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Gardening
GARDENING WITH CALIFORNIA'S NATIVE BULBS
Nancy Gilbert, the co-owner of Far
West Bulb Farm, wrote this article. She has designed landscapes of all
kinds over the last twenty years, has operated a commercial native plant
nursery, and is a specialist in native and Mediterranean climate plants.
GARDENING WITH CALIFORNIA’S
NATIVE BULBS
California is blessed with one of the richest and most diverse flora
in North American, largely due to the incredible climatic and geological
variety. The bulb, corm and rhizome producing plants rank among the
most interesting and beautiful of California’s plants and have
tremendous gardening potential, which is largely untapped by the horticultural
trade. For simplicity’s sake, I'll use the term ‘bulb’
to refer to plants that produce a bulb, corm, tuber or rhizome.
Hundreds of species of California bulbs can be found growing in ecosystems
ranging from alpine, chaparral, oak woodland, valley grassland, desert,
riparian and coastal rain forest. Bulbs can be seen growing in wet areas,
such as the edges of vernal pools, drainages and seeps, as well as on
dry, rocky and difficult sites such as serpentine. There is a native
bulb for almost every niche in your garden. A primary key to successfully
landscaping with native bulbs is to know the preferred habitat of the
species, including soil type, exposure, amounts of light or shade and
water, and then to duplicate this habitat as closely as possible in
your garden.
California native bulbs have sometimes been labeled as ‘difficult
to grow’, but numerous species are very easy to propagate and grow
in a wide range of conditions. Among the easiest and most versatile
are the members of the genera Brodiaea, Dichelostemma and Triteleia.
Most of the species in these genera are adapted to summer drought but
many species will accept occasional summer water, so long as the drainage
is good and the soil dries between watering. Many even perform well
in heavy clay soils. Some species, such as Triteleia peduncularis, Triteleia
hyacinthina and Brodiaea coronaria grow on sites that are very wet in
spring and prefer moisture through flowering. We have observed in our
own garden that many of the Brodiaeas and Triteleias actually grow more
robustly if they receive occasional watering during the dry season.
Brodiaeas, Triteleias and Dichelostemmas are perfectly suited to the
mixed border, especially in a xerophytic planting of native and other
Mediterranean plants that receive occasional or no summer water. They
are lovely growing up through Creeping Sage and Bearberry or with the
apricot-colored flowers of Bush Monkeyflower as a backdrop. For maximum
effect, plant them in closely spaced groups to give a strong splash
of color.
There are over fifty species of Alliums, or wild onions, found growing
in California. Most are easy to grow and multiply rapidly in the garden.
The species that are native to the mountains or moist meadows, such
as Allium unifolium, prefer full sun and regular watering all season.
The majority of wild onions are from dry, rocky habitats and need good
drainage with summer drought. Most Alliums are well-suited to rock gardens,
where they can be planted in colonies among short-growing Brodiaeas,
such as Brodiaea purdyii. Their lovely pompom blooms can also be displayed
to advantage when planted in groups towards the front of the mixed,
dry perennial border.
The genera Calochortus includes some of the more challenging species
for the gardener, but also contains numerous easy growers. This genus
contains some of the finest ornamental species, so it is well worth
it for the beginner to try some of the more carefree varieties, while
the more avid horticulturists will enjoy the reward of seeing a more
difficult species, such as the exquisite Calochortus kennedyi, blooming
in their rock or desert garden. The Calochortus all need good drainage
and a period of summer dormancy. Among the most dependable Calochortus
species to use in the landscape are: Calochortus albus, Calochortus
amabilis, Calochortus amoenus, Calochortus luteus, Calochortus vestae,
Calochortus monophyllus, Calochortus uniflorus, Calochortus argillosus
and Calochortus superbus. Calochortus albus, amabilis, and amoenus,
commonly referred to as Fairy Lanterns, prefer partial shade and will
accept occasional summer water if they have good drainage; they are
often seen growing on steep, north or east facing banks. The Pussy Ears
and Star Tulips occupy varied habitats, from temporarily wet meadows
to dry pine woodlands. Calochortus monophyllus, Yellow Star Tulip, is
an open woodland grower and prefers filtered light and summer dry, whereas
Calochortus uniflorus, which grows in meadows, is best with some early
summer water.
The Mariposa Lilies, such as Calochortus superbus, appreciate sunshine
and require summer drought. They are stunning planted in drifts with
native bunch grasses and other wildflowers, in the mixed, summer dry
border, or planted among California native shrubs, such as Coffeeberry,
Manzanita or Toyon. The Mariposas also can be used for spring color
on your deck or patio by planting several of them in a deep container
with well-drained soil. The container should be stored in a dry, shady
location once the blooming period is over.
