I always overlook these in spring, until they are blooming. So cool, and there are little babies nearby, I think! This started as one bulb, maybe 5 years ago, planted on top of a rock wall where I walk along the bottom, so they are just at the right height to notice. I think I will try to save seeds this year.
This is a lovely bloom. I planted some years ago but they never came up. I might try them again after seeing yours.
The first year, it was like a few blades of grass, and the flower was tiny. With each passing year, the leaves are bigger, and the flowers are bigger. And as you can see, the clump is now substantial, but this was from a single bulb. If you try again probably place them where you can pamper them. A large marker would help, as they are so easy to forget about.
I have never been fond of the imperial frit, but there are lots of 'lesser frits' with lots of character. I confess I was duped by a splashy picture into buying F. uva-vulpis - the picture in the catalog looked way cool, but in reality a little less. I'm also puzzling over another frit, F raddeana which I just planted last fall. It bloomed dutifully this spring, but the flowers are totally un-Wow, so I'm not really sure why I got it in the first place. My winter catalog browsing is really out of control... every plant looks like it would be perfect for somewhere. Now that spring is here ... just exactly where was I thinking??
I did the same with F. persica. Good thing it never came back!
Speaking of which, I have been a good girl this spring (sort of) but today I went to a nursery and splurged a bit. In the perennials department, I got sucked in by a Bartlettina sordida. Tag said hardy, 3 x 3 ft, with purple blooms, and drought-tolerant. Now I see here this is a tender shrub, only hardy to zone 9, from the Mexican Cloud Forests, that likes regular water and can get at tall as my house. Oh well, I guess I needed another potted tender shrub. Now I recall I had passed it by in the Annie's Annuals catalog, due to it's tenderness, back in the depths of January. I wanted it then too.
With the name 'sordid' - its got to be good. Might turn out to be a pleasant surprise.
I think it looks like a humongous Ageratum. I can't grow Ageratum here though, but I love the flowers.
