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Native Plant Propagation Guidelines:
forbs

Erythronium revolutum (pink fawn lily)

Category: 
forbs

photo by Dave Polster

Perennial herb from a narrowly egg-shaped, 3- to 5-cm long bulb attached to a chain of rhizome segments; flowering stems 15-35 cm tall, smooth. Leaves: Basal leaves 2, dull dark green mottled with brown or white, broadly lanceolate to elliptic, 10-20 cm long, smooth, gradually narrowed to short, broad, narrowly winged stalks, the margins entire but often somewhat wavy; stem leaves lacking. Flowers: Inflorescence of 1, rarely 2 or 3, flowers atop a leafless, unbranched, smooth stem; flowers rose-pink with yellow bands at the base on the inner surface, nodding, of 6 similar, distinct tepals, the tepals narrowly lanceolate, 3-5 cm long, curved back; stamens 6, anthers yellow; pistil 1, 3-chambered. Fruits: Capsules, narrowly club-shaped to oblong, erect, 3-4 cm long; seeds several to many, brown, egg-shaped, angular (Douglas et al., 2001). Photo by Dave Polster.

Scientific Name: 

Erythronium revolutum J.E. Sm.

Family: 
Liliaceae
English Name: 
pink fawn lily
Other Names: 

Geographical Range and Habitat Requirements

Ecological Setting: 

Found commonly on Southern Vancouver Island, and more locally south to coastal Washington and over to the west side of the Olympics and Oregon. It occurs in maritime to submaritime summer wet cool mesothermal climates. Occurrence decreases with increasing latitude and elevation

Soil Texture: 

Fine sandy soils.

Nutrients: 

Nitrogen-rich soils.

Soil Reaction and Salinity: 

Slightly acid

Moisture Regime: 

Fresh to moist. Characteristic of alluvial floodplain forests.

Shade Tolerance: 

Damp shade or semi-shade of broad leafed forests and grassy openings.

Uses

Landscaping: 

Takes well to moist, shaded parts of the garden. (Kruckeberg 2003)

First Nations: 

The Kwakwaka’wakw and possibly the Nuu-chah-nulth ate the bulb. The bulbs were dug when they first sprouted in the spring and eaten raw or steamed in tall cedar boxes and served with large quantities of grease. They could also be dried in the sun and then boiled in water or baked and served with grease. Water was always drunk after consuming these bulbs. (Turner 1995)

Seed Propagation

Flowering Time: 

April-May

Fruit Ripening Time: 

July

Seed Collection Time: 

July

Crop Intervals: 

Annual-Semi-annual

Number of Seeds per Kilogram: 

Unknown

Seed Viability: 

Moderate to high

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. Check for insect infestations which may eat seeds in storage (Hook pers. obs.)

Fruit/Seed Dormancy and Treatment: 

Moist stratification in refrigerator for five to six weeks or sow immediately after collection into flats and store outside inserted in the ground for 4-6 years before transplanting (Kruckeberg 2003).

Like other deep-growing bulbs in GO ecosystems, Erythronium can be grown at an accelerated rate by using shallow flats and extending growing periods. See Camassia quamash for the detailed method.

Vegetative Propagation

Method Success Rate Time of Collection
Softwood cuttings n/a n/a
Semi-hardwood cuttings n/a n/a
Hardwood cuttings n/a n/a
Root cuttings n/a n/a
Suckers n/a n/a
Plant division n/a n/a

 

Outplanting Characteristics and Requirements

In a semi-shaded, moist site with rich, sandy soil. Will self-sow (Kruckebert 2003) Combine with Western bleeding heart, Piggy-back plant, and Stream violet (Pettinger 2002).

Seed and Cutting Propagation Techniques

Can be propagated from divisions in late summer but this is not a recommended method, except for the propagation of horticultural selections, as numbers obtainable are limited and seed propagation is generally more reliable for the production of large numbers of plants.

Additional Information and Photos

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

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