Starting Bulbs from Seed and Potting Up Seedlings - and Other Joys of Propagation!

I haven't been going at it hammer and tongs but I'm making headway with propagation of local natives for use in my garden and on our ridge top property. Here's how it's going.

Bulb seeds!

I attempted to make the mixture as specified on Far West Bulb's page. I wrote about this at length the first time I started seeds of plants that can then be propagated by bulb. If you are successful.


Very excited to be propagating Lilium pardalinum from their lovely seeds. At the bottom I'll put a picture of the flower.

Ilium pardalinum, leopard lily

Also Fritillaria affinis, which I had one good year with and then - not so much.

Fritillaria affinis, checker lily

And these are seeds of Calochortus albus. I love these. The little white bit at the end - I wonder if they are elaiosomes, a fatty morsel to attract ants so the seeds get dispersed. a bit of the thing that attracts ants - Well I don't think so. I can't see it by googling anyway. That's definitive then, right?

Calochortus albus, fairy lanterns

And Toxicoscordionfremontii. I have two which are well established and I'd love to have more.

Toxicoscordion fremontii, Fremont's star lily

Pricking out and potting up

Monardella villosa - I love seeing their two tone leaves - maroon underneath.

Monardella villosa freshly potted up.

Seedlings to share, and some not to share or not yet

BTW I have seedlings to share - Monardella villosa and the Heuchera micrantha below. Any local people out there want to take a chunk of a seed flat? Two square inches should get you more than you need! Let me know - you can grow them out yourself for planting later this year or early next.

Heuchera micrantha, alum root

There's a Juncus amonk us - lots actually. I'll have Juncus seedlings to share too if any locals want to get some to grow out. Probably Juncus patens.

Juncus patens, common rush

Lupinus arboreus banging on. Some of these seedlings have been wilting - damping off I think is happening - a fungus. But only in patches. I've been removing them and the rest seem very robust. I can probably not grow all of these out. They are the lavender colored one.

Lupinus arboreus, bush lupine (lavender)

Dudleya! they've stayed so small for so long! Not quite sure if D. lanceolata or D. caespitosa. Or something in between.

Dudleya lanceolata, or D. caespitosa

Castilleja affinis - from seed to seedling in 8 days!

Castilleja affinis - paintbrush. Look closely!

OK and now your reward - Lilium pardalinum, the lovely leopard lily:

Ilium pardalinum, leopard lily