Harvest Brodiaea
Brodiaea elegans
- Native to:
- United States
Alex Abair (www.inaturalist.org)
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Asparagaceae
- Genus:
- Brodiaea
- Species:
- Brodiaea elegans
- USDA Symbol:
- BREL
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Geophyte
- Height:
- 45 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Part Shade
- Drought Tolerance:
- High
- Bloom Months:
- may,jun,jul
- Bloom Colors:
- purple, blue, violet
Wildlife Benefits
- Bees:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- bees, native pollinators
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Corms survive fire underground and resprout vigorously. Benefits from periodic burning in native grassland habitats which reduces competition.
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- well-drained, sandy or rocky soil
- pH:
- 5.5 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- dry to moderate
- Notes:
- native to open grasslands and woodlands
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- None required
- Germination Time:
- 14–30 days
- Notes:
- Fresh seed germinates best in fall with cool temperatures and moisture. Seeds benefit from autumn sowing to align with natural seasonal cycles.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI
Pre-treatment: Clean dry seed was placed in dry, cold storage following collection and prior to sowing
Establishment: Whole fruits can be collected from heads immediately prior to or after ripening. Seed may be shaken from capsules which have split, but capsules which have not opened may need to be mechanically split. If necessary, large numbers of dry fruits may be shattered rapidly by very brief blending. After blending, seed may be cleaned by sifting and/or blowing off chaff.
Source: npn.rngr.net
ORGHPS Germination Guide: Sow @ 20C. Germinates within 3 months.