So, I've become obsessed with planting the plants/flowers I remeber as a kid. I even ordered two large sacks of false garlic/crow poison seeds the other day as I realized these were the little white flowers that covered my grandmother's yard. I was speaking with my mother and she was telling me about someone bragging about some little yellow/orange wildflowers they had that the Spanish brought to the area.

Regardless of the varacity of that story, it triggered a memory I had of the hillside outside my pre-school. I have a too good of a memory, sometimes. I remember these little yellow-orange single flowers that grew on long, straight stems maybe 6-8 inches tall? The flowers were bell/trumpet-shaped and maybe an inch across at most but probably less. I've searched 2-3 wildflower search engines and can't find anything close. Im in zone 8b in Louisiana.

Possibly a rain lily?

I agree with Rain lily
Could also be False dandelion https://www.wildflower.org/gal...

Rain lily it was!!!! Y'all are awesome!!!

I just ordered 50 bulbs, lol. That will get me started!

Wow! Those will be beautiful when they bloom. And you'll be surprised at how quickly they spread by self-seeding. After a rain, you are in for a real treat!

GrammaChar said:Wow! Those will be beautiful when they bloom. And you'll be surprised at how quickly they spread by self-seeding. After a rain, you are in for a real treat!

I can't believe you found that. And I've been reading all the bulb books and skipping right over them. I hope I have a place to put them, lol!

Finding a spot for your Habranthus tabispathus (Copper Rain Lily) shouldn't be difficult. They prefer a somewhat moist grassy swale or pasture, yet are drought tolerant during hot summers. Coppers naturalize easily and flower after the rains of late summer (August, September, October). I like the way they just seem to pop up in random places on my property here in Texas. A delightful little flower.

I haven't seen them in years. But the discussion of pasture makes me think I must have seen these on my grandparents property down in Corrigan as a kid. It would make sense as it was not mowed that often, minus the cows.

Isn't it wonderful how flowers can evoke long-forgotten memories? One of my very earliest recollections is when my great-grandmother would let me hold the hose to water the Four O'Clocks. What a treat! That was over 65 years ago, but I still grow Mirabilis jalapa to this day just so I can recapture that feeling.

Glad to see you reconnecting with your past through plants.

Oh - since most rain lilies are toxic, the cows and deer wouldn't eat them.

I'm an archeologist so that's what I do-reconnect with the past. I love reading about the "rose rustlers" and "bulb hunter" because I have used a watchful eye for the old plants to find old home sites. My mother has a bed around the large pecan tree in her yard full of 4 o'clocks, jonquils, and spider lilies that she got from her grandmother. The 4 o'clocks are the only one of the three I don't have piece of, yet.

I've been trying to fill my yard and bed with the old flowers since I have terrible soil that doesn't treat garden center flats to kindly. About the time I moved into my current house, I bought an old used copy of Felder Rushing's "Tough Plants for Southern Yards." After ignoring it for a few years, I read it and was totally hooked.

You might also want to read Passalong Plants by Steve Bender and Felder Rushing. Concentrates on "old" plants. Great book!

GrammaChar said:You might also want to read Passalong Plants by Steve Bender and Felder Rushing. Concentrates on "old" plants. Great book!

I've got it! Great book. I wish there more pics, though! A few years ago, I spent the summer reclaiming my beds from liriope and yellow flag Iris. I first tried native plants. When that fizzled, I decided mid summer last year to go the tough old passalong route. I bought daylilies, Iris, crinum, and a ton of spring bulbs.

@bkrell,
Sounds like a fabulous project to bring back lovely memories.

If you need 4 o'clock seeds or seedlings, Dmail me. I've been pulling them up.