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Common Name: Giant White Fawnlily

General Information

Erythronium oregonum is a Bulb up to 0.45 metres tall.
It is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and medicine

Known Hazards

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[].

Botanical References

, ,

Range

Western N. America - Oregon to British Columbia.

Habitat

Open coniferous forests, rocky outcrops, oak woodlands and meadows from sea level to 500 metres[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Habit	Bulb
Height	0.45 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

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[].

Edible Uses

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[].

Medicinal

The crushed corm is used as a poultice for boils[, ].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

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.