ON HARDY BULBS AND TUBERS. 



317 



Brodi^a. — To America we are indebted for this most beautiful 

 family of liliaceous plants, which until a few years ago were 

 practically unknown in the hardy garden. The genus is a some- 

 what confused one — at least, by amateurs — and those in search 

 of the plants will find them catalogued as well under Milla, 

 Triteleia, Bloomeria, &c, while several of the plants best known 

 to gardeners under the name of Brodiaeas are now allocated to 

 other genera. Two of the best examples of these latter may be 

 found in Broditza coccinea (now Brevoortia coccined) and the 

 remarkable plant Brodicea volubilis (now Stropholirion volubilis). 

 Mr. J. G. Baker, in 1896, issued an excellent monograph of the 

 genus in the Gardener's Chronicle, » 

 and all who are botanically interested 

 would do well to consult it. 



Brodiaeas are quite hardy if but 

 intelligently treated, and the marvel 

 is that such gems for the border or 

 choice rockery should have escaped 

 notice so long. A south border 

 (raised) and a light sandy- soil are their 

 chief requirements. Planting should 

 be done in October or early in 

 November, and the bulbs need not 

 be disturbed except for removing 

 the offsets, which are freely pro- 

 duced. A dozen bulbs in a group 

 will prove very effective. In height 

 Brodiaeas range from ift. to 2ft. on 

 the average, the colours varying con- 

 siderably. There is one slight draw- 

 back to the plants, or, rather, to some 

 species, and this is that the foliage 

 is frequently shabby before the flowers 

 are at their best. Gardeners, however, 

 get over this by carpeting the spot 

 with a later-flowering compact annual. 

 For pot-plants, Brodiaeas have few 

 superiors. Some of the best kinds 

 are B. Howelli lilacina, soft blue, tipped with white ; B. grandi- 

 flora, rich violet-blue, dwarf-growing, very free ; B. congesta, 

 purplish-blue, lasting a long time in perfection, 2ft. ; B. laxa 

 {Milla la-xa, Triteleia laxa), variable as to colour, from rich 

 violet to purplish-blue ; B: Howelli, white, 2ft. ; B\ Hendersoni, 

 yellow; B. Douglasi, bright blue, 2ft.; B. Orcutti, light blue, and 

 one of the latest to flower, ift. ; B. ixioides (Calliprora luted), 

 bright yellow with green bands, and the superior form of it 

 known as erecta, which is of more compact habit and has erect 

 flowers. 



Fig. 193.— Brevoortia 

 coccinea. 



