u/NevCoNativePlants

Like many, I enjoy looking for geological substrate islands to notice plant affinities. For years I've been visiting lava flows locally to me, and knew there was this onion from the dried seed heads but finally this year got to witness these lovely bulbs.
The aroma coming from these bulbs was noticed before seen. It smelled like a soup kitchen. Once within sight, in roughly a 600 sq' area the area was packed with bulbs some areas do dense easily 30 flowering heads in a square foot, with flurry of Fritillary butterflies.

For years I was use to seeing this plant in nooks in volcanic substates, stunting its size. In the field for seed collection found plants close to knee high 3-4' wide on flood plain river cobble. So impressive and lots of bumblebee diversity.

For years I was use to seeing this plant in nooks in volcanic substates, stunting its size. In the field for seed collection found plants close to knee high 3-4' wide on flood plain river cobble. So impressive and lots of bumblebee diversity.

In 2002 I planted a Fremontodendron in this exact location, it was a cultivar I can't remember, most likely'Pacific Sunset'.

It grew without a problem and established its first rain season, grew fast, strong, 16' x 16'. If anyone remembers we had a very large multiple season drought between 2012-2017. So it's not rare for this genus to be short lived in landscaping settings. Between that consideration, and the extended 5 year drought during a wind storm it was wind thrown, and close to 70% of its rootball exposed, resulting in fatality.
Being selectively lazy and understanding its ecology I cut all the canopy roughly 18" from the crown, and stacked all that canopy on that crown and lit it into a bonfire of only itself, no additional material added.
This was done as soon as burn permits were allowed again, after first good rains.

The drought was done and great rains returned. Close to 6 weeks after the burn and those rains I saw perhaps a square yard of germinated seedlings, and the highest density where it burnt the hottest.
I noticed that some deer where eating the sprouts, so I cage some and, selectively thinned out seedlings.
After seeing wich seedling had the most vigor the deer cage was left on for it to mature a season or two till it could actually provide for the dear after a tender seedling stage. So 7 or so years later she's roughly 12' tall, and 20' wide.

I imagine considering her origin story one or some might already guess she was given the name "Phoenix" as she truly came from Fire and ash.

In 2002 I planted a Fremontodendron in this exact location, it was a cultivar I can't remember, most likely'Pacific Sunset'.

It grew without a problem and established its first rain season, grew fast, strong, 16' x 16'. If anyone remembers we had a very large multiple season drought between 2012-2017. So it's not rare for this genus to be short lived in landscaping settings. Between that consideration, and the extended 5 year drought during a wind storm it was wind thrown, and close to 70% of its rootball exposed, resulting in fatality.
Being selectively lazy and understanding its ecology I cut all the canopy roughly 18" from the crown, and stacked all that canopy on that crown and lit it into a bonfire of only itself, no additional material added.
This was done as soon as burn permits were allowed again, after first good rains.

The drought was done and great rains returned. Close to 6 weeks after the burn and those rains I saw perhaps a square yard of germinated seedlings, and the highest density where it burnt the hottest.
I noticed that some deer where eating the sprouts, so I cage some and, selectively thinned out seedlings.
After seeing wich seedling had the most vigor the deer cage was left on for it to mature a season or two till it could actually provide for the dear after a tender seedling stage. So 7 or so years later she's roughly 12' tall, and 20' wide.

I imagine considering her origin story one or some might already guess she was given the name "Phoenix" as she truly came from Fire and ash.

Cluster fairy slipper orchids. These are a pain to get a good photo but treat to see.