Re: Lilium kelloggii

At 07:39 PM 8/1/01 +0100, David Field wrote:
>Dear all.
>
>Does anyone have any information about Lilium kelloggii.  I was fortunate
>enough to obtain seed of this plant last year, but the only information I
>had was in the form of an e-mail which was lost when I crashed my computer.
>
>All I can remember is that this is a woodland plant native of California,
>although I don't know which part.
>
>David Field
>London UK.

David -

Here is a CalFlora database page for this species:
http://www.calflora.org/cgi/calflora_query?where-calrecnum=4806&one=T
There is a distribution map and a link to many photos.

I have not grown our native lilies in gardens, but I have seen them in the 
wild repeatedly.  Usually, they grow on a sloping bank with close access to 
fairly plentiful water (a small stream or water running down the bank into 
a stream).  You must keep in mind that in California, water can be 
plentiful in late winter/spring, but it gradually lessens through 
spring/summer/fall.  These same banks may become quite dry late in the 
season, but there is generally more water somewhere around them throughout 
this time.

Based upon the many photo linked to the above site you might conclude that 
this species grows in full blazing sun on bare soil, but I suspect many of 
those pictures were taken in an area recently hit by fire.  They are also 
on the north coast where full sunny days are very rare (kinda like in the 
UK,!).  Most likely, the roots of these plants prefer being a bit cooler 
(for us) while their heads are in bright light (this is fairly normal for 
Lilium species).

I suspect you'll have good luck sowing your seed in a sandy mix (they 
sprout fairly easily) and it'll take perhaps 3-4 years to bloom them.  If 
you can somehow match the above circumstances artificially, these plants 
are reportedly easy to grow.  In the UK I'd make sure they have the best 
air circulation you can give them as our humidity is much lower than yours 
at any time of year.

Regards,
Seán O.


h o r t u l u s   a p t u s     -    'a garden suited to its purpose'
Seán A. O'Hara            fax (707) 667-1173         sean@support.net
710 Jean Street, Oakland, CA 94610-1459, U.S.A.
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