Erythronium Plants

Erythronium plants 'trout lily' or 'dog tooth violets' such as E. revolutum E. dens-canis and E. californicum, are a popular spring flowering woodland plant (bulbous perennial) with over 20 species, mostly from the West coast of Northern America.

These wonderful flowering bulbs grow well in a humus rich soil in part shade, they naturally occur beneath deciduous trees, dry shade in summer sun in winter. Many gardeners grow erythroniums in pots or troughs where they can easily remove them for division, we like to grow them in the garden and let them naturalise, we just need to remmeber where we planted then.

With lovely mottled foliage to go with beutiful flowers Erythronium are a must for the shady area beneath a large tree. The tall growing Erythronium revolutum (pictured below left) has wonderful pink flowers and is a standout.

Growing Erythronium

A humus rich soil is best, try the shady side of the tree for best results when planting Erythroniums. Once established erythroniums need little care. It is essential to leave the foliage on these plants as this is where they get the energy for next years flowers, similar to most bulbs. Unlike many bulbs however erythronium do not like to dry out, so look for bulbs that have been kept moist when buying. Yes you can grow them from seed, if you are patient. Be careful when digging as the bulbs are generally thin and can easily be damaged.