Giant White Fawnlily
Erythronium oregonum
Family: Liliaceae
What it is like
Erythronium oregonum is a BULB growing to 0.5 m (1ft 8in) by 0.1 m (0ft 4in). See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 5 and is not frost tender. It is in flower from April to May, and the seeds ripen from June to July. 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 can grow in semi-shade (light woodland). It prefers moist soil.
Height (m): 0.5
Where it is found
Open coniferous forests, rocky outcrops, oak woodlands and meadows from sea level to 500 metres.
Western N. America - Oregon to British Columbia.
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
How it is used
Food
Rating: 2
Bulb - raw, cooked or dried for later use. The bulb is from 25 - 60mm long. Some caution should be employed, see the notes above on toxicity.
Root: includes bulbs, corms, tubers, rhizomes etc.
Medicine
Rating: 1
The crushed corm is used as a poultice for boils.
Poultice: A moist, usually warm or hot, mass of plant material applied to the skin in the treatment of burns etc.
Other
Rating:
How it is grown
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. Flowers are produced in 3 - 4 years from seed. Plants increase rapidly by offsets. Bulbs should be planted about 7cm deep. This species is closely related to E. revolutum and occasionally hybridizes with it where their ranges meet. In addition, E. citrinum and E. hendersonii are reported to hybridize with E. oregonum in the southern part of its range. This species is closely related to E. californicum.
Propagating it: Seed - 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. Sow as early in spring as possible in a cold frame. Sow the seed thinly so that it will not be necessary to prick them out for their first year of growth. Give an occasional liquid feed to the seedlings to make sure that they do not become nutrient deficient. When the plants are dormant, pot up the small bulbs putting 2 - 3 bulbs in each pot. Grow them on in a shady position in the greenhouse for another 2 3 years and then plant them out into their permanent positions when they are dormant in late summer. Division of the bulbs in the summer as the leaves die down. Larger bulbs can be replanted immediately into their permanent positions, but it is best to pot up smaller bulbs and grow them on in a shady position in a greenhouse for a year before planting them out when dormant in late summer.
Best place to grow: Woodland Garden Dappled Shade; Shady Edge; Lawn;
Habit: Bulb
Hardiness: 4-8
Growth:
Soil: Light (sandy), medium
Shade: Semi-shade
Moisture: Moist
Things to keep in mind
The bulbs have been suspected of poisoning poultry. The following notes have also been seen for another member of this genus - skin contact with the bulbs has been known to cause dermatitis in sensitive people.