Erythronium revolutum

Erythronium revolutum is a species of flowering plant in the family Liliaceae which is known by several common names, including mahogany fawn lily, coast fawn lily, and pink fawn lily. It is native to the west coast of North America.

Description

A bulb plant. It grows 20-35 cm high and 10-15 cm wide. The leaves form a clump and are mottled with brown. They are wavy at the edges. The flowers are purplish pink on upright stems. These have yellow centres.

Edible Uses

The ovoid bulb, measuring 35–50mm long, can be eaten raw or cooked, or dried and stored for later use. Bulbs are typically harvested in spring as the first leaves emerge and can be kept for several months in a cool place. Raw bulbs have a slightly bitter, milky taste with a cool, moist texture — qualities that made them popular with North American Indians on hot days. Cooking gives the bulb a more starchy texture. Traditionally, water was always drunk after eating the bulbs, as it was believed that failing to do so would cause illness.

Traditional Uses

The bulb can be eaten raw. They have a bitter, milky taste. They can be steamed or dried in the sun then boiled.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

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

A temperate plant. It is frost hardy. 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 are hardy to about -15°c. The sub-species E. revolutum johnstonii is growing well, flowering freely and spreading nicely in the dappled shade of a woodland garden at Kew. It does not, however, produce new bulbs freely by division, relying instead upon self-sown seedlings. There are a number of named garden forms, 'Pink Beauty' has been specially mentioned as easy to grow in Britain. Flowers are produced in 3 - 4 years from seed. 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; germination should occur 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 to avoid the need to prick out seedlings in their first year, and give occasional liquid feeds to prevent nutrient deficiency. When plants go dormant, pot up the small bulbs 2–3 per pot and grow them on in a shady greenhouse for another 2–3 years before planting out into permanent positions while dormant in late summer. Bulbs can also be divided in summer as the leaves die down. Larger bulbs can go straight into permanent positions, while smaller ones are better potted and grown on in a shady greenhouse for a year before planting out when dormant in late summer.

Other Uses

None known

Notes

There are about 22 Erythronium species.

References (9)

• 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
• Joyce, D., 1998, The Garden Plant Selector. Ryland, Peters and Small. p 290
• MacKinnon, A., et al, 2009, Edible & Medicinal Plants of Canada. Lone Pine. p 197
• Moerman, D. F., 2010, Native American Ethnobotany. Timber Press. p 227

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