ORNAMENTAL PLANTS OF HORTICULTURE VALUE
Selection of perennials
Erythronium L.
Trout-lily, dogtooth-violet |
Liliaceae |
20-25 species, depending on classification. Distribution area
North America and Eurasia, 4 species in the flora of the FSU.
E. dens-canis L. occurs in the Transcarpathians and also
in southern Europe. E. japonicum Decne occurs in the Far
East, on Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands and also in Japan and
Korea. Both are in cultivation. The other two species are poorly
known in cultivation, even in botanical gardens.
E. caucasicum Woronow
Caucasus (western regions) and northern Iran. Forests of lower
mountain zone, forest margins, tall grass communities.
Flowering stem up to 10-15 cm. Tuber- like bulb elongate or
elongate-cylindrical, 2-4 cm long. Leaves (usually 2) glaucous,
spotted, ovate-elongate, 4-6 cm x 2-3 cm, prostrate. Flowers
solitary, white or creamy, with small scattered spots, perianth
lobes lanceolate. V - April to June. Fl - April or May in St.
Petersburg, March-April in the wild. P - daughter bulbs.
Transplant only in late summer. Well-drained soil is desirable.
Can grow in shady places. Very suitable for the rock garden and
group plantings as a spring flower. Z 5 (4). New.
E. sibiricum (Fisch. et C. A. Mey.) Kryl.
Siberia (Altay, Western Sayan), Central Asia (eastern Kazakstan)
and Mongolia. On rocky slopes, forest edges.
Flowering stem 15-30 cm. Tuber-like bulb elongate-ovate, above
3-6 cm long. Leaves 2, elliptical, with reddish spots, 10-20 cm x
3-7 cm. Flowers solitary, dark pink or lilac, 5-6 cm diam. Perianth
lobes with numerous minute spots, inner segments with auricules.
Anthers yellow, in contrast to the Europaean species E.
dens-canis, which has dark lilac or brown anthers. V - April to
July. Fl - end April, or beginning of May. Fr - June-July. P - by
daughter bulbs and seed. Needs well-drained soil. A white-flowering
form occurs in the wild. Once established, it can grow for many years
in the same place and cover large patches. Good in rock gardens and
flower beds. Z 3. New.
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