Erythronium hendersonii
S. Watson
Henderson's Fawn-lily, Trout lily
iNaturalist· cc-by
(c) Trevor Van Loon, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Trevor Van Loon
iNaturalist· cc-by-nc-sa
(c) Rich Hoyer, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), uploaded by Rich Hoyer
iNaturalist· cc-by-nc
(c) Dayne Galash, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Dayne Galash
Summary
Source: WikipediaErythronium hendersonii, or Henderson's fawn lily, is a plant in the lily family native to southwestern Oregon, and northern California. It can be locally very abundant within its range which is in the Rogue River, and Applegate River drainage basins in Josephine County and Jackson County in Oregon, as well as sites in Siskiyou, Del Norte, and Mendocino Counties in California.
Description
A bulb plant. It grows 15-38 cm high and spreads 10 cm wide. The leaves are dark green and marbled. The flowers occur as several on a single stem. The petals are pink. The anthers and centres of the flowers are purple.
Edible Uses
No specific use has been recorded for this species, but most if not all members of the genus produce edible bulbs. The corms are up to 6cm long and 15mm thick.
Medicinal Uses
None known
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.
Distribution
It is a temperate plant. It grows naturally in pine forests. It needs good drainage. It suits hardiness zones 4-9.
Where It Grows
Australia, Canada, North America*, Tasmania, USA,
Cultivation
Prefers slightly acid soil conditions but succeeds in chalky soils if these contain plenty of humus. Requires semi-shade, preferably provided by trees or shrubs, and a well-drained soil. Succeeds in almost any light soil, preferring one that is rich in humus. Plants prefer perfect drainage and require drier conditions when dormant. Plants are hardy to at least -15°c. Plants are growing well in the light shade of a woodland garden at Kew where they are spreading slowly. Bulbs should be planted about 7cm deep.
Propagation
Seed is 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. Stored seed requires a period of cold stratification and should be sown as early in spring as possible in a cold frame. Sow thinly so that seedlings will not need pricking out in their first year. Give an occasional liquid feed to prevent nutrient deficiency. When plants are dormant, pot up the small bulbs 2–3 per pot and grow on in a shady position in the greenhouse for a further 2–3 years before planting out into permanent positions when dormant in late summer. When dividing bulbs in summer as the leaves die down, larger bulbs can be replanted immediately into permanent positions, while smaller bulbs are best potted up and grown on in a shady position in a greenhouse for a year before planting out when dormant in late summer.
Other Uses
None known
Notes
There are about 22 Erythronium species.
References (4)
- Cundall, P., (ed.), 2004, Gardening Australia: flora: the gardener's bible. ABC Books. p 564
- Hibbert, M., 2002, The Aussie Plant Finder 2002, Florilegium. p 95
- Plants for a Future database, The Field, Penpol, Lostwithiel, Cornwall, PL22 0NG, UK. http://www.scs.leeds.ac.uk/pfaf/
- Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 22:479. 1887 "hendersoni"
