Californian Hyacinth, Crown brodiaea, Indian Valley brodiaea
Brodiaea coronaria

Family: Alliaceae

What it is like

Brodiaea coronaria is a CORM growing to 0.3 m (1ft) by 0.1 m (0ft 4in). See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 8. It is in flower from May to July, and the seeds ripen from July to August. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs). Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers dry or moist soil.

Height (m): 0.3

Where it is found

Gravelly prairies, grassy slopes and rocky buffs. Grasslands, volcanic mesas from sea level to 1600 metres.

Western N. America from British Columbia to California.

Conservation Status:

Countries/locations it is found in

How it is used

Food

Rating: 3

Corm - raw or cooked. Baked or boiled and eaten like potatoes. When slowly roasted, it becomes very sweet. Edible fruit. This report is rather dubious and possibly refers to the seedpod since the seed is encased in a small dry capsule.

Root: includes bulbs, corms, tubers, rhizomes etc.

Medicine

Rating: 0

Other

Rating:

How it is grown

Prefers a rich sandy loam and a well-drained soil in a sheltered position. Succeeds in most soils and situations. Likes plenty of moisture whilst in growth, followed by a warm dry period in late summer to autumn. Plants may require protection in severe winters, they are susceptible to rot in wet winters. They die down in the summer after flowering. A very ornamental plant, it can flower in 2 years from seed.

Propagating it: Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame. The seed can also 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 it will not require thinning and grow the seedlings on undisturbed in the pot for their first year. Pot up the small bulbs when they are dormant in early autumn and grow them on for at least another year before planting them out when dormant in the autumn. Seedlings are prone to damping off, they should be watered with care and given plenty of ventilation. Division in autumn. Dig up the clumps of corms when they are dormant, divide them and replant the larger corms into their permanent positions. It is best to pot up the smaller corms and grow them on for a year in a cold frame, planting them out in late summer or the autumn.

Best place to grow: Cultivated Beds; East Wall. By. South Wall. By. West Wall. By.

Habit: Corm

Hardiness: 7-10

Growth:

Soil: Light (sandy), medium

Shade: Semi-shade, no shade

Moisture: Dry, moist

Things to keep in mind

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

B. grandiflora. Sm. B. rosea. Hookera coronaria. Triteleia grandiflora.