Erythronium 2009

[Paul T]

Ian,

What a beauty.  Lovely characteristics.  Hopefully someone imports it into Aus at some point.  Beautiful!

[gote]

My (non-white) E sibiricum is now in flower. This is year #2. Year #1 it was not very good. I get the impression that Erythroniums do not like to be moved around. Is that a general experience or am I just careless? Anyway It is quite nice.
I placed these two japonicum in a position that makes photos very difficult (mea culpa  )

Göte

[Paul T]

All stunning, Gote!!

[mark smyth]

I saw this 'Snow Goose' in Margaret Glynn's garden last week.

[Ed Alverson]

Following up on Hristo's post about the purple-leaved E. dens-canis, I just noticed a photo on the web of a purple-leaved plant of Erythronium oregonum, so this phenomenon can occur in other species.  The photo is on the CalPhotos web site at
http://calphotos.berkeley.edu/cgi/img_query?where-taxon=Erythronium%20oregonum.

The photographer's note attached to the photo says "This is an exceptionally dark purple-brown leafed form. I have watched it mature from a single dark leaf to a double-leafed flowering specimen this year. The stem and flower are normally colored."

Ed

[Rodger Whitlock]

A photo of the wild form of Erythronium californicum.

This is growing in my garden, in quite heavy, dampish soil that is waterlogged in winter. Leaves of an epimedium at left and along bottom; leaves of a spuria iris in background; erythronium leaves in lower right corner.

[Guff]

I usually only get 2-3 flowers a year. How can I get these to flower. I have thousands of single leaf plants, yet only a few flowers each spring. Thanks for info.

[Hristo]

Göte, super Erythroniums, great to see E.japonicum, a real stunner!
Guff - I have this problem with my E.dens-canis cultivars, and from observations in the wild I do wonder if they simply have good and bad years, but on the off chance it may help I am minded to plant some of mine much deepr. i.e.. 10 to 15cm below surface level to see if this helps flowering next year. Good Luck!

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Whilst visiting Gothenburg botanic gardens last year - we presented the problem of non flowering Erythronium americanum to Gerben Tjeerdsma who guided us around.  They hat lots of E. americanum all flowering like mad.  He said they had had the same problem and they got the Erythroniums flowering freely after replanting them and digging in lots and lots of old rotted manure... ever since they had been flowering beautifully.

I did the same with a clump of non flowering E. tuolumnense - it took them one growing season to regain their strength and this year they've been flowering profusely.  I believe every single bulb produced a flowering stem   !  I posted a pic earlier in this Erythronium thread !  Obviously they also get their ration of Potash !

[Guff]

Hristo, Luc, thanks.

Do you think putting down 3-4 inches of leaf compost in the fall would work? It would be a major job digging them up and redoing the bed.

Last summer I dug up around 20 and planted in another spot. I see one flower bud so far. I may start another bed when they start to die down.

Took another picture.

[Hristo]

Hi Guff, sounds like a plan, they get the deeper planting and the nutrient input Luc suggests! The ones that are flowering are rather attractive so here's hoping for more in your garden next year!

[Rodger Whitlock]

Flowering today;
E.oregonum
E.tolumense 'Pagoda'

That E. oregonum you have is from a southerly population. Here in British Columbia, E. o. is uniformly white (perhaps with a subliminal ivory tinge), but further south, in Oregon, you get creamy colored ones.

I'll try to take some illustrative photos tomorrow and post them.

Though you likely know it, 'Pagoda' is a hybrid of E. tuolumnense, as are 'Kondo' and 'Citronella'.

[Paul T]

Guff,

Which Erythronium species is that?  Very nice leaves but with strong yellow flowers!    Is it grandiflorum?

[Maggi Young]

Guff's Ery is the  E. americanum/umbilicatum type....  we'd call it americanum here!!
We have had similar problems with the proliferating form  which makes carpets of single leaves..... but in recent years it has finally decided to begin making twin leaves and flowers...... mostly a complete mystery to us!
 We were not able to perfom the dig and manure trick that seems to have worked in Gothenburg, but if it is possible, I'd suggest trying it.  Maybe the mulch route is worth a go too....  can't hurt, I reckon.


 Paul.... the Bulb Log is always a good source  for instance.... http://www.srgc.org.uk/bulblog/log2008/160108/log.html   

[Hristo]

Hi Rodger,
Many thanks for the information about the E.oregonum, it's great to have that kind of information about a treasured plant from those who live in their neighbourhood!