Guide to growing Chamise Lily Erythronium

Erythronium are small hardy perennials that reach between 15 and 30cm in height.

They bear small lily-like flowers of white, pink or yellow that flower in the early spring.

Their small size makes them great to use in rock gardens.

Some common names for Erythronium include Chamise Lily, Dogs tooth lily, Adam and Eve, Adder's tongue, Fawn Lily and Trout Lily.

How to grow Chamise Lily (Erythronium)

Erythronium can be grown from either seeds or corms; if growing from corms then they should be burried about 7 to 10cm deep in the autumn. Chamise Lilies and other Erythronium like to grow in a shady (partial shady OK too) part of the garden that has a rich moist forest soil.

When growing Chamise Lily (and other Erythronium) from seeds, some preparation is required. First the seeds should be sown at a depth of about 3mm in flats (in the spring). These should then be wrapped in a black bag, then placed in the refrigerator for three weeks. The flats should then be sank into a shady area and covered with glass. Once Chamise Lily seedlings emerge (germination can take anything from one month to one and a half years) they should be transplanted at about7 to 15cm apart.

Caring for Erythronium in the garden

Once established it is important to keep the soil nice and moist. Following flowering the plant dies back completely, and should be covered in top soil at the end of summer. To maintain fresh plants they should be divided every four years, this is also a good way of propagating new Chamise Lily plants.