Dichelostemma Species, Californian Firecracker Plant

When I bought these bulbs, I gave them a couple of years to see what they can do. They bloomed those 2 or 3 years I had them but they di...Read Moredn't multiply and the flowers were puny. They weren't even that tall and the color wasn't quite what I thought. I traded them away. HOWEVER, 2 years later and I have one that just popped up out of nowhere. Seems as though I forgot about one or missed it when digging it up. The color is brilliant and I quite like it. The flowers are bigger but I don't see how the hummers can spot them unless you have a good sized clump of them. I would like to keep this one and see how it does.

I purchased ten of these from Brent and Becky's for planting in Autumn 2009 with hopes they might be another flower for the Hummingbirds ...Read Moreto enjoy. I planted them in full sun.

This Spring they all came up & are now starting to bloom. They look just like the pictures on their website!! In fact, I like them so much that I plan to order more! Since they are just beginning to bloom, I can't comment yet whether my hummers like them, but even if they don't, I will still buy more.

They are a light, airy addition to my garden bed that will look great growing around & through other bulbs, perennials & annuals.

Update 7/21/11: I have now grown this unique bulb for two seasons and can definitely say the Hummingbirds in my yard love it. I plan to add more this Autumn.

Update 8/28/15: After two years they didn't return. Possibly my Zone 5a was too cold. I planted some again the following year, but only a few grew. I'm not yet ready to give up on them because the hummers absolutely loved them. I may try planting more this autumn.

I sowed the corms of this plant in 2004. In 2005 A couple of sprigs of grasslike leaves came up but then that was the end of it. This y...Read Moreear (2006) I have two very nice bushy 2 1/2 ft. tall plants that I hope to see bloom for the first time this year. I hope that they are as attractive to my hummers as I have read that they are but even if they aren't, they look to be a nice addition to the garden. I made the original purchase from Breck's Bulbs and like all the bulbs I ordered from them they were too small to do anything for a couple of years.

Survives drought during dormancy. Needs regular water while growing and blooming.