Erythronium americanum ssp. americanum
Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- er-ih-THROH-nee-um a-mer-ih-KAY-num a-mer-ih-KAY-num
- Description
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Dogtooth Violet is a native perennial wildflower in the lily family and is a spring ephemeral. Ephemerals quickly bloom and seed before the canopy trees overhead leaf out and then wither away afterward. It is native to the Eastern USA and Canada and can be found in all areas of NC in moist bottomland or forests especially over mafic rocks.
This plant is best grown from corms rather than seeds as they will bloom sooner. Grow this plant in moist, humus-rich, acidic soils in a woodland, naturalized or shade garden. It will also do well along ponds or streams.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Erythronium
- Species:
- americanum
- Family:
- Liliaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Canada, mid to eastern U.S.A.
- Distribution:
- AL , AR , CT , DC , DE , IA , IL , IN , KY , MA , MD , ME , MI , MN , MO , NC , NH , NJ , NY , OH , PA , RI , SC , TN , VA , VT , WI , WV Canada: NB , NS
- Wildlife Value:
- This plant attracts bees and ants. Small mammals will eat the corms.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 0 ft. 3 in. - 0 ft. 6 in.
- Width: 0 ft. 6 in. - 1 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Native Plant
- Perennial
- Wildflower
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Wet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Green
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Spring
- Fruit Type:
- Capsule
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- Oval seed capsules are ½ to ¾ inch length and are green, changing to brown and splitting open into three sections to expose crescent-shaped seeds from April to May.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Solitary
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Shape:
- Bell
- Flower Petals:
- 6 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- 1-3 inches
- Flower Description:
- 1- 1.5 inch long solitary nodding yellow flowers with 6 recurved petals and 6 long stamens usually tipped with yellow or deep rusty red anthers. The outside of the petals may be streaked with purple or reddish-brown. Bloom from February to April.
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Leaves:
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Leaf Shape:
- Elliptical
- Lanceolate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- The leaves are oval or lance-shaped and mottled with brown, reddish-brown, or purplish-brown. Flowering plants produce 2 basal leaves, 2-8 inches long and ½ to 2 inches across with smooth margins. They taper at both ends. Non-flowering plants produce 1 leaf.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Description:
- Naked green stems up to 6 inches long
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Naturalized Area
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Native Garden
- Rain Garden
- Shade Garden
- Attracts:
- Bees
- Small Mammals
