The native bulb shines bright

THANK you for writing about calochortus bulbs, including mariposa lilies [“Alluring but Elusive Charms,” April 27], some of the most beautiful wonders of nature! I have one 12-inch-wide by 9-inch-deep pot in which I have been growing several bright yellow calochortus I bought from Holland Bulbs 10 years ago.

I mixed some coastal decomposed sandstone with some clay to simulate the soil in Torrey Pines State Reserve, where a beautiful lavender-colored species grows. I pull the pot out to catch winter rain (or supplement from a hose if we have a cool month without any rain), and every year I get about six to eight magic flowers. I have collected their seed pods and given them to gardeners who are better propagators than I am.

One request: Would you kindly ask gardeners to make sure that any calochortus bulb that they buy has not been collected in the wild?

KAY STEWART

San Diego

*

LILI SINGER’S excellent article deserves this footnote: A number of California native calochortus bulbs are available from Connecticut-based Van Engelen at www.vanengelen.com, which imports its bulbs from the Netherlands. How ironic that the Netherlands is such a large grower of California native bulbs, and that an East Coast company should be making them available to California gardeners.

ARVIND KUMAR

California Native Plant

Society, Santa Clara

Valley Chapter

San Jose