© Carol Witham
Hyacinth brodiaea
(Triteleia hyacinthina)
Range
q South-western N. America - British Columbia and
south to California (2)
Climate, elevation
q Below 2,000 meters.
(1)
q Hardy to zone 4 and is not frost tender. (2)
Local occurrence (where, how common)
q
Habitat preferences
q Grassy, often rocky open flats to mid-montane
meadows, also found in wet places, meadows and slopes to 2,000 meters. (2)
Plant strategy type/successional stage (stress-tolerator, competitor, weedy/colonizer, seral, late successional)
q
Shade
intolerant. (2)
Associated species
q Brodiaea elegans (elegant brodiaea) (3)
q Allium amplectens (slim leaf onion) (3)
q Camassia ssp. (common camas) (3)
May be collected as: (seed, layered, divisions,
etc.)
q Seed
q Larger bulbs can be dug up and replanted
directly into their permanent positions.
q Smaller bulbs should be grown in a greenhouse
for a year before planting them out in early autumn when they are dormant. (1)
q
Flowering size bulbs can be divided in autumn. (1)
Collection
restrictions or guidelines
q Seed may be collected
from May through June (July). Seed can be retained on the heads well into
summer, depending on the year. Approximately 300-450 seeds per gram, depending
on individual, population, year and cleanliness of seed. (1)
q Whole fruits can be
collected from heads immediately prior to or after ripening (i.e. browning and
splitting of capsules). (1)
q Seed may be shaken
from capsules that have split, but capsules that have not opened may need to be
mechanically split (dry heat or repeated drying and cooling may encourage
capsules to split). If necessary, large numbers of dry fruits may be shattered
rapidly by very brief blending (dry in a blender). Blending typically does not
damage the very hard viable seed, but may increase overall viability of seed
lots by destroying readily shattered unviable seed. After blending, seed may be
cleaned by sifting and/or blowing (e.g. with a thrift store blow-drier) off
chaff. (1)
Seed germination (needs dormancy breaking?)
q Seed is best sown as soon as it is ripe in
autumn or in spring in a cold frame. Germination usually takes place within 1 -
3 months at 15°c.
q Seed should be sown thinly in pots so that there
is no need to thin them out until after the 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 over water 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. (2)
Seed life (can be stored, short shelf-life, long
shelf-life)
q Seed best sown as soon as it is ripe. (2)
Recommended seed storage conditions
q Dry storage from 3-5
months. (1)
q Individual plants go
dormant following spring-summer dry down and die back to the root. Dormant
individuals can be placed in dry storage at 60-70 degrees F. (1)
Propagation recommendations (plant seeds,
vegetative parts, cuttings, etc.)
q Seed, bulbs or division of bulbs. (1)
Soil or medium requirements (inoculums necessary?)
q The plant prefers light (sandy) and medium
(loamy) soils and requires well-drained soil. The plant prefers acid, neutral
and basic (alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It requires dry or
moist soil.
Installation form (form, potential for successful outcomes, cost)
q Transplanted
seedlings often show signs of stress with younger seedlings showing more
vigorous growth. (1)
q Seed sown directly in
the field have above and below ground growth rates comparable to or better than
seed grown under controlled conditions. (1)
q Bulbs and division of
flowering bulbs have highest success rate. (1)
Recommended planting density
q Plant bulbs 2-4” apart and 4” deep. Less
crowded bulbs will produce more offsets. (4)
Care requirements after installed (water weekly, water once etc.)
q Plants or bulbs
should be watered and weeded and protected from small mammals, insects and
birds. (4)
q Soil should be kept
moist but not wet. Too much moisture will cause the bulbs to rot. If rain is
fairly regular, do not water at all. (4)
Normal rate of growth or spread; lifespan
q Active growth phase
is 6-8 months beginning late fall with onset of autumn rains (seed swelling)
until drying down (die-back and dormancy) occurs in late spring/early summer.
(1)
q Plants should be well
established after 1 year. (4)
Sources cited
1.
Hunt, John W. Protocol Information. CSU Research
Foundation. http://nativeplants.for.uidaho.edu/Network/view.asp?protocol_id=3163
2.
Future-Species Database. Last Updated: 2000. http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants.php?Triteleia+hyacinthina
3.
Guard, B.
Jennifer. Wetland Plants of Oregon and Washington. Lone Pine Publishing.
Vancouver, B.C. 1995.
4.
USDA, NRCS. 2004. Plant
Guide http://plants.nrcs.usda.gov/plantguide/doc/cs_trhy3.doc