Hyacinth Brodiaea (Triteleia hyacintha)
At a glance
- Exposure
- Full sun
- Frost limit
- −34.4 °C
Cultivation
Requires a rich well-drained sandy loam. There are two basic forms of this species, a large white-flowered form grows wild in wet places whilst a smaller form is found on drier slopes. The hardiness zone has been given as 4, this is somewhat questionable, the plant is liable to be much less hardy[K].
Propagation
Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame. Alternatively, the seed can be sown in spring in a cold frame. Germination usually takes place within 1 - 3 months at 15°c. Sow the seed thinly so that there is no need to prick them out and grow the seedlings on in the pot for their first year. Give an occasional liquid feed to ensure that they do not become mineral deficient. Seedlings are prone to damping off so be careful not to overwater them and keep them well ventilated. When they become dormant, pot up the small bulbs placing about 3 in each pot. Grow them on in the greenhouse for another year or two until the bulbs are about 20mm in diameter and then plant them out into their permanent positions when they are dormant in the autumn. Division of flowering size bulbs in autumn. Dig up the clumps of bulbs, replanting the larger ones direct into their permanent positions. It is best to pot up the smaller ones and grow them on in a greenhouse for a year before planting them out when they are dormant in early autumn.
Edible uses
Bulb - raw or cooked.
Habitat
Grassy, often rocky open flats to mid-montane meadows.
Native range
South-western N. America - British Columbia and south to California.