prhart, I don't have any shooting star extra for trading, but was wondering if you might want/need some trillium recurvatum. I seldom see it listed for trading. Note the sepals that are turned down...thus a recurvatum. I rec your email concerning tulips too...and will go reply now...thanks! Sue Here is a link that might be useful: Trillium Recurvatum at Mobot

Hi prhart, Might you like some trillium recurvatum for your T. grandiflorum? Did the green trillium bloom for you yet? Sue...aka chemocurl

I have (potted)some Trillium recurvatum, catsbaei, and grandiflorum. I was not posting them to exchange as I planned to keep them for local plant swaps. However, if you still have some T. decumbens and need any of the above, I am interested. I may have a source of T. underwoodii, but that is not definite yet. You are in a warmer zone and have lots of semi-tropicals listed. Most of my plants are from a slightly colder zone. I could get Clintonia, but I doubt that it would survive in your warmer zone. I was not reading this website last spring, so I missed your original offer. Trilliumflowerchild has revived it.

I suggest Wild Columbine - Aquilegia canadensis. This is in full bloom here in central PA right now, and has had flowers for several weeks. Easily grown from seed and among the easiest natives to find in nurseries. If you leave some space unmulched at the base of the columbines, you'll have to pull some weeds but should also get lots of volunteer columbine seedlings next year which can be moved around the garden. Also try violets. They bloom even earlier than columbine, depending on the species, and there are many species to choose. The showiest is Birdsfoot Violet, which is a relatively common plant in the native nursery business. The widespread Common Blue violet is also nice and very easy to find - you probably have some in the lawn. There are numerous other species, and you might find one or two growing in a spot with similar soil and sunlight as your garden and move a few. Around here Viola finriatula is common in dry, sunny spots and very showy in early spring. The big drawback to violets is their stature - they are low growers and can get lost in a garden if larger plants or weeds overtop them, and since they're small they can be hard to mulch properly. I would plant them in small areas that are easy to locate - at the base of a sign, for example - so that you will know where they are in the fall when you return for class even if weeds have grown over them. Violets do fine in full sun or shade.