Brodiaea coronaria

Sunset

Brodiaea coronaria, photo courtesy of Mark Turner

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Zones 4-9, 14-24

Full

Minimal

Harvest Brodiaea

Perennials, Flowers

BRODIAEA

Many are natives of the Pacific Coast, where they bloom in sunny fields and meadows in spring and early summer. Plants have a few grasslike leaves; a cluster of funnel-shaped or tubular, 1/2 to 2-in.-long flowers tops the stem during bloom. Good cut flowers. After flowering, plants die to the ground.

In nature, these plants are often found in adobe soil, in areas where rainfall is heavy in winter and early spring and corms dry out completely in summer. They appreciate similar conditions in gardens. Set corms 2 to 3 in. deep and 2 to 4 in. apart. In cold-winter areas, grow in containers or mulch to protect from freezing and thawing.

Brodiaea coronaria

Clusters ofdark blue, inch-long flowers on6–10-in. stems.