Watch on youtube:///https://youtu.be/gaYnZNvcBCE

Spend a gorgeous evening with renowned botanist and photographer Jeff Bisbee, enjoying and discussing this genus of bulbs native to California and elsewhere on our continent. Calochortus is divided into three sections (Calochortus, Mariposa, and Cyclobothra). Botanists further divided each section into four subsections. Jeff will share about each subsection, including distinguishing characteristics of each. Jeff has previously delivered programs to Redbud on Arctostaphylos (manzanita) and Ceanothus.

Jeff was raised in Grass Valley, in a rural setting where he developed a passion for native plants. His father worked for the Forest Service, and got him started on trees. His interest spread from there to other types of plants. Jeff has always had the desire to document the beauty of plants with photography, and has had many of his photographs published. He provided many photos for the book, “Conifers Around the World”, traveling throughout Mexico to photograph conifers in their native habitat. Mike Vasey got him interested in photographing Arctostaphylos, which lead to the book ”Field Guide to Manzanitas” Since then, he has moved on to other genera, such as Ceanothus, Calochortus, Fritillaria, Lilium, Erythronium, and his latest interest is the genus Eriogonum with its 300+ species. He also enjoys cultivating many native plants from seed. Jeff has an extensive collection of Mexican and western conifers on his family property in Colfax. He has contributed many Mexican conifers to the U.C. Santa Cruz arboretum. He is also cultivating many Arctostaphylos and Ceanothus. Jeff is currently living in Gardnerville, Nevada, which gives him easy access to many of the Calochortus species of the eastern Sierra.