New Erythronium Introductions!
““His first theory was that if human beings didn’t keep exercising their lips, their mouths probably shriveled up.
After a few months of observation he had come up with a second theory, which was this—“If human beings don’t keep exercising their lips, their brains start working.””
Oy vey, the heat and the harvest are two things in this universe that are inextricably linked for some reason. It never fails that the week I start digging up bulbs the mercury decides to skyrocket. So this week has been spent in the shade of the cherry trees, digging bulbs, finding some good things for this years catalog which should be out, fingers crossed, four leaf clovers found by middle of next week. The best part of this week though was a visit to Diana Reecks South Salem garden and her announcement of several new Erythronium selections she has made that will be making a debut in this years catalog! Check out her two fantastic new selections and be sure to order as soon as the catalog comes out because they are only available in limited quantities pictures and descriptions by Diana.
Erythronium ‘Madam Butterfly’
Another selection from the Walter Blom hybrid collection. This one is an Erythronium hendersonii hybrid. The flowers are large, nicely spaced on dark stems. Long creamy white petals have dark purple markings at the base, over a yellow flash. Traces of this coloration show through on the back of the flower. The stigma and ovary are purple, and the pollen matures to brownish orange on long dangling anthers. The mid-green leaves have silver veining. It is the first to bloom here, with up to 4 flowers on tall stems. It is a good increaser, producing multiple bulbs as it matures.
Erythronium ‘Pacific Crest’
This hybrid has white petals with a bright yellow base and brownish red markings, similar to Erythronium ‘Inner Glow’, but on a much more compact plant. The stigma and the pollen are white on this one. The multiple flowers are smaller, on shorter, dark stems. The mid-green leaves have a very light brownish veining to them, and a nice wavy edge. There is a crispness to this plant that is hard to explain. It is also a prolific increaser. Another selection from the Walter Blom hybrid collection.
I’m very lucky that Diana decided to retire from her famed Collectors Nursery to the little hamlet of Salem, and just a few minutes down the road from me to boot! We will have her previous introductions for sale as well, ‘Inner Glow” and “Best in Show” are stunners in the early season at illahe, where they grow with no real care except for maybe keeping the slugs off, if there is a plant to deal with this ever changing climate, the Trout Lilies come up and do there thing when the moisture is abundant and then take a long rest through the heat and drought of summer, only to come back next spring with flowers in abundance. Truly a very low care plant once established.
I’ll keep plugging away at the bulb harvest and the updates to the online catalog, I’m going to put out a list for all the long time loyal customers who are used to the old pdf catalogs, but as the progress of man says we must now move to this online store to make my life easier, or at least the processing of orders easier hopefully. ;Stay tuned, as I will update when it looks like I know the release date.
P.S. Anyone else wish a couple of the idiots in the political realm who are just out running their mouths nonstop would take a break and try to find some stich of brain cells. Mitch the Turtle, had moment where he decided to stop talking and I thought I saw for a a flash in his eye that he might be regretting the way he has destroyed America from within the halls of politics. Also, aliens exist, so maybe borders and countries and planets are all now fair game, I wonder who owns the rights to print passports in space? Or can we just hitchhike around without fear of government oppression, because I would really like to try that restaurant at the end of the universe.