Need an ID - what type of plant is this?

caliloo · Post by **caliloo** » Apr 17, 2008 7:01 am

I saw these growing along the bank of a creek in the state park behind my house. They are quite beautiful. Can anyone tell me what they are?

Thanks

pauhaus · Post by **pauhaus** » Apr 17, 2008 8:14 am

Hi Alexa,

Looks like Trout Lily (Dogtooth Violet) Erythronium americanum to me.

renaldo75 · Post by **renaldo75** » Apr 17, 2008 8:57 am

I knew there was one that had yellow blooms, but I don't recall seeing a pic of them before.

I have a white flowered variety here [here for years when I moved here] that I finally IDed after several years. The foliage is almost exactly the same as in your pic, but I think that there's normally just one leaf & one flower with these. They come up in early spring & bloom for a couple of weeks on the north side of the house. Eventually the flower fades & the foliage disappears by summer. And they spread to make a nice, thick patch. I worked in this garden last spring to make it into a hosta garden & was afraid there might not be as many this year. Doesn't look like I needed to worry since there seem to be more than before. I'll try to get a good pic or 2 when they're in bloom. The white flowers aren't a pure white, but have a 'dusty' appearance - like they have a very, very faint bluish overlay.

KellieD · Post by **KellieD** » Apr 17, 2008 10:11 am

Today I'll finally be planting that one a well as the white (erythronium oregonum) and the pink (erythronium revolutum). Love the spotted leaves!

caliloo · Post by **caliloo** » Apr 18, 2008 8:27 am

Thanks!

Since you were all so kind to ID this for me I checked with my local nurseryman and he said he used to carry them in the "wildflower" area, but they are hard to naturalize here and grow where they want, not as well where you want them to.

I guess I will just enjoy them when I go for my walks!

Alexa

Aud · Post by **Aud** » Apr 19, 2008 9:22 pm

Thanks for posting that question and pic

I have them coming up in my wooden garden and did not know what they were. I did not plant them. They showed up about 6 years ago around my Hostas. Maybe a host plant that came with one of the Hostas.

I can confirm they do not transplant I have tried several times with no luck.

newtohosta-no more · Post by **newtohosta-no more** » Apr 20, 2008 11:30 am

It certainly is a pretty plant. I can see why it caught your eye, Alexa.

Tigger · Post by **Tigger** » Apr 20, 2008 10:17 pm

I've read that there is a reason these are so hard to transplant: you can find tiny bulbs growing just near the surface, but a maturing plant puts its bulb deeper and deeper. A well-blooming plant may have a bulb 10" underground! All well and good when the plant has the time to do it itself, but if you want to move one somewhere it doesn't want to grow... we all know the result.