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Harvest Brodiaea Wikimedia Commons
Asparagaceae

Harvest Brodiaea

Brodiaea elegans

Elegance in harsh conditions.

Family
Asparagaceae
Genus
Brodiaea
Native to
California, Oregon, Western United States
Bloom season
Spring, Summer
Type
bulb
Height
0.5-2 ft
Sunlight
full sun
Soil
clay, well-drained, dry in summer
Water
low
Hardiness
6-10
Lifespan
perennial

Did you know

  • Brodiaea elegans blooms after the grass has dried and gone dormant, providing vivid purple color in summer-dry California.
  • The corms were an important food source for California Native Americans, who harvested them in large quantities.
  • After flowering, all foliage dies back completely and the plant survives summer drought as an underground corm.
  • The genus is named after James Brodie, a Scottish botanist who specialized in algae and mosses.
  • Brodiaea is pollinated primarily by native bees that visit the funnel-shaped flowers for nectar.

Color meanings

0

elegance

1

adaptability

2

endurance

Uses

  • ornamental
  • native garden
  • drought-tolerant garden