"Guide to Growing Erythronium"
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deciduous trees have leafed out. It is form ‘White Beauty’ AGM, are classic Long Acre Plants important to understand that growth garden plants. reserves and flowers are laid down the year Erythronium dens-canis AGM This Guide to Growing Erythronium previous to flowering, so the longer you European species in one of the first to can keep a plant in leaf the greater the flower and is reliable. One is better getting Erythronium or dogtooth violets are from increase in leaf and flowers stems will be the species itself rather than some of the the temperate regions of the northern the following year. In nature they grow Dutch forms which multiply into many hemisphere. There are between 24 and 30 with many other commonly grown small bulbs which don’t flower. E. d-c species of Erythronium. They are woodland plants such as Hepatica, ‘Snowflake’ is a fine white flowered form. predominantly woodland species but many Trillium & Uvularia. All to around 15 cm tall. get up into the sub alpine and even alpine Erythronium oregonum Another white areas of Eurasia and Western North How to buy Erythronium flowered species often with very heavily America. The common name comes from Even though erythroniums are bulbs mottled leaves. The form E. oregonum the shape of the bulb which is reminiscent they don’t like being dried out. Many ‘Sulphur’ has palest lemon yellow flowers of a canine fang. Most species are to be species have long and thin bulbs that and is very lovely. found in North America. Like Trillium break and damage easily. They don’t take Erythronium revolutum AGM A classic they can be split into two distinct groups, mechanical harvesting and need careful tall growing (30cm tall) pink flowered dog the Eurasian sp or group of species handling. The best way to purchase plants tooth violet. The colour in this species centred on E. dens-canis. (E. japonicum, is as a living specimen grown in a pot, they varies and it is worth getting a strongly sibiricum, dens-canis & caucasicum) and also can be purchased damp packed coloured and vigorous form such as the North American species. The North freshly lifted in Summer from reputable ‘Knightshayes’ Pink’. American species can also be divided into suppliers. They are raised from seed and Erythronium ‘Pagoda’AGM A vigorous two groups. There is no overlap can take five years to flower. hybrid which is easily grown and very geographically, they appear not to be Consequently many are not commonly available, with lemon yellow flowers over closely related. In Eastern North America available and tend to cost between £3 and bronzed foliage. Not very choice due to There are 5 species in Eastern North £5 each. the large leaf growth but the best for America and 18 species in the West, the trouble free growing. great majority of these occurring in Easily Grown Species Oregon and California. The easiest grown species and those which Where to grow Erythronium They are spring flowering bulbous should start any collection are the Erythronium grow best under deciduous perennials emerging from February to following. trees in a deep loamy soil that dries out in April; flowering, setting seed and dying Erythronium californicum AGM A tall Summer. Similar conditions to growing down in June. They belong to the group of easily grown species with white flowers snowdrops etc. As few of us can hope to plants that are very active before the and a yellow centre, It and its cultivated have ideal conditions a good aim would to have good fertile soil in shade (not second year. Repot in August of the coniferous), apple trees are excellent shade second year. Feed monthly when growing. Long Acre Plants providers. Erythronium don’t on the You can normally expect flowering in Specialists in unusual woodland whole worry about pH. A possible three to five years. The key as always is to perennials, ferns and lilies problem with thin chalky soils is the keep the seedlings in leaf for as long as We are open in 2005 droughty nature of them, heavy clay soils possible to maximise growth. will need draining or a raised bed for Thursdays to Saturdays, erythroniums to thrive. Raised beds can be Pests and Diseases February to July, created using peat blocks, logs, rocks or They are remarkably trouble free and easily September and October. new sleepers and make ideal conditions. grown. The major problems are to do with They also make it possible to raise these poorly draining soils leading to rotting or 10am-5pm extraordinarily beautiful plants up to view purchasing damaged bruised bulbs also their flowers more closely. They can be leading to rots. Mail Order available all year. naturalised in thin turf and large beds around Rhododendrons or on banks. Planting Companions We are a small family nursery situated in Erythronium associate well with an the beautiful south east corner of Propagation number of plants and bulbs, they fit in Somerset. Specialising in unusual plants Many of the more vigorous species will naturally with Trilliums, Galanthus, for shade with good selections of ferns, multiply vegetatively and the longer they Hepatica, Helleborus, Hosta, Pulmonaria, trilliums, wood anemones, roscoeas, are kept in leaf the quicker they will make Cyclamen coum and C. hederifolium. snowdrops, lilies, and epimediums. up. Similarly stopping them from seeding Ideally they like a soil which will dry out in We can and do despatch plants all will also increase the multiplication rate, Summer although many will do very well over the UK and most of Europe. Please remove flowers as soon as they are over. in a normal shady bed or border. send three first class stamps for our Seed is usually set in good amounts and illustrated descriptive mail order can be collected once the capsule atop the Further Reading catalogue. stiff flower scape splits. It is best to dry Mathew, B . A Taxonomic and Long Acre Plants the seed off slightly and sow in the Horticultural Review of Erythronium L South Marsh Autumn. August is best. Use a 50/50 John (Liliaceae) , Botanical Journal of the Linnean Innes/ multipurpose compost and fill a Society Vol 109, No. 4, August 1992 Charlton Musgrove deep container or pot. Sow the seeds and Somerset cover with coarse grit. Put outside to BA9 8EX expose the seeds to cold and wet. In Tel/fax 01963 32802 Spring a single cotyledon will come up, followed by a small single leaf in the .