HOW DO YOU PLANT ERYTHRONIUM BULBS?

How do you plant Erythronium bulbs?

Erythronium bulbs, or Dog's tooth violet as they are commonly known, are a great addition to the spring garden. The blooms are exotic and luxuriant while the leaves are architectural and handsomely mottled. Of course you can purchase pot grown Dog's tooth violets and simply plant them in the ground, but quite often you can have a larger range to choose from should you buy them as bulbs. This then begs the following question. How do you plant Erythronium bulbs?

Erythronium dens-canis

To begin with it's always a good start to find out the native conditions of any new plant you wish to grow. Unfortunately with regards to the Erythronium genus they have a huge international range which extends across north America and Eurasia. Twenty to thirty of these the hardy, spring-flowering perennial plants, all of which posses the long, tooth-like bulbs from which they receive their common name. In fact one species Erythronium dens-canis has the 'dog's-tooth' description latinized in its species name. 

As a point of information, Erythronium tuolumnense 'Pagoda' is arguably the most popular of all cultivars and is native to the Sierra Nevada of Tuolumne County, California. This, like many Erythronium species has evolved to thrive in moist, light deciduous woodland. Incidentally, the species and the hybrid cultivar 'Pagoda' have been awarded the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.

As a general rule, Erythronium bulbs are best planted in the autumn and can be planted in any aspect so long as they have the protection of shade during the hottest period of the day. Be aware that they will be prone to scorching if left in full sun. Place the bulbs 10-15 cm deep in a fertile, humus-rich, well-drained soil with the pointed end of the bulb facing upwards. If you soil is dry then it can be improved by digging in plenty of organic matter. If it is prone to waterlogging then plant the bulbs within a mound, a raised bed or as a container-grown specimen.

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