Erythronium

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Erythronium
Erythronium oregonum
Erythronium oregonum
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Monocots
Order: Liliales
Family: Liliaceae
Genus: Erythronium
Species

See text.

Erythronium is a genus of bulbous spring-flowering perennials. They have attractive pendant flowers and sometimes mottled leaves. Many are best grown in shade so that the bulbs do not overheat or dry out.

The genus consists of 20-30 species. The species are primarily in temperate North America, with a few species in the Old World. Common names include fawn lily or fawnlily, trout lily, dog's-tooth violet and adder's-tongue.

Contents

Species

Western North America (West of the Rocky Mountains)
Eastern North America (East of the Rocky Mountains)
Erythronium dens-canis
Europe
Asia

Uses

The bulb is edible as a root vegetable, cooked or dried, and can be ground into flour. The leaves can also be cooked as a leaf vegetable. In Japan, Erythronium japonicum is called katakuri, and the bulb is processed to produce starch, which is used for food and other purposes.

They are also widely grown as ornamental plants, with numerous hybrids and cultivars having been selected for garden use. Popular cultivars include Erythronium 'Pagoda', E. 'Sundisc', E. 'Joanna', E. 'Kondo', E. 'Citronella', E. californicum 'White Beauty', and E. 'Rosalind'. Propagation is best by seed in autumn or by division of bulbs, depending on species. Some species propagate vegetatively.

Gallery

References

Wikipedia content modification information:

  • This page was last modified on 6 November 2008, at 05:12.

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