Blue Dicks

Dichelostemma capitatum

Blue Dicks is a bulb for bulb layer, edging, suited to full sun to partial shade and clay or loam, flowering Apr, May, Jun.

Where to use it in a border

At around 60 cm, it sits best along the front edge, where a low, spreading habit reads best. Give it about 10 cm of room to spread, roughly 10 to the metre when planted in a drift. It is hardy across USDA zones 7a to 10b and rated H5 by the RHS, so check it suits your area before planting.

It appears in our lists of full sun, clay soil, pollinator-friendly plants.

Border Builder uses Blue Dicks's height, spread, soil, bloom months and companions to place it in a full border plan for your own conditions, on iPhone and iPad.

Flowering through the year

Worth knowing

• Not recorded as pet-safe; site it away from pets that graze if that matters to you.
• Its flowers are valued by bees and other pollinators.

Good companions

Plants that share its conditions and style, chosen to complement its place in the border:

• African Iristo flower when it does not
• Allegheny Monkeyflowerto edge in front
• American Beautyberryfor height behind it
• American Elderberry 'Adams'for height behind it
• American Spikenardfor height behind it
• American Wisteria 'Amethyst Falls'for height behind it

Garden styles

Wildlife garden