Send an email to Steve.Yoder@nau.edu and he will forward your request to one of our staff experts.

Where can I buy native seeds and bulbs?

We have been propagating native bulbs for some time and many Calochortus varieties in particular.  One variety of Calochortus that has eluded us so far is Calochortus kennedyi (desert mariposa?) native to the Mojave desert and southeastward into Arizona, we understand. 

Are you aware of a source for seed for this variety?  Any information you can provide will be appreciated. 

Arboretum reply:

I'm not surprised that you are having trouble finding Calochortus kennedyi.  None of our usual seed suppliers have it either.  I did a web search and found one supplier: (http://www.b-and-t-world-seeds.com/).  The trick may be purchasing in Euros.  But they seem to have the seed, and the conversion should be relatively easy.

Good luck!  

How tall does the cliffrose routinely grow to?

Would you or someone there know or have observed long enough to know how Cliffrose (Purshia/Cowania stansburiana/mexicana) has performed in size-height at maturity around the Flagstaff-Fort Valley-Mormon Lake-Williams area? Also, on the Kaibab Plateau north of Grand Canyon?

1. Do these cliffroses, either in cultivation or nativity reach 6' or higher ROUTINELY, or do they only sometimes reach 6' height?

2. Do they perform taller in warmer microclimates, like where your  high altitude sun strikes into south-facing aspects, hills, slopes,walls, buildings, etc.?

3. Have wetter than normal winters ever caused any fatality or injury to these Cliffroses?

One reason I am inquiring is that, in Cheyenne WY, which is climatically very similar to the Flagstaff AZ area both for temperature and precipitation, out of the many cliffroses planted there, none have exceeded 3-4' in height, while in Denver CO they are routinely 6-8', and in Albuquerque NM they are routinely 10'+.  It seems that either mildness of winter and/or increasing summer warmth is responsible for larger size performance.

Your attention to this inquiry will help me in my research for a new ratings system for hardiness and size performance of trees and shrubs.

Arboretum reply:

Here at the Arboretum we have worked extensively with the rare species of Cliffrose, Purshia subintegra, that grows in the desert areas of the Verde Valley (2500-3500').  

I don't have much experience with Purshia stansburiana in the wild, but from meandering in the forest, I have seen P stansburiana commonly growing 5'-7' tall.  We have also grown them in our greenhouse, but they generally don't get much taller than 4', as they are kept in small pots to facilitate moving them around.  Overwatering our greenhouse plants has led to mortality.  

I do not have a confident opinion about slope or sunlight.

I am imagining that these re-introduced Cliffrose in Wyoming are still "young", as the ages of Cliffrose have been estimated in the 100 years.  Perhaps given time they will achieve a greater height?  Purshia subintegra very rarely gets taller than 4', in all aspects of sun and slope in the wild. 

If you would like more definitive answers, perhaps you could try Barb Phillips,the Forest Service Botanist for our area.  (bgphillips@fs.fed.us)

Does society garlic grow well in the Flagstaff area?

Steve Yoder forwarded your question about society garlic to me. I've never grown society garlic, but my understanding is that the plant's leaves are evergreen. Therefore, I would recommend not cutting the plant back for the winter. Cutting back is usually done with cold-hardy herbaceous perennials that die back to the ground, like cutleaf coneflower.

I'm assuming that you're growing society garlic indoors, or perhaps outside in a place that is much warmer than Flagstaff, since society garlic is not cold-hardy.

Good luck with your gardening.

What turf grasses and fruit trees do you suggest for the Prescott area?

Some grass seeds which should do well are blue grama, side-oats grama and black grama. Also you can find Bullgrass (Muhlenbrgia emersleyi). This grass grows in Prescott in rocky places and is a beautiful ornamental. Also, try Muhlenbergia rigens, Deergrass, as an ornamental.  Blue grama is the only one of those I mentioned which will form sod.

As far as fruit tress, the local nurseries there should be a help. Late freezes prevent many fruit trees from bearing fruit at high elevations.

Also try The Highlands Center for Natural History??? (I can never remember the name) for more info on natives in your area. Our website gives many native plant and seed sources (www.thearb.org).  I hope this helps.

Are there any plants that absorb the smell of tobacco smoke?

We live in British Columbia, Canada.  We live in a townhouse where there are smokers above and below us, and we do not smoke.  Are there plants or flowers available that we can have on the deck that will help absorb the smoke smells from coming past our sundeck and into the door?

Arboretum Reply:

I have a number of ideas of  how you might take care of this problem, but let's stick to the plant-related ones.  Unfortunately I am not aware of any plant that will actually absorb the smell.  I would suggest trying to form a barrier with plants and/or incorporating plants with generous competing fragrances. On top of the recommendation list may be the classic spider plant (Cholorphytum sp.).  Buy mature plants in hanging baskets and allow them to be crowded in their pots.  This will spur the production of dense, hanging runners.  (I have this vague memory of an article where this plant was promoted by NASA for air filtration.}  On the fragrance side, perhaps you'll know it when you smell it.  Scented geraniums may be one option for the summer.  Good luck,

What's the best time to see wildflowers in the Sedona area?

I've been conferring with local experts to find out more about the bloom time in Sedona.  Since Sedona is located at an elevation of about 4,000', the bloom time is different from what it is at our facility (The Arboretum at Flagstaff), which is located at 7,000'. Jean Searle, a Sedona resident and longtime member of the Arizona Native Plant Society, gave me the following information:

"Sedona is primarily pinyon-juniper woodland with some areas of grassland, which were the easiest places to build houses and so were the first to disappear. As for saying where and when the flowers will be best, that's impossible.  Our climate is quite variable from one year to the next.  This year, of course, we had lots of rain and the weather so far has remained cool.  Last season we had almost no rain at all. and there were no flowers, and many trees died.  This is one reason our botany group does not know where the trips will be until the day before the trip.  (Trips are every Wednesday.)

"After all that, I am going to attempt a useful generality.  With some rain, 1-2 inches, in late November and December, the potential for wildflowers in late March into early April is quite good.  Sedona does not really have spectacular wildflower displays like those of southern AZ and CA.  However, there are many different species of plants in the Sedona Verde Valley area, and botanizing is very rewarding.

"I should mention that West Fork is also a good place to see many different plants, though I don't consider it "typical" Sedona.  Since it is higher elevation than Sedona and is cooler because it is an E-W running canyon with a permanent stream, it would be best for finding plants there from about mid-May through September.  Fall color can be beautiful.

"Hope that helps.   Jean"

Jean's response is similar to what I'd guess, in that late March through April is a good time to see blooms down in Sedona.  I'd second Jean's suggestion to visit the West Fork of Oak Creek, which is halfway between Flagstaff and Sedona.  It is one of my favorite places in Arizona, and there are many websites describing it.  Hope this helps you plan a great trip.