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Tuesday, April 22, 2014

Back from California


Iris kirkwoodii

Nice to find this surprise waiting for me.

Got to do a little botanizing in lake county.



Calochortus amabalis
On konocti mt. Growing in grass on the edge of chapparel bordered on walnut groves.



Fritillaria agrestis
Same location as above.



Anyone know what this is? Would be pretty cool in a rock garden.

Rainy, soggy, wet...that's the forecast.

Cheers,

Mark

Thursday, April 17, 2014

Easter on the horizon


Look at all the flowers on this F. Purdyi x F. Biflora hybrid!



This is a Fritillaria glauca, notice the cut stump treatment on the ripening seed pod on the left. This was fertilized by Fritillaria eastoodiae.

The cut stump treatment is supposed to help the pollen make it down the pollen tube better. I guess we will see could make an interesting hybrid.

Weird year much of the early stuff was really early and the late stuff hasn't showed up yet.

Rain, wind....temps in the 50's.

Cheers to warmer weather in California this weekend.

Mark

Tuesday, April 15, 2014

Tax day


Fritillaria liliacea

What a beauty and a rarity from the bay area. I'm actually headed into its native range for the weekend for a family reunion. This one has just plodded along in the raised bed for years, never blooming and this year...Bam, a whole bunch of flowers what a treat.

Taxes and death my friends..taxes and death.

Warm and sunny the last week. Showers on the horizon.

Cheers,

Mark

Friday, April 4, 2014

Early April


Fritillaria agrestis

Someone wrote on the pbs email list wondering how long F. agrestis blooms last. I just noticed this one open today, although it appears to have been open for a bit...regardless, I'll count the days till it closes so the info is out there.



Fritillaria recurva

Doing its thang! Haven't seen any hummingbirds in the greenhouse but I've been using this pollen on a lot of other species.



Tulipa ostrwaskiana

Don't think I have the spelling right on that. Last year a nice fellow from the northern lands came by to take pictures of some of the tulips for an article he was writing for pacific horticulture. I never did hear if it was published.

Supposed to turn a weather corner with highs in the 70's next week! Working over time pulling trees off bridge footings for the city tomorrow so the weekend is shot but the pocketbook will be happier.

Cheers,

Mark

Tuesday, April 1, 2014

Only fools rush in


Fritillaria acmopetala 'dark form'

Lovely....just lovely.



Pollen collection for the breeding program.

Yes, its April fools day. But knowing how long it takes to create viable, commercial bulb hybrids, I may be the fool for beginning this undertaking. Then again, maybe sometime in my mid 50's I'll be able to make some introductions. Moostly playing with some of the more obscure Californians for know. I did manage to find some chromosome counts for some Turkish species and interestingly enough they match the Californians for the most part.

Partly cloudy, 58 degrees. Supposed to be some sun tomorrow.

Cheers,
Mark