Many of the species in the genera Fritillaria and Lilium tend to be
a bit temperamental when planted outside of their native habitat. However,
if you live in the area where they grow naturally or you have the commitment
to provide them with their requirements, they are among the most rewarding
of plants to have in your landscape. Both of these genera are quite
the favorites with the deer, so it is important to plant them where
the deer either cannot reach them or are likely to overlook them. If
your yard is fenced to exclude deer, then you can plant them in the
open under the native trees, but if not, our experience has taught us
to plant them strategically among rock outcrops, on steep banks or under
shrubs to help protect them from predation. We have also had good success
with some of the commercial deer repellents on the market.
The Fritillaries appeal lies in their subtle daintiness, with delicate
blossoms that frequently have checkered color patterns on the petals.
The Fritillaries are generally considered finicky in the garden and
often take every other year off from flowering for a rest period. If
you want a good show of flowers each year, it is advisable to plant
a colony of several bulbs. They are found growing in a wide array of
habitats, from coastal forests and grasslands to hot foothill locations
to high montane forests. The majority of the Fritillaries require a
summer dormant period with no water as well sharp drainage. Fritillaria
pluriflora, commonly called Adobe Lily, and Fritillaria liliacea, White
Fritillary, tolerate heavier soils and are easy to grow if you have
a sunny, warm site in a meadow or summer dry border. Woodland growing
species, such as Fritillaria affinis (lanceolata), may be watered occasionally
throughout the year.
For many, the lilies are the queens of the garden, and the California
native lilies are no exception. There are both wet land and dry land
growers among this species, and their growing requirements must be met
for success. Among the dry land lilies, Humboldt’s Tiger Lily is
one of the most sensational and is fairly easy to cultivate. It can
be found in nature growing in the foothills, under oaks and pines and
among native shrubs, such as Coffeeberry and Toyon. It is long-lived
(some in foothill cemeteries are at least 50 years old), often attaining
a height of over six feet with up to 30 Turk’s cap type blooms
per plant.
Lilium pardalinum, the Leopard Lily, is a wet grower and can be found
growing in colonies along seeps and creeks in both the coastal and Sierra
regions. If you have a perennially moist, partially shaded location,
this striking lily can be quite easy to grow.
Washington Lily has white to slightly blushed lilac blooms, and many
consider it to be the noblest of the native lilies. It needs the cooler
temperatures of higher elevations above 3000 feet to thrive and will
reward you with its grace and heady fragrance. It is another dry land
lily requiring good drainage.
The Erythroniums, or Fawn Lilies, are some of the most enchanting native
bulbs, lending a fairyland look to the landscape. They are best appreciated
up close and should be planted in groups at the front of the garden
for maximum effect. Their cultural requirements vary, depending on their
native habitat, and care should be taken to simulate those conditions
in the garden. Species with mottled leaves come from foothill woodlands
and rocky openings and prefer summer dormancy, although they will accept
light summer watering. Examples are Erythronium californica, from the
north Coast Ranges and the Sierra form, Erythronium multiscaepodium,
found growing on dry, rocky slopes. The Erythroniums from montane meadows,
such as Erythronium tuolumense, have solid green leaves and are adapted
to winter dormancy and summer moisture. The Fawn Lilies generally require
good drainage and those species native to bog edges or moist meadows
should be given supplemental water during the summer.
Unfortunately for gardeners, most of the California native bulbs are
a tasty treat for gophers and squirrels. So if you have these rodents
in your area, it behooves you to protect your bulbs, especially at the
time of planting, when they are most vulnerable. Tucking them into rock
outcrops is one way to make them less accessible. You can lay one inch
chicken or aviary wire over the bulbs, just below the surface of the
ground or construct a subsurface cage of the same materials. Commercial
sprays and slow release, systemic tablets that protect bulbs are readily
available, but this can become a bit expensive if you have a large number
of bulbs to protect. There are recipes on the internet for making your
own sprays from hot peppers, eggs and other available materials. Sprays
and repellent tablets will also work to repel rabbits, which can sometimes
munch on the leaves of bulbs. If you have an overabundance of gophers,
you may want to consider trapping them.
Most California native bulbs prefer lean soils with sharp drainage.
Exceptions are those found growing in adobe soils, wet meadows, woodland
areas or along creeks and seeps. Soils only need to be amended if you
are trying to grow a species in a soil that differs markedly from the
bulb’s natural habitat. Woodland species may need to have humus
added to the soil and bulbs native to rocky mountain scree areas will
need to grow in rock gardens where soils have been altered for fast
drainage. In general, it is not advisable to add any fertilizer to the
planting holes except those formulated specifically for bulbs. These
fertilizers are high in phosphorous and potassium, but low in nitrogen.
We add only soft rock phosphate to our planting holes and have had good
results.
All-in-all, California native bulbs offer the Mediterranean gardener
or landscaper beautiful, versatile and water efficient plants whose
full potential is just beginning to be appreciated. Many species are
becoming rare in the wild, so using them in your garden is also a way
to preserve these gems for future generations.
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