Erythronium albidum mesochoreum
| Erythronium albidum | |
| Light: |  |
| Moisture: |  |
| Hardiness: | 4 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Height: | 0.2' |
| Blooms: | Early Spring-Mid Spring |
| Open Woods Forest | |
| Native to: | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
 | |
Erythronium albidum mesochoreum (common name: fawn lily)
Propagation: Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a shady position in a cold frame. Water lightly in summer, it should germinate in autumn or winter[1][2]. Stored seed requires a period of cold stratification[1]. Sow as early in spring as possible in a cold frame. Sow the seed thinly so that it will not be necessary to prick them out for their first year of growth. Give an occasional liquid feed to the seedlings to make sure that they do not become nutrient deficient. When the plants are dormant, pot up the small bulbs putting 2 - 3 bulbs in each pot. Grow them on in a shady position in the greenhouse for another 2 3 years and then plant them out into their permanent positions when they are dormant in late summer.
Division in summer as the leaves die down. This species does not produce offsets[2].
Cultivation: Prefers slightly acid soil conditions but succeeds in chalky soils if these contain plenty of humus[1]. Requires semi-shade, preferably provided by trees or shrubs, and a well-drained soil[1]. Succeeds in almost any light soil, preferring one that is rich in humus[3].
This species is unsatisfactory in cultivation outdoors in Britain. It comes into growth early in the year and the flowers probably need more heat than our typical spring provides if they are to open properly[4].
Flowers are produced in 3 - 4 years from seed[1].
This species does not produce offsets[2].
Range: N. America - Iowa and Nebraska to Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas.
Habitat: Woods, thickets and meadows[5][4]. Prairies and dry woods in Texas[6].
Edibility: Bulb - raw or cooked[7][8]. Rather small, it is about 20mm long[9]. The bulbs are eaten avidly by children[10].
Young leaves - raw or cooked. Crisp, tasty, tender and mild when eaten raw[11]. Eating the leaves will greatly reduce the vigour of the bulb, so can only be recommended in times of emergency[K].
Pollinators: Insects
Soil: Can grow in light and medium soils.
Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.
Seed Ripens: Late Spring-Early Summer
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Known Hazards: Although no records of toxicity have been seen for this species, the following notes have been seen for another member of this genus and so some caution is advised.
Skin contact with the bulbs has been known to cause dermatitis in sensitive people[12].
Also Known As: E. mesochoreum. Kuerr.
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Bird, Alfred. Growing from Seed Volume 4. Thompson and Morgan, 1990.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Phillips, Roger and Martyn Rix. Bulbs. Pan Books, 1989.
- ↑ Lyndon, Merritt. Gray's Manual of Botany. American Book Co, 1950.
- ↑ Diggs, George and Barney Lipscomb. Illustrated Flora of North Central Texas. Botanical Research Institute, 1999.
- ↑ Tanaka, Tyōzaburō. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing, 1976.
- ↑ Yanovsky, Elias. Food Plants of the North American Indians Publication 237. US Department of Agriculture.
- ↑ Britton, Nathaniel and Addison Brown. An Illustrated Flora of the Northern United States and Canada. Dover Publications, 1970.
- ↑ Moerman, Daniel. Native American Ethnobotany. Timber Press, 1998.
- ↑ Facciola, Stephen. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, 1990.
- ↑ Frohne, Dietrich and Hans Pfänder. J. A Colour Atlas of Poisonous Plants. Timber Press, 1984.