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Dichelostemma spp.
Overview
Dichelostemma spp. is a genus of about five cormous perennials in the asparagus family (Asparagaceae), native to western North America and centred in California. Each plant grows from an underground corm and sends up a few narrow, grass-like basal leaves in winter and spring, followed by a slender, leafless flowering stalk 1-3 feet (30-90 cm) tall topped by a tight cluster of flowers. The colour and shape vary by species: D. capitatum, called blue dicks, carries open violet-blue to pink flowers, while the firecracker flower D. ida-maia bears pendent tubular red flowers tipped with green and yellow. The plants flower in spring and then die back to the corm, staying dormant through the dry summer. They grow in grassland, open woodland, chaparral, and rocky slopes, depending on winter and spring rain and a dry summer rest. The corms were a traditional food of Indigenous peoples of California. Because the foliage disappears after flowering, the plants leave bare gaps in summer and are combined with later plants to fill the space. They are grown in dry, well-drained gardens, meadows, and containers for spring umbels of blue or red flowers.
Native Range
Native to western North America, from Oregon and California east to Utah and south into Baja California and Mexico, in grassland, open woodland, chaparral, and rocky slopes.Suggested Uses
Grown in dry meadows, rock gardens, borders, and containers for spring flowers, and naturalised in grassland that dries out in summer. The blue or red umbels are used as cut flowers, and the species suit plantings combined with summer-active plants that hide the dormant gaps.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height1' - 3'
Width/Spread4" - 8"
Bloom Information
Flowering occurs in spring, mainly March to June depending on elevation and rainfall. Each umbel opens over a few weeks. After flowering the leaves and stalk wither and the corm rests through the dry summer.
Detailed Descriptions
Flower Description
violet-blue, pink, or redFoliage Description
greenGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 4-10 hours of direct sunlight daily
• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight
• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight
• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight
Care & Maintenance
Care Guide
Grow in full sun to light shade in free-draining sandy or loamy soil with a pH of 6.0-7.5, where the corms stay dry through summer dormancy. Plants need winter and spring moisture during growth and then a dry summer rest, rotting if kept wet while dormant. Corms are planted a few inches deep in autumn and left undisturbed to form clumps. They are hardy in about USDA zones 6-10, with the firecracker flower less cold-tolerant. No heavy feeding is needed. Plants spread by offset corms and by seed where conditions suit them.Pruning
No pruning is needed beyond removing the withered flower stalk and leaves once they have died back after flowering. Spent stalks can be left if seed is wanted. The dormant corms are otherwise left in place.Container Growing
✓ Suitable for container growing
Minimum container size: 1 gallons