Erigenia bulbosa
Harbinger Of Spring
Taxonomy and growth
- Family
- Umbelliferae
- Genus
- Erigenia
- Life cycle
- perennial
- Height
- 0.2 m
- Fertility
- self fertile
- Flower type
- hermaphrodite
- Pollinators
- Insects
Uses
Edible uses
Root - raw or cooked[2].
- Plant part
- Root
Medicinal uses
Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.
The plant has been chewed to bring relief from toothache[4]. No details are given as to which part of the plant is used.
- Product or use
- Odontalgic
Environment
- Range
- North-eastern N. America - S. Ontario to New York, west to Minnesota and Kansas.
- Habitat
- Rich moist woodland[1].
- Shade tolerance
- partial shade
- Water
- moderate
- Soil textures
- sandy, loamy, clay
- Soil pH
- acid, neutral, alkaline
- Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
- No
- Drought
- intolerant
Propagation
Seed - sow spring in a greenhouse. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Division of tubers.
Cultivation
Requires a shady position in a moisture-retentive humus-rich soil[1]. Grows well in the wild garden or in shaded pockets of the rock garden, though it might need protection from competition with other more vigorous plants[1]. Plants come into new growth and flower very early in the year[1].
References
Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Coffey. T. The History and Folklore of North American Wild Flowers. Facts on File. 1993-00-00 ISBN 0-8160-2624-6
Britton. N. L. Brown. A. An Illustrated Flora of the Northern United States and Canada Dover Publications. New York. 1970-00-00 ISBN 0-486-22642-5
Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998-00-00 ISBN 0-88192-453-9