Hi Fermi,
We have only one Amsonia species that is native to California. Amsonia tomentosa is native to the Mojave Desert and fringe parts of the Sonoran Desert in Southeastern California. This is definitely out of my range here in Northern California, however there are plenty of plants of horticultural interest in this region.
I am hoping to revisit a Pulga Bridge-like site in Northern California this spring. The “Cliftonii” ecotype of Erythronium multiscapideum found at the Pulga Bridge site has been overworked by collectors. Fortunately there are better locations that are still little known. In addition, the ‘Cliftonii’ genes are found in Erythronium multiscapideum throughout its range, often showing up in the phenotype of individuals that are misidentified as another species, or a new species. The horticultural potential of this species is still under utilized.
Calochortus coeruleus
There are some outstanding plants in this region. Calochortus tolmiei (a similar species pictured is Calochortus coeruleus), a number of Fritillaria species, a good stand of Lilium humboldtii ssp. humboldtii, as well as a great ecotype of Rhododendron occidentale can be found in this area. Over 20 years ago I made 5 selections from this ecotype. They have all proven to be extremely heat tolerant. In addition, they bloom 30 to 45 days earlier than the type species and come in a range of colors not found in the Sierra Nevada populations. Needless to say there are many fine species in this region that have horticultural value and have under utilized potential.
