Sternbergia

Family Amaryllidaceae. The genus includes 5 species that grow on dry slopes of the lower mountain belt of the Mediterranean, Eastern Europe, and Southwest Asia.

Perennial bulbous plants with strap-shaped basal leaves up to 40 cm long. Flowers solitary, less often in pairs; one plant produces 10–13 flower stalks up to 20 cm long. Flowers bright yellow, funnel-shaped, with a short tube, up to 3 cm in diameter. They bloom in late autumn or early spring, abundantly and for a long time. The fruit is a fleshy capsule. If you wish to cultivate Sternbergia in the open ground, choose a site with very well-drained soil and carefully cover the plants for the winter. They are harmed more by excessive moisture than by low temperatures.

Location: They prefer sunny, wind-protected sites with fertile sandy-loam soil. Drainage is necessary for successful cultivation.

Not frost-hardy. Cultivated in the southern regions of the country. They can be grown in pots indoors and in greenhouses, where they bloom abundantly and for extended periods.

Propagation: only by bulb offsets. Seeds set poorly, and seedlings flower in 4–5 years. They can remain in one place for up to 6 years. Bulbs are dug up in summer, offsets separated and planted immediately in their permanent positions.

Usage: Best suited for rock gardens in the southern regions of Russia. Using these species, one can create from early October to May an exceptionally beautiful green carpet with bright yellow flowers. The best results are achieved with a planting area of 25x20 cm per plant. The yellow Sternbergia is well used in single-row and group plantings in flowerbeds and in small groups on lawns.