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Tritelia laxa - Liliaceae - 'Ithuriel's Spear,' 'Indian Potato,' 'Grassnut, 'Blue Brodiaea,' Brodiaea laxa. - Perhaps some have wondered how Potato Rock Nursery recievd such a name- this plant is the reason. An ancient uplifted seastack (long since blasted into oblivion for the Humboldt Bay Jetty) once bore a Yurok name that translated to "where-they-gather-indian potatoes." This was later shortened to "Potato Rock" and was once where the Trinidad train station was located...

This beautiful lily-relative flowers in the summer as the native grasses are beginning to die down. The underground corms are edible and quite tasty. They are about an inch in diameter, and are indeed very tasty, raw or cooked. The harvesting of them actually serves to multiply the plant, as the tiny cormlets break off the main corm, and often 6 or 8 new plants will end up growing where the single bulb was growing.

This is an incredibly adaptable plant, and tolerates just about any soil type and heat level found in California. This means that it does well in seasonally wet meadows as well as shallow soil patches on rock faces. It grows well on the mild coastal strip as well as in the baking interior foothills. The only requirement seems to be a rest from summer watering after blooming is completed. At this time, the corms can be dug up and divided, moved, or eaten. Ithuriel's Spear is hardy to at least 10ºF, probably lower.

The plants up for sale are 4 year old blooming size corms, usually with several smaller bulbs in the pot as well.