Dichelostemma ida-maia

RHS Plant Profile
firecracker flower

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firecracker flower RHS

Other common names

crimson Californian hyacinth, crimson satin flower, floral firecracker, vegetable firecracker

Synonyms

Brevoortia ida-maia
Brodiaea coccinea
Brodiaea ida-maia

Bulbs Conservatory Greenhouse Herbaceous Perennial
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A cormous perennial to about 30cm with narrow, upright leaves which die back as it blooms. The flowers, borne in clusters at the ends of narrow stems, are tubular, mainly red with yellow and green tips

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Loam, Sand

Max Height

0.1-0.5 metres

Max Spread

0-0.1 metre

Size

Time to Maturity
2–5 years
Max Spread
0-0.1 metre
Max Height
0.1-0.5 metres

Growing Conditions

Loam Sand
Moisture
Well–drained
pH
Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun
Aspect
South–facing or East–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

  • H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
  • H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
  • H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
  • H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
  • H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
  • H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
  • H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
  • H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
  • H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)
H3

Colour & Scent

Season Stem Flower Foliage Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family
Asparagaceae
Native to GB/Ireland
No
Foliage
Deciduous
Habit
Columnar upright
Genus
Dichelostemma are cormous perennials with narrow, grassy foliage and umbels or racemes of tubular or narrowly bell-shaped flowers
Name Status
Correct
Plant Range
W North America

How to Grow

Cultivation

Requires a warm, dry dormant season to ripen the corm, so best grown in an alpine house or cold frame, in free-draining compost, in full sun

Propagation

Propagate by seed, or remove offsets in late summer

Suggested planting locations and garden types

  • Patio and container plants
  • Cut flowers

Pruning

No pruning required

Pests

Generally pest-free

Diseases

Generally disease-free