Erythronium 2008

[Ian Y]

Arthur,
it is E. revolutum.
Look at the pattern on the leaves and the shape of the filaments.

[Ed Alverson]

Arthur, hopefully it is a pleasant surprise that you have E. revolutum rather than E. dens-canis.  This isn't the only case I've seen of these two species being confused.  The catalog for Brent and Becky's Bulbs, a big mail order bulb retailer in the US, has a photo of E. revolutum in the catalog listing for E. dens-canis.  The don't offer E. revolutum, so presumably what they are really selling is E. dens-canis, but I haven't ordered any myself to find out!

Ed
(the clue is in the filaments!)

[mark smyth]

Can anyone remember who was selling dens-canis 'Snowflake' last year? Mine are pink!!!

[art600]

Arthur, hopefully it is a pleasant surprise that you have E. revolutum rather than E. dens-canis. 
Ed
(the clue is in the filaments!)

Ed
Knew it was not dens-canis, hoped it was revolutum, thought it was revolutum, and am delighted that it is.

[ChrisB]

Erythronium multiscapoideum 'Cliftonii' in flower this week, such a pretty thing.  One flower last year, this year I've got two!!!

[mark smyth]

Does anyone have Janis Ruksans '07 catalogue handy? Before I shout at someone about my wrongly supplied Erythronium I want to make sure 'Snowflake' didnt come from Janis

[Martin Baxendale]

Does anyone have Janis Ruksans '07 catalogue handy? Being I shout at someone about my wrongly supplied Erythronium I want to make sure 'Snowflake' didnt come from Janis

Mark, I have Janis' 07 catalogue here, and he listed E. dens-canis 'Snowflake'.

[mark smyth]

Thanks. I looked at Paul Christians web site and see you can now look back at plants ordered. My info is stored back to '04. This Erythronium isnt listed so I'll have to talk nicely to Janis. Another reason to keep invoices for bulbs something I used to do until I took them out one day for a read

Now how and why did I write being instead of before. Has my recent coffee gone to my brain?

[Diane Whitehead]

I bought an Erythronium Snowflake this year.  The photo on the plastic
label shows an unmarked white flower with purple anthers and wide
filaments.

The text says "A beautiful western wildflower perfect for semi-shade or
woodland conditions."

The leaves are not dens-canis.  I am waiting for the three buds to open.

[Ed Alverson]

We have also had our share of inclement weather lately, with rain, wind, and a bit of snow last week and then 3 clear nights below 25 degrees F.  It does seem like the Californians are not as good as standing up to the weather as more northerly residents (just a bit of Oregonian humor...) 

I don't have E. multiscapoideum at flowering size (maybe next year) but fellow Californian E. helenae looks rather bedraggled.  However, E. tuolumnense still looks good because I had the plants covered by plastic over a hoop frame, which kept them dry and perhaps a bit warmer. Mainly I was trying to improve seed set on the E. tuolumnense, we'll see how that works.  Still, the E. t. is nice, having been blooming for over 3 weeks, with 3 to 5 flowers on each stem.  Yes, the plants are overly leafy, but not as much as "Pagoda" or "Kondo", which, by the way, haven't yet started flowering in my garden.

Ed

[Ed Alverson]

Here's more - Erythronium hendersonii does well in our climate and soils (a bit clayey and dry in summer).  Flowering seems considerably delayed compared to last year, at least a week or more behind.  There is a good bit of variation in the intensity of the lavender color in the tepals (here is one that is almost white, except for the tips), but the center of the flower is always a rich purple.

Ed

[Ed Alverson]

Erythronium revolutum has just started to bloom for me.  This plant is from seed that was collected in the nearby coastal mountains.  One additional way you can distinguish it from other western species is the way that the anthers are tightly pressed to the style, as this picture shows.  Sometimes this isn't always obvious (perhaps older flowers will splay out a bit), but if you see this feature in one of the western species, you have E. revolutum.

Our local plants of E. oregonum have the cream-yelow tinge to the tepals of ssp. leucandrum, and many, though not all, flowers have pale yellow or white anthers typical of ssp. leucandrum.  This is different from typical ssp. oregonum, which is mostly found at higher elevations in Oregon (or exclusively from Portland northward to Washington and BC).

Ed

[Ed Alverson]

The text says "A beautiful western wildflower perfect for semi-shade or
woodland conditions."

Maybe the label is trying to say that Europe is located west of Asia?  Let us know what it turns out to be.

Ed

[Gerdk]

Ed,
Wonderful sights of wonderful flowers. Thank you for these pics.

Gerd

[Ian Y]

Diane
I got seeds of an Erythronium 'Snowflake' some years ago and it is indeed a true westener. I have not worked out exactly what it is I suspect it is a hybrid but mine has yellow anthers. I will post a picture of it when it flowers - if it has survived the heavy snow we have had over night.

As for the white forms of dens canis I am not convinced that any one knows which plants the various cultivar names refer to so I just call them white forms - but Mark you are justified to be miffed they should be white.

Ed, I find forms of E. helenae to be a bit on the tender side - I can only grow them with some protection - it has the most beautiful scent.
There are a number of helenae hybrids which are good garden plants and our own E. 'Craigton Cream' is perfectly hardy in the garden and it increases well.