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Erythronium is a genus of cormous, spring-flowering, perennials. They have attractive pendant flowers and mottled or unmottled leaves and are hardy. Many are best grown in shade so that the corms don't overheat or dry out.

The genus consists of +/- 28 Old World and New World species with the area of greatest diversity in the Western Unites States of America. The Old World Species are Erythronium dens canis L, Erythronium sibiricum (Fisch. & C.A.Mey.) Krylov , Erythronium caucasicum Woronow, and Erythronium japonicum.

Erythronium albidum Nutt, Erythronium americanum Ker-Gawl, Erythronium mesochoreum Knerr, Erythronium propullans Gray, Erythronium rostratum W. Wolf, Erythronium umbilicatum Parks & Hardin, are all found East of the Rockies, whilst the remainder are found in the states of Californis, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Utah and Colorado, and in British Columbia and Alberta in Canada.

Propagation: best by seed in autumn or by division of corms, depending on species. Some species propagate vegetatively, while others don't.

Uses: the corm is edible cooked or dried and can be ground into flour. The leaves can also be cooked. In Japan, Erythronium japonicum is called Katakuri (片栗); the corm is processed to produce starch, which is used for food and other purposes.

Species

• Erythronium albidum Nutt. -- Small White Fawn Lily, White Fawn Lily
• Erythronium americanum Ker-Gawl. -- Trout Lily, Yellow Trout Lily, Adder's Tongue
• Erythronium californicum Purdy -- California Fawn Lily
• Erythronium caucasicum Woronow
• Erythronium citrinum S. Wats. -- Cream Fawn Lily
• Erythronium dens-canis L. Dog Tooth Violet
• Erythronium elegans Hammond & Chambers -- Coast Range Fawn Lily
• Erythronium grandiflorum Pursh -- Dogtooth Lily, Yellow Avalanche-lily, Yellow Fawn Lily
• Erythronium helenae Applegate -- Pacific Fawn Lily
• Erythronium hendersonii S. Wats. -- Henderson's Fawn Lily
• Erythronium idahoense St.John & G.N.Jones
• Erythronium howellii S. Wats. -- Howell's Fawn Lily
• Erythronium japonicum - Katakuri
• Erythronium klamathense Applegate -- Klamath Fawn Lily
• Erythronium mesochoreum Knerr -- Midland Fawn Lily, White Fawn Lilly
• Erythronium montanum S. Wats. -- White Avalanche-lily, Glacier Lily
• Erythronium multiscapoideum (Kellogg) A. Nels. & Kennedy -- Sierra Fawn Lily
• Erythronium oregonum Applegate -- Giant White Fawn Lily
• Erythronium pluriflorum Shevock, Bartel & Allen -- Manyflower Fawn Lily
• Erythronium propullans Gray -- Minnesota Dwarf Trout Lily, Minnesota Fawn Lily, Minnesota Trout Lily
• Erythronium purpurascens S. Wats. -- Purple Fawn Lily
• Erythronium pusaterii (Munz & J.T. Howell) Shevock, Bartel & Allen -- Kaweah Lakes Fawn Lily
• Erythronium quinaultense G A Allen -- Olympic Fawn Lily
• Erythronium revolutum Sm. -- Mahogany Fawn Lily
• Erythronium rostratum W. Wolf -- Yellow Trout Lily
• Erythronium sibiricum (Fisch. & C.A.Mey.) Krylov
• Erythronium taylorii Shevock & G A Allen -- Taylor's Fawn Lily
• Erythronium tuolumnense Applegate -- Tuolumne Fawn Lily
• Erythronium umbilicatum Parks & Hardin -- Dimpled Trout Lily

Cultivars

• Erythronium 'Pagoda'
• Erythronium 'Sundisc'
• Erythronium 'Joanna'
• Erythronium 'Kondo'
• Erythronium 'Citronella'
• Erythronium californicum 'White Beauty'
• Erythronium 'Rosalind'