Erythronium 2014

[Ed Alverson]

We have finally had enough warm weather so that some of the early yellow Erythroniums - E. grandiflorum and E. tuolumnense - are starting to flower in my garden. So I thought the timing was good to start a new thread for this year.

I don't have photos of anything new to post at this time, but I thought I would share a quote I recently came across from the book "Plants of the Pacific Northwest Coast", by Pojar and Mackinnon. Under the description of E. oregonum, it says "Erythronium species have unusual below-ground structures, consisting of a bulb with only one scale, and a segmented corm made of round annual segments, just like a string of beads".

This gives me a different take on the debate about whether the underground structure of Erythronium is a bulb or a corm - apparently it has both a bulb (modified leaf) and a corm (modified stem). I'm not a morphologist, but it makes sense to me, particularly with a species like E. montanum, where the corms persist in a sort of a chain for multiple years.

Ed

[Maggi Young]

That is exactly what Ian has been saying about Erythroniums for years - there is also a case for it being a creeping rhizome with the chains , too. Complex little beauties, for sure!

[krisderaeymaeker]

In that case  ............

Erythronium caucasicum in flower today .

[krisderaeymaeker]

And also in flower E. dens-canis ssp. niveum .

[Maggi Young]

We only have E. caucasicum out here so far - it is always the earliest- and it is always one particular plant which is the first.

[Ed Alverson]

Actually, I do have something new today - a pot of Erythronium citrinum, raised from seed (Ratko 07-224) is blooming now for the first time. It took 7 years to flower, though that it probably is more a testimony to my negligent approach to horticulture than anything else. I had previously tried this species from seed I collected myself, without success, but I guess this goes to show you that if at first you don't succeed, keep trying (and be patient)!

[Menai]

My first E. dens-canis is open today. My little group, bought from Avon Bulbs, are very irregular in habit. One up and flowering, 2 others just showing tips of leaves and no sign yet of the others.

Erle
Anglesey

[Matt T]

That's a plant worth waiting for though, Ed. Such a dainty flower, perfect colour combination and great leaves too!

[meanie]

The slugs have found all mine! Can't (and probably will not be able to) add more than that.

[Ed Alverson]

That's a plant worth waiting for though, Ed. Such a dainty flower, perfect colour combination and great leaves too!

Another thing I like about this plant, and Erythroniums in general, is the way the flowers dance on the breeze. Of course this doesn't come through on a still photo...

[Olga Bondareva]

One more E. caucasicum. In the wild.

[Steve Garvie]

One more E. caucasicum. In the wild.

Lovely plant!!!

[Maggi Young]

The slugs have found all mine! Can't (and probably will not be able to) add more than that.

Oh no! That's a real horror story- you have my sympathy.

[krisderaeymaeker]

One more E. caucasicum. In the wild.

Great to see them in the wild Olga ,thanks for sharing this nice picture !

[Olga Bondareva]

Kris, Steve thank you!

And more E. caucasicum & co.