
In early January I spent time evaluating a number of my recently emerging Themidaceae hybrids. Pictured in the container to the left are early blooming Dipterostemon capitatus ssp. capitatus hybrids based on early blooming parents that consistently bloom ~ two weeks earlier than other forms of this species in our region. The parents have typical purple-blue flower bracts and medium to light blue flowers. The new growth of these hybrids is well advance compared to the same species pictured on the right. In addition, the foliage is green with purplish pigmentation restricted to the far distal portion of the new growth.

In the container to the right of the early blooming hybrids are Dipterostemon capitatus ssp. capitatus hybrids with parents with intensely deep purple-blue flower bracts and deep blue flowers. Pictured above is a close-up photograph of these hybrids. It is fascinating to note that these hybrids, with deeply pigmented bracts and flowers, also have deeply pigmented foliage that is very similar to the deeply pigmented foliage found in some forms of Dichelostemma multiflorum found in the Sierra Nevada Mountains.

For comparison, pictured above, is a group of Dichelostemma multiflorum hybrids that I am working on with deeply pigmented foliage.

Pictured are Triteleia ixioides hybrids based on T. ixioides ssp. scabra and T. ixioides spp. unifolia. The goal with these hybrids is to enhance the deep maroon pigmentation in their flowers. These hybrids too exhibit some degree dark pigmentation in their foliage.

When pursuing hybrids with deeply pigmented flowers, some species do not exhibit deeply pigmented foliage. For example, both parents of the Brodiaea elegans ssp. elegans hybrids pictured have deeply pigmented flowers and typical green foliage. These F1 hybrids also have the typical green foliage of this species with only a small portion of deeply pigmented foliage at the distal end.