I would also add that it varies by species for those in eastern NA. Erythronium albidum and americanum are not the best garden plants, but E. umbilicatum and rostratum, both yellow, and E. mesochoreum - white, are great, reliable garden plants that flower yearly. Only E. rostratum makes any runners and spreads, but for its outward-facing flowers and fragrance it is hard to beat.
Aaron Floden
Knoxville, TN
--- On Wed, 4/7/10, James Waddick <jwaddick@kc.rr.com> wrote:
From: James Waddick <jwaddick@kc.rr.com>
Subject: [pbs] What makes erythroniums bloom?
To: "Pacific Bulb Society" <pbs@lists.ibiblio.org>
Date: Wednesday, April 7, 2010, 12:20 PM
>Hi all. What makes erythroniums bloom?. I have a patch of them here near
>Chicago (natives I think) and only about 10-15% bloom each year
>
>Dear Adam,
I wish I knew.
I have a small patch of wild collected (from down the hill)
Erythronium albidum. They bloom fairly well, but must have 2 leaves
per plant before they bloom. Plants with one leaf do not bloom. In
the wild you can find hillsides with hundreds of plants and only a
hand full of flowers.
I have 3 named E. dens-canis and 2 have never bloomed in a 10
years; the 3rd has produced one bloom one year and this year a record
2 flowers. They all produce abundant and lovely foliage.
But then E. 'Pagoda' is pretty reliable about blooming every
year -more or less each year.
I sure don't see a pattern. Best Jim W.