Erythronium Species, Dog's Tooth Violet, Fawn Lily, Trout Lily

Per Roger Raiche. Designer, Naturalist, Botanist and Licensed Contractor at Planet Horticulture Landscape Design & Construction from Guer...Read Moreneville, CA. about his above photos:
"Over the last 5 years, I've been amazed at the numbers of California fawn lily, Erythronium californicum, found in the East Austin Creek headwaters. it seems every time Rick Murray and I take a hike we see a few more hundred thousand. While well past peak flower, the foliage in places was so abundant to take my breath away. All these leaves are fawn lily leaves, and this is only one small bank. I now believe there are more fawn lilies in this headwaters than the rest of Sonoma Co combined, probably by a factor of 10 or more."

These grow wild and prolifically in this area. They are found in masses growing in shady but dry limestone outcroppings. Their delicate f...Read Morelowers are most spectacular up close, and in mass. Relatively easy in culture, mine was roughly transplanted from the crevice of a rock.

Mostly they are propagated by seeds, but every so often it will divide. Mine has a division, this is it's second season and the division still doesn't bloom.

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 win...Read Moreter. Stored seed requires a period of cold stratification. 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 of the bulbs in the summer as the leaves die down. Larger bulbs can be replanted immediately into their permanent positions, but it is best to pot up smaller bulbs and grow them on in a shady position in a greenhouse for a year before planting them out when dormant in late summer.

Plant bulbs 4 inches deep in autumn in fertile, well drained soil that does not dry out. Bulbs need to be damp during storage and before planting.