I have had these bulbs for 5 or 6 years, and every year they have put up lovely leaves, but no blooms. This year, just as I was thinking I should dig them and send them to my daughter in KY - zone 7, much more their cup of tea - they bloomed! I must say, it has been worth the wait to see these little bits of sunshine in October.
beautiful.
They do great down here--very underutilized fall blooming bulb.
Very nice!
I can't believe more people aren't chiming in here saying they grow them. This is another older, great naturalizing bulb that's about to make a big comeback. I know 2 newer southern bulb companies that are going to be pushing this bulb big-time next year. I am clueless how they perform up north (although Kathleen is obviously easily able to grow them! Great picture!) but they are highly recommended for zones 8 and 9.
bing bing bing... chiming in. I planted them several years ago and have only gotten
blooms a couple years. This year is one of the lucky years!
A great bright yellow don't ya'll think!
I love them - such a cheery little flower. But, while they grow in zones 6 and 5, they are stingy with their flowers. My two bulbs came from a woman in south western PA, who said her's bloomed reliably. I think zone 6 is the reccommended cut off point. Mine are in a little "pennisula of garden surrounded by very large rocks, which tends to be a mini-climate at about zone 6 or just barely zone 7.
I also grow sternbergia lutea, and I love them. They bloom a beautiful yellow, bringing welcome color after the dog days of summer, opening at the same time as my oxblood lilies. They bloom faithfully, increasing each year.
Our local garden center stocked them a couple years ago, but soon dropped them for good.
Why?
The bulbs shipped in with the fall-planted bulbs but were soon blooming in the bins. This didn't go over very well with the owner and she demanded a refund. She had someone in the shop pot them up to try to save them, but I'm not sure if this was necessary. I hadn't grown any before and didn't know if they would be fine if planted anyway, so I didn't say yea or nay as to whether they might still be a good bulb to sell, fall blooming bulbs being so few.
Anyone know about that? Are they better planted in the summer or spring? Do they have special needs during dormancy---heat, dry, etc?
Robert.
They are better planted in late spring after the foliage has died back on them, in my opinion. Sternbergia's did just fine in a variety of locations in my garden (and container's too) but I did not have them planted in my wetter areas I use for Louisiana Iris or Hymenocallis liriosme. I think any area that would work for rain lilies (Zeph's) would work for them.
I notice a lot of places selling bulbs at the wrong time too. They are trying to sell them at the time they bloom in the garden centers down here--for instance, Oxblood lily--they were pushing them when mine already had healthy foliage to store the energy up for next year. Oxblood's should be divided and planted in June or early July at the latest. They were also selling Lycoris radiata at bloom season instead of 3 months earlier. I'm not sure what's up with that.
Debbie
Thanks Deb.
It's the same situation with selling Peony starts in spring and not fall. perhaps that's marketing to take advantage of "spring fever' and sell more of them, but fall planting is sure better for establishing a packed-in-peat peony.
Possibly because so the out-of-sync growth habit of Sternbergia, so many gardeners can't fathom planting a bulb in spring and not seeing anything till fall. And accidentally planting over them (or through them!) migfht make them less popular and therefore less well-known. They are not common nor well-known here by a looooong shot.
Robert.
very cute/pretty. mine bloomed profusely this season.
http://davesgarden.com/forums/fp.php?pid=2752455
Very nice , peg!
Really good pic Peg--it needs to be in the PlantFiles! =)
I grow Sternbergia and love them. Those big leaves all winter are very fun. I opine that they perform best (bloom better) in more sun. And I agree that moving them right after their leaves dry is best.
There are some other species out there of Sternbergia we should look into- I hear that some are not as hardy, and white forms.
Kenton J.
