Practical
Plants

Erythronium americanum

Trout Lily

a member of the Erythronium genus in the family Liliaceae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Family
Liliaceae
Height
0.2 m
Spread
0.08 m
Flower type
hermaphrodite

Uses

Toxicity

Toxicity warning. The historical record reports a hazard for this plant. Do not use it to decide which parts are safe to eat or use medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Although no records of toxicity have been seen for this species, the following notes have been seen for another member of this genus and so some caution is advised. Skin contact with the bulbs has been known to cause dermatitis in sensitive people[14].

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Bulb - raw[3] or cooked[2][5]. A crisp, chewy and very pleasant taste[6]. The bulb is up to 25mm long and is buried quite deeply in the soil[11]. Leaves - raw or cooked[2][5]. Added to salads[6]. Eating the leaves will greatly reduce the vigour of the bulb, so can only be recommended in times of emergency[K]. Flowers, flower buds and flower stems - raw or cooked[6].

Plant part
Flowers
Plant part
Leaves
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.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

All parts of the plant, but especially the bulb and the fresh leaves, are strongly emetic and are not used internally[11]. The fresh leaves are also antiscrofulatic and emollient and are used as an infusion or stimulating poultice applied to swellings, tumours and scrofulous ulcers[11][3][8]. The juice from crushed leaves has been applied to wounds that are not healing[9]. A poultice of the crushed bulbs has been applied to swellings and to help remove splinters[9]. The raw plant, excluding the roots, has been used by native North American young girls to prevent conception[9].

Product or use
Antiscrophulatic
Product or use
Contraceptive
Product or use
Emetic
Product or use
Emollient
Product or use
Poultice

Material uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Plants spread freely by means of underground stems and make a delightful ground cover in dappled shade[9]. The plants are only in growth from late winter to late spring so the ground cover effect is ephemeral[K].

Ecology and functions

Ground cover

Environment

Range
Eastern N. America - New Brunswick to Florida, west to Ontario and Arkansas.
Habitat
Meadows and rich damp open woodland[11][13].
Shade tolerance
partial shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 3+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

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[4][7]. Stored seed requires a period of cold stratification[4]. 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 in summer as the leaves die down. This species does not produce offsets[7].

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Prefers slightly acid soil conditions but succeeds in chalky soils if these contain plenty of humus[4]. Requires semi-shade, preferably provided by trees or shrubs, and a well-drained soil[12][4]. Succeeds in almost any light soil, preferring one that is rich in humus[1]. This species does not flower very freely, increasing mainly by its stoloniferous habit[4]. The flowers only open in warm sun[15]. When established in woodland, this species can spread very freely by means of underground roots[10]. Flowers are produced in 3 - 4 years from seed[4].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

    ↩

  2. Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  3. Coon. N. The Dictionary of Useful Plants. Rodale Press 1975-00-00 ISBN 0-87857-090-x

    ↩1↩2

  4. Bird. R. (Editor) Growing from Seed. Volume 4. Thompson and Morgan. 1990-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6

  5. Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984-00-00 ISBN 3874292169

    ↩1↩2

  6. Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9

    ↩1↩2↩3

  7. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2

  8. Chevallier. A. The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants Dorling Kindersley. London 1996-00-00 ISBN 9-780751-303148

    ↩

  9. Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998-00-00 ISBN 0-88192-453-9

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  10. RHS. Wisley, Surrey. The Garden. Volume 124. 1999. RHS. Wisley, Surrey. 1999-00-00 ISBN 0308 5457

    ↩

  11. Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984-00-00 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  12. Grey. C. H. Hardy Bulbs. Williams & Norgate. 1938-00-00

    ↩

  13. Fernald. M. L. Gray's Manual of Botany. American Book Co. 1950-00-00

    ↩

  14. Frohne. D. and Pf�nder. J. A Colour Atlas of Poisonous Plants. Wolfe 1984-00-00 ISBN 0723408394

    ↩

  15. Phillips. R. and Rix. M. Bulbs Pan Books 1989-00-00 ISBN 0-330-30253-1

    ↩

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