Description
Dichelostemma – Brevoortia –
There are about 7 species of summer flowering, cormous perennials, in this genus. They occur in grassland and chaparral in Western North America. They are grown for their umbels or racemes of tubular to bell shaped flowers, clustered at the ends of 3′ feet long, thin stems. They produce narrow, basal grass like leaves, to 12″ long, produced in spring, die off as the flowers open. Grow in a warm sheltered border or, in cool climate with damp summers, in a bulb frame or cold green house to ensurte a warm, dry dormancy.
Plant in fall in full sun in well drained soil.
Prone to rust.
D. ida-maia – Brodiaea ida-maia – Firecracker Flower – Californian Firecracker – This cormous perennial from Oregon and California grows 8-12″ tall. It produces umbels, 2 ½” across, of up to 20 pendent, narrowly tubular, crimson flowers, 3/4-12 1/4″ long, with 6 short, reflexed sepals with greenish yellow tips, in summer. Excellent for cutting. Requires a dormant season to ripen the corm, so best grown in an alpine house or cold frame in moist climates.
Zones 5-8
