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wendyb_gw4

any camassia recommendations

20 years ago

I was thinking of trying this bulb this year. Any favorite varieties?

In particular, from this set: scheepers camassia page

Comments (8)

  • 20 years ago

    Wendy, you touched my nerve.
    ALL OF THEM!!!!!!
    Seriously, you can't be wrong with any of them, they are very versatile plants and could be used in many garden situations, sun, part-sun, part-shade, good soil, poor soil, heavy wet(ish) clay, loose dry(ish) soil, you name it...
    Could be very effectively interplanted with daffodils and hostas in natural setting
    {{gwi:23093}}

    ...or with any later blooming perennials (phlox in this case)
    {{gwi:23095}}

    ....or be a part of daff + daylily + camassia combo(sorry don't have a good picture, but believe me, it's good).

    The only thing I wouldn't invest my money into would be 'Blue Melody' since you are not buying them for that variegated foliage that will not last long. For exactly the same, but whole summer lasting effect you could plant them among variegated carex "Ice Dance' and enjoy foliage 9 months out of 12.

  • 20 years ago

    Good tip. I wondered why Blue Melody was so much more money than the others. I have a huge Ice Dance which I've been dividing and moving around lately.

    What about ease of planting and quantity? I found it odd that some of them were 6cm and some 14cm (or thereabouts...from memory). That makes for a different ease-of-planting story. Little bulbs go in close and fast. Big bulbs are a bit more digging and spaced further apart usually.

    Do you plant (buy) them like tulip bulbs or minor bulbs?

  • 20 years ago

    C. cusickii and C.leichtlinii are taller plants and bulbs are slightly larger than those of tulips.
    C. quamash is a shorter plant and bulbs are about the size of the Dutch Iris or slightly smaller (from the memory).
    First two could be/should be planted as a group of 3-5, while C. quamash will look better in clusters of 10-12-15.
    In 2-3 years they'll double, but dividing is not necessary.
    One more thing, C. quamash seems like out of the deers interest.
    Don't know about other since I grow them inside the fenced yard.
    They all bloom for me in mid-late May and those that in a part shade lasts for about 2 weeks +.

  • 20 years ago

    That's just what I needed to know. My order is in the works!
    Thanks

  • 20 years ago

    If they are not real robust the first year be patient they get better every year. Al

  • 20 years ago

    That's right, the first year show might be not very impressive, but performance improves greatly by the year #2.
    Also, in a first year my C.leichtlinii grew on a somewhat crooked and twisted stems, but ever since it's strong and upright.
    My impression is that they are not particularly fond of a rich soils, but I could be mistaken.

  • 20 years ago

    okay, am ready to plant. Are camassia vulnerable to voles? I could line the hole with crushed oyster shells as a deterrent. Seems to help tulips.

  • 20 years ago

    Thank you so much ego45
    I thought I had seen them mentioned somewhere...guess I should have guessed here first.

    Ohh, I'm so excited!
    big smiles
    cynthia

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