Triteleia laxa

Common Names

Ithuriel's Spear, Grassnut, Triplet Lily, Common Triteleia, Blue Brodiaea, Fool's Onion, Long Rayed Triteleia, Pretty Face, Starflower, Bloomeria, Wild Hyacinth, Wally Baskets

Summary

Ithuriel's spear is a cormous perennial native to western North America, including California and Oregon, with basal, grasslike leaves that wither during flowering and tall stems bearing umbels of six-petaled blue to blue-purple to white flowers; the plant grows about 0.3–0.6 m tall and is mildly fragrant.

It prefers full sun to partial shade on well-drained soils, is drought-tolerant once established, and requires regular moisture in spring but drying during summer dormancy; hardy to zones 6–10 and may overwinter in zone 5 with protection, and can be grown in containers; propagation occurs by seeds or division of corms, with seed taking 2–3 years to flower; it naturalizes readily and is suited for borders, rock gardens, native meadows, and wildlife gardens, attracting bees and butterflies and providing edible bulbs.

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

6 inches to 3 feet

Spread

4-6 inches

Hardiness Zones

Zones 6-9

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally full sun, tolerates partial sun or partial shade.

Soil Type

Well-drained loamy or sandy loam soil, rich in organic matter, slightly acidic to neutral.

Soil Drainage

Well-drained soil

Soil pH

6-7 (slightly acidic to neutral)

Bloom Color

Blue (usually blue; sometimes violet or white)

Bloom Time

Spring

Foliage Color

Green

Fall Foliage Color

Green

Leaf Lifecycle

Deciduous

Growth Rate

7 months

Seasons of Interest

Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter

Propagation Methods

Seeds and Division (of corms, offsets, or bulbs)

Attracts Wildlife

Attracts bees, Attracts butterflies, Attracts other pollinators