Erythronium 2011

[Tony Willis]

Ed an interesting comparison of the different snow melt times. It makes planning a trip difficult.

We were on Rainier first week of July 2004 and the snow was clear and the meadows in full bloom. Last year at the same time the snow was still a couple of feet deep in the car park and not a chance of a flower. On the road up however the Erythronium montanum were out in thousands (picture attached) and they had of course been over in 2004 in that area. As you know this July we had difficulty in the Mt Shasta area where all the roads were closed at approx 6000ft.

[fleurbleue]

what an amazing sight Tony !

[Ed Alverson]

Yes, Tony, that is one of the advantages of mountain flowers - you can often bracket the bloom time by looking for a species at the upper or lower end of its elevation range, depending upon whether it is an early year or a late year.

This year's late snowmelt at Mt. Rainier has even merited an article in today's New York Times:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/14/us/14snow.html?ref=us

Ed

[Ed Alverson]

Tanya Harvey visited the Olympic Mountains a couple of weeks ago, where a similar late-melting snowpack has led to a great Erythronium display in mid-August.  She has posted some great photos on Flickr at  http://www.flickr.com/photos/44228453@N02.  The Erythronium photos were taken on August 12th

It is interesting to see the photo of E. montanum and E. grandiflorum growing thoroughly intermixed; in places where I have seen the two species in the same locality they have been growing in separate patches or drifts.

Isn't it now about time for the first erythroniums to start blooming in the southern hemisphere?

Ed

[Ray]

Hi Ed,your right they are starting to flower now ,have 2 flowering now.
Not real sure about the ID.bye Ray

Erythronium californica
Erythronium howellii

[Maggi Young]

Tanya Harvey visited the Olympic Mountains a couple of weeks ago, where a similar late-melting snowpack has led to a great Erythronium display in mid-August.  She has posted some great photos on Flickr at  http://www.flickr.com/photos/44228453@N02.  The Erythronium photos were taken on August 12th

It is interesting to see the photo of E. montanum and E. grandiflorum growing thoroughly intermixed; in places where I have seen the two species in the same locality they have been growing in separate patches or drifts.

Ed

Ed, thank you so much for that link... these photos are quite breathtakingly lovely......such a profusion of blossom. 

[Guff]

My last project for this year.

Any advice on these would be great, was just going to sprinkle the seeds in divided sections in the bed. Could divide the seeds up and do some in pots also, thoughts?

1-Erythronium seed bed in progress
2-Erythronium seed packets.

[Ian Y]

Before you sow the seeds soak them overnight in some water with a tiny amount of soap added to break the surface tension.
The seeds will plump up and give a much better germination next spring.
Sow on the surface and cover with a cm or so of gravel and wait.
The same applies for pots or directly into the bed.

[Guff]

Ian, I will try your gravel method. Thanks for the tips.

Bed is mostly done. Alittle clean up to do and add some more compost to the drainage trench. Tomorrow I will see about dividing the bed up, the bed should be twice the size, but only have so much compost.

[Guff]

Project done, now the wait to see what shows come spring. Forgot to mention the bed is 6ft x 3ft. Planted all the seeds in the bed, decided not to do some in pots.

1-Erythronium seed bed
2-4 Erythronium bulbs from Oregon Native Plant Nursery

[t00lie]

Looking forward to the spring show Guff.

A few pics of plants currently in bloom here.

E.umbilicatum.

E.grandiflorum ssp pallidum.

E.revolutum.

E.dens-canis and close up.

5 Unknowns ......

Cheers Dave.

[WimB]

Wonderful, toolie.
Makes me long for spring, only 6 months to go