Erythronium 2009

[gote]

Then your plant is likely E. mesochoreum. Albidum is a weed, more so than E. americanum.

I got it from a presumably reputable source which sold me dens-canis as americanum 
I have no literature to help me confirm the name so a confirmed name would be welcome.
I enclose a couple of pictures
Thank you in advance
Göte

[Afloden]

Gote,
 
 I would call that E. mesochoreum. The leaves are heavily glaucous, without mottling, and do not lie flat on the ground the way E. albidum should. Albidum also feels membranous to the touch, kind of like its made of rubber and E. mesochoreum feels stiff. I wish I had some pictures so you could see my plants.
 Aaron

 

[johnw]

About a month ago I unearthed 2 very tiny bulbs of Erythronium revolutum from their seed pots.  One is about 1/4 of an inch and the other 1/16 of an inch. They have been stored dry in a ziplock bag.  I am wondering if I should pot them and whether they should be kept slightly dry, dry or moist while dormant.

johnw

[Diane Whitehead]

The revolutums here grow along stream banks.  Our streams
diminish in summer, but the soil would still be damp.

[Luc Gilgemyn]

John,
The rule for Erythronium seems to be to not let them dry out when out of the soil.
In fact, I think you better replant them asap after getting them out of their pots !

[johnw]

Thanks Diane and Luc - They looked very shiny and plump when removed from the bag and have now been repotted and gingerly watered. Of more than 100 very fresh seeds only 3 came up in the 3rd year, one rotted in the interim.

johnw

[Lesley Cox]

That's a very poor germination for fresh revolutum. I find it is among the most reliable to seed first, then to germinate quite quickly. I like to leave germinated erys in their pot for 2 years then the whole lot into a bigger pot for a year, before planting out or potting for the nursery.

[Rodger Whitlock]

I have to echo other remarks that 3% germination of Erythronium revolutum is very poor germination indeed.

Diane Whitehead remarked that the soil remains damp around it even during our lengthy summer drought. Let me emphasize that point by pointing out that I see it growing best in low positions that clearly flood in the winter. As someone put it, Erythronium revolutum prefers to grow within sound of running water.

For all that, it will take summer drought if planted out and not baked.

I wonder, John, if you were sent stale seed or seed that was heated at some point in transit.

[Diane Whitehead]

It's very odd that they took three years to come up.

I sow mine when ripe, in midsummer, and they are up
in February.

[Diane Whitehead]

John's comment about his revolutum bulbs looking "very shiny
and plump" made me curious so I just went out and dug up two
bulbs.  They were about 35 cm deep.  One looks odd - maybe it
is something else.  With having to dig around tree roots, I did
not manage to extract the bulb with the stem and seedpod still
attached, but I can't think what else it could be.

I have included the seedpods and some almost-ripe seeds in the picture. 

[Lesley Cox]

They both look like erythroniums to me.

[johnw]

John's comment about his revolutum bulbs looking "very shiny
and plump" made me curious so I just went out and dug up two
bulbs.  They were about 35 cm deep.  One looks odd - maybe it
is something else.  With having to dig around tree roots, I did
not manage to extract the bulb with the stem and seedpod still
attached, but I can't think what else it could be.

I have included the seedpods and some almost-ripe seeds in the picture.  

Diane  - Don't read too much into my comments. Remember the bulbs are jvenile and tiny as mentioned and have no tunics. so shiny and plump meant they are not dessicated after a month or more stored dry in a plastic ziplock.

Some day they may look like yours but I expect a good long wait at this rate.

johnw

[Diane Whitehead]

No, it was just curiosity as I have not seen any western
Erythronium bulbs before.  I wondered if they had a shiny
tunic like tulips do.

[johnw]

I wonder, John, if you were sent stale seed or seed that was heated at some point in transit.

Roger - Alleyne Cook sent me the seed as soon as it ripened. Heating in transit might very well explain the poor germination though they looked nice and plump when they arrived and were planted the same day.

johnw

.

[Diane Whitehead]

Back when I grew lots of rhododendrons from seed, I had very
poor germination from mailed seeds.  I figured it had something
to do with flying over the Rockies.  Seeds left sitting in a dish in
my kitchen would still be viable the next year, but some aspect
of mailing seemed to harm the seeds.