Erythronium 2008

[Ed Alverson]

Ian, it is interesting to see how the E. tuolumnense accessions in adjacent boxes look so different.  Is this a function of phenology, or do the differences maintain themselves over the season?  It would be interesting to see a photo of the same view, taken a couple of weeks from now.

By the way, would I be correct in assuming that you are the source of the seed of this species that I obtained from the SRGC seed exchange?  If so, thanks!

Ed

[Ian Y]

Ed,
The answer to your question is yes to both.
The flower stem on the short one does lengthen in time but the flowers always start to open at the stage shown. With the taller one the scape lengthens before the flowers open I will as you suggest post a series of pictures to show this.
I think it is a beautiful species but unfortunately the one that is most commonly seen in cultivation over here has rather large leaves so the effect is that there is too much leaf for the flowers. I do grow that one as well but it is my least favourite - it rarely sets seeds but increases very rapidly hence its wide availability.

[Luc Gilgemyn]

I had an overcrowded group of E. Tuolumnense in the garden, that had virtually stopped flowering.
I got them out last year and replanted them - no flowers this year alas, but I'm feeding them well and after reading all the above, I hope for the best next year !

Here's

1) E. Revolutum just coming up - I loooove the foliage - you might recognize it Ian.. 
2) E. dens canis

[Michael J Campbell]

The first to flower this year.

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Nice foliage Michael - where did you get this one from ??

[Michael J Campbell]

It was the only one that germinated from AGS seed.

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Too bad you've only got one - but it does look nice !

[Michael J Campbell]

I have lot of seedlings raised from that plant,it is a few years old now and always produces lots of seed.

[Paul T]

And does it pass on those awesome leaves?  Definitely worth it for that alone. 

[Ed Alverson]

That's a nice big clump of E. revolutum, is it "clumping up" by producing offsets?  Generally E. revolutum doesn't produce offsets in the wild, but I have seen garden plants locally that do.  I wonder if this is characteristic of "Pink Beauty" (and its seedling offspring as well)?  Does anyone know more about the history of "Pink Beauty"?  I wonder if its history is similar to "White Beauty" which is much more commonly available (and appears to be a form of E. caifornicum).

Ed

[Michael J Campbell]

E. Pink beauty clumps up slowly but produces lots of seed that grow like weeds, and all the seedling offspring are identical to the parents including leaf colour.

[Gerry Webster]

Does anyone know more about the history of "Pink Beauty"? 

Ed, In his article on Erythronium in AGS Bull. 66(3), 1998 Brian Mathew states that 'Pink Beauty' was selected by Purdy as a "soft pink" variant from Humboldt County, California. Mathew mentions two other pink selections 'Rose Beauty' & 'Jessopp's Pink'. You probably know all this.
There seem to be a number of pink forms (or hybrids?) around in the UK. I have two distinct forms, both of which clump up but neither has particularly striking leaves. Susan (Pitcairn Alpines) lists a pink hybrid which seems to have good leaves. I've seen a number of  plants labelled as 'Johnsonii' but none answered to Bolander's original description as quoted by Mathew - "bright pinkish rose outside, inside golden orange deepening to a dark purple".

[Michael J Campbell]

There seem to be a number of pink forms (or hybrids?) around in the UK.

I will take some more detailed pics of the flower tomorrow and post them,if the slugs don't eat them.

[Paul T]

Michael,

I've seen 'Rose Beauty' before, but I don't think I recall a 'Pink Beauty'.  Definitely has awesome leaves, and that after all is what you see for much longer than the flowers.  Very nice, and one definitely to look out for.  Thanks for showing us.

[Lesley Cox]

Paul, `Rose Beauty' is a selection of E. dens-canis while `Pink Beauty' is a selection from E. revolutum, probably from the var. johnstonii. As Michael says, it comes true from seed - pretty much - so can be considered a stable strain, rather than a clone.