Snake Lily, Twining snakelily
Dichelostemma volubile

Family: Alliaceae

What it is like

Dichelostemma volubile is a CORM growing to 3.6 m (11ft 10in). See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 9. It is in flower in July. 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): 3.6

Where it is found

Clay or granite, bushy or open slopes below 750 metres in California, where it clambers over shrubs.

South-western N. America - California.

Conservation Status:

Countries/locations it is found in

How it is used

Food

Rating: 2

Corm - raw or cooked.

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. Succeeds in most soils and situations so long as the ground is well-drained. Likes plenty of moisture whilst in growth, followed by a warm dry period in late summer to autumn. Plants are not very hardy and may require protection in severe winters. This can be provided by applying a good organic mulch such as dry bracken in late autumn and removing it in the spring. Alternatively, you can cover the ground with a cloche or similar device. Plants are susceptible to rot in wet winters. Plants are often found growing with Rhus toxicodendron in the wild. 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 free-draining compost in a cold frame. Sow stored seed in spring in a cold frame. Seedlings are prone to damping off and so should be kept well ventilated. Germinates in 1 - 3 months at 15°c. If the seed is sown thinly enough, it can be grown on for its first year without transplanting and then the dormant bulbs can be planted 2/3 to a pot. Otherwise prick out the seedlings when large enough to handle, planting them 2/3 to a pot. Grow on the plants in a greenhouse for at least two years before planting out in late spring after the last expected frosts. Division in autumn of offsets that have reached flowering size. Dig up the clumps of bulbs and replant the larger ones into their permanent positions. It is best to pot up the smaller ones and grow them on for a year in a cold frame before planting them out.

Best place to grow: Woodland Garden Sunny Edge; South Wall. By. West Wall. By.

Habit: Corm

Hardiness: 8-11

Growth:

Soil: Light (sandy), medium

Shade: Semi-shade, no shade

Moisture: Dry, moist

Things to keep in mind

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

Brodiaea volubilis. (Moriere.)Baker. D. californicum. Stropholirion californicum.