Phone 816-746-1949 > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > pbs mailing list > pbs@lists.ibiblio.org > http://pacificbulbsociety.org/list.php > http://pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/ _______________________________________________ pbs mailing list pbs@lists.ibiblio.org http://pacificbulbsociety.org/list.php http://pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/