Dichelostemma ida-maia

The firecracker flower is a flowering, herbaceous perennial wildflower in the asparagus family native to the woods, coastal grasslands, and mountainous regions of California and Oregon.  It has showy red flowers that hang in clusters off a single stalk with a few grass-like leaves at the base of the plant. The flowering stem is generally curved or twisted (not straight). When this wildflower blooms surrounding grasses are maturing and turning brown, thus the plant signals the beginning of summer. It is the only species in the genus that is pollinated by birds.

The firecracker flower prefers full sun and and is easy to grow in dry, well-drained soil in full sun. However, it is a hardy plant that can tolerate poor soil, shade and drought. The plants must be given a dry summer dormancy and should be planted in the ground or in a deep enough pot to provide good room for roots. The plant will spread in time to form colonies from bulbs or seed. Note that when grown from seed, it can take several months before seedlings appear.

Diseases, Insect Pests, and Other Plant Problems: No significant problems