Eranthis hyemalis in Sonoma County
Rodger Whitlock (Mon, 19 Oct 2015 10:45:32 PDT)

On 18 Oct 2015, at 19:43, S. R. Gilbert wrote:

Dear PBS, Probably very foolishly, I bought one hundred Eranthis bulbs and
must now do my best with them in my Petaluma garden. Winters in Petaluma are
mild, with temperatures seldom dipping below freezing, and daytime highs
mostly in the sixties. What advice can you offer to this Eranthis novice?

1. Soak the corms (or are they tubers?) in water for 48 hours. Fresh water
after the first 24 hours. Then plant.

2. Plant in the shade on the north side of your house: that's usually the
coolest part of any garden. E. hyemalis is very hardy, coming as it does from
cold-winter places.

3. When they flower, exaine them closely; you may very well have E. cilicia,
not E. hyemalis. E. cilicia does better in dry summers, and has a greater need
for lime in the soil.

--
Rodger Whitlock
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
Z. 7-8, cool Mediterranean climate