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Native Plant Propagation Guidelines:
forbs

Erythronium oregonum (white fawn lily)

Category: 
forbs

photo by Rob Hagel

Perennial herb from a narrowly egg-shaped, 3-5 cm long bulb and an elongate, segmented corm; flowering stems 15-35 cm tall, smooth. Leaves: Basal leaves 2, dull dark-green mottled with brown and white or pale green, lanceolate to oblong-elliptic, 10-20 cm long, smooth, abruptly narrowed to short, broad, somewhat winged stalks, the margins entire but often somewhat wavy; stem leaves lacking. Flowers: Inflorescence of one, sometimes two or three, flowers atop a leafless, unbranched, smooth stem; flowers white with some yellow or orange at the base on the inner surface, nodding, of six similar, distinct, petal-like segments (tepals), the tepals broadly lanceolate, 3.5-5 cm long, curved back; six stamens, anthers white or yellow; one three-chambered pistil. Fruits: Capsules, broadly club-shaped, erect, 3.5-5 cm long; seeds several to many, brown, egg-shaped, angular (Douglas et al., 2001). Photo by Rob Hagel.

Scientific Name: 

Erythronium oregonum Appleg. ssp. oregonum

Family: 
Liliaceace
English Name: 
white fawn lily

Geographical Range and Habitat Requirements

Ecological Setting: 

Dry to mesic meadows in open forests in the lowland zone (Douglas et al., 2001); Open, often grassy areas, open to fairly dense rocky woodlands (Pojar and Mackinnon, 1994); Common in meadow-like communities and open-canopy forests on well-drained sites (Klinka et al., 1989).

Soil Texture: 

Rocky (Pojar and Mackinnon, 1994)

Nutrients: 

Nitrogen-medium soils (Klinka et al., 1989).

Soil Reaction and Salinity: 
n/a
Moisture Regime: 

Well-drained (Pojar and Mackinnon, 1994); Moderately dry to moderately moist soils (Klinka et al., 1989).

Shade Tolerance: 

Shade-intolerant (Klinka et al., 1989)

Successional Status: 
n/a
BEC Zone and GOE Community Status: 
n/a

Uses

Site Rehabilitation: 
n/a
Wildlife: 
n/a
Landscaping: 

Excellent groundcover once established and mixed with native grasses; also for rockeries (S. Bastin, pers. comm.).

First Nations: 
n/a
Other Uses: 
n/a

Seed Propagation

Flowering Time: 

March-April

Fruit Ripening Time: 

July-August

Seed Collection Time: 

July-August

Crop Intervals: 

Annual to semi-annual.

Number of Seeds per Kilogram: 
n/a
Seed Viability: 
n/a
Fruit and Seed Collection and Extraction: 

Hand pick ripe seed capsules into collection bags and shake to release the seeds.

Seed Storage: 

Store in sealed containers at 5º C.

Fruit/Seed Dormancy and Treatment: 

Sow seeds into nursery flats in the fall. Place flats in soil in a semi-shady or shady spot. Seeds usually have a high germination rate. Keep containers in place for three to five years until bulbs grow large enough to support flowering. Do not move or repot seedlings in early years. Alternatively, sow seeds into well-prepared nursery bed in fall.

Vegetative Propagation

Not recommended.

Outplanting Characteristics and Requirements

In a sunny well-drained site (moist to dry) not tolerant of wet conditions; plant 3-6” apart to form a dense drift (S. Bastin, pers. comm.). Licorice fern makes a good backdrop for the flowers.

Seed and Cutting Propagation Techniques

n/a

Additional Information and Photos

For more information and pictures, visit the E-Flora BC website at www.eflora.bc.ca.

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