Eremurus aucherianus
Family: Asphodelaceae
What it is like
Eremurus aucherianus is a PERENNIAL. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 6 and is not frost tender. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs). Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers dry or moist soil and can tolerate drought.
Height (m): 0
Where it is found
Dry stony heavily grazed hillsides.
C. Asia.
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
How it is used
Food
Rating: 1
Leaves - cooked.
Medicine
Rating: 0
Other
Rating: 1
A glue is made from the mucilage contained in the root and is used with leather and in book-binding.
Adhesive: Glues.
How it is grown
Prefers a very well drained, very rich, light sandy loam in a warm sunny sheltered position. A covering of sharp sand helps the plant to survive wet winters. Plants can also be mulched overwinter with organic matter in the autumn in order to give them extra protection, but this mulch must be removed in the spring otherwise it might encourage the new growth to rot. Some protection should be given to the young shoots in spring in areas subject to late frosts. Keep plants dry in summer after they have flowered. Plants resent root disturbance and so should be placed in their final positions as soon as possible. Plants require some cold stratification in winter in order to flower well in the following summer. Slugs are very attracted to this plant so some protection must be given.
Propagating it: Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in the autumn in a cold frame. Sow stored seed in a greenhouse as soon as it is obtained. Germination is slow and could take 1 - 12 months at 15°c. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots as soon as they are large enough to handle and grow on for their first winter in a greenhouse. Plant out into their permanent positions in late spring after the last expected frosts. Do not plant deeply in the soil, the crown of the plant should be slightly exposed. Division after the plant dies down in late summer. Great care must be taken because the plants resent root disturbance. Only divide the plants when it is really necessary, and no more frequently than once every 6 years, being careful not to break the brittle roots. It is probably best to pot up the divisions and grow them on in the greenhouse until they are established.
Best place to grow: Cultivated Beds;
Habit: Perennial
Hardiness: 5-9
Growth:
Soil: Light (sandy), medium
Shade: No shade
Moisture: Dry, moist