Dichelostemma capitatum

Common Names

Blue Dicks, Wild Hyacinth, Brodiaea, Purplehead, School Bells, Desert Hyacinth, Grass Nuts, Covena, Coveria, Common Brodiaea

Summary

Blue Dicks is a perennial herb native to western United States and northwest Mexico, including California, arising from an underground corm. It forms a low clump with two to three basal leaves and leafless flowering scapes up to about 60 cm tall, bearing a dense head of 2–15 blue to violet flowers (occasionally white). The flowers attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds, and corms can lie dormant for years, with post-fire disturbance triggering regrowth from cormlets.

Culture favors full sun to partial shade and well-drained soil; drought-tolerant once established, with winter–spring rains and a dry summer. Reproduction occurs by seed and cormlets, with cormlets detaching from the main corm, and flowering size from seed taking years; propagation is easier from corms. It naturalizes in sunny, well-drained sites and can be used in rock gardens, beds, borders, walkways, and meadows; edible corms and edible flowers add culinary value, and Native Americans historically ate the corms and used flowers in raw dishes. Hardiness zones 9–11.

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

12 inches-3 feet

Spread

1-6 inches

Hardiness Zones

Zones 9a-11

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally full sun, tolerates partial sun to partial shade.

Soil Type

Well-drained soil

Soil Drainage

Well-drained soil.

Soil pH

Tolerates all pH levels

Bloom Color

Blue to purple, including blue-purple and lavender, with occasional white.

Bloom Time

Spring

Foliage Color

Green

Fall Foliage Color

Green

Leaf Lifecycle

Deciduous

Growth Rate

Fast

Seasons of Interest

Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter

Propagation Methods

Seeds, Division

Attracts Wildlife

Attracts bees, attracts hummingbirds, attracts butterflies, attracts birds