Erythronium hybrids

Jane McGary janemcgary@earthlink.net
Thu, 13 Mar 2008 17:38:54 PDT
Robin Hansen wrote
>A question for Jane and whoever received Erythronium  x multiscapoideum or 
>??  Multiscapoideum itself is blooming but there is an erythronium you 
>thought might be  a hybrid, Jane; it is spectacular!  The leaf pattern is 
>quite a bit darker and more defined and the leaves, stems and buds are all 
>flushed a wonderful rose.  It's not quite in bloom yet and I will get 
>photos as soon as possible.
>
>Has anyone had this one bloom?  And if so, do you have any clues as to 
>identity?  It does seem more vigorous than the species.

I'm having a little trouble placing this but it may be from some E. 
hendersonii x E. oregonum hybrids that I raised from Phyllis Gustafson's 
cultivated seed. I may have sent some out one summer though I thought I had 
planted them all in my garden. The ones I have here are quite varied, and 
there is one particularly good one similar to what Robin is describing.

I raise a lot of Erythronium multiscapoideum from seed but haven't noticed 
any that appear to be hybrids -- which doesn't mean it won't happen. It 
flowers at the same time as a number of other species, and these bulb 
frames are a regular orgy pit for the many species of bees and other 
pollinators here -- and then there are Erythroniums in the garden too. 
(Some of the fritillarias, especially the later flowering ones, are 
wasp-pollinated.)

Jane McGary
Northwestern Oregon, USA


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