Students for Stewardship The Cork Board
← Back to the library

Avalanche Lily

Erythronium (er-ih-THROH-nee-um pah-GO-dah)

Family: Liliaceae Unknown Herbaceous (1-3 ft)

The Erythronium 'Pagoda' is a perennial lily grown from a bulb. The Fawn or Trout lily, two of several common names, has varying shades of rich green leaves. It can grow up to 12 inches tall. This lily is slow to mature and can take 2 to 5 years to reach full height and maximum bloom. It is a showy plant, however, with up to 10 creamy-yellow flowers. The bulb should be planted about 5 inches deep to bulb base and about 12 inches apart in partial shade. As with most bulbs, it will go dormant in late spring after blooms die out. It can be used in partly shady rock gardens and woodland or naturalized areas where moisture and drainage are present. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No serious insect or disease problems.

Source: NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox ↗ NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, 36 attributes.

How it fits the guild

Guild layer 4 - Herbaceous (1-3 ft) Optimal soil pH Acid (<6.0); Alkaline (>8.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
See companions & conflicts ↓

Companions & Conflicts

Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.

No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.

Also noted by NC State

Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.

Full plant profile

Growing Conditions
Plant type
Bulb
USDA zones
4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
Light
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Alkaline (>8.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist
Available space
12 inches-3 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 0 ft. 10 in. - 1 ft. 2 in. | Width: 0 ft. 2 in. - 1 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Slow
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous (1-3 ft)
Form & Appearance
Leaf color
Brown/Copper; Green
Leaf shape
Elliptical; Ovate
Leaf feel
Glossy
Hairs present
No
Flower color
Gold/Yellow
Flower value
Showy
Flower shape
Star
Flower size
1-3 inches
Flower detail
Yellow flowers appear mid-spring and are about 2 inches in width. Six separate petals are recurved and arranged in a star shape.
Bloom time
Spring
Stem detail
The stem is bare.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Unknown
Wildlife value
Members of the genus Erythronium support the following specialized bee: Andrena (Leucandrena) erythronii.
Attracts
Pollinators; Specialized Bees
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Naturalized Area; Small Space; Woodland
Landscape theme
Pollinator Garden; Rock Garden; Shade Garden
Garden tags
#showy flowers #specialized bees #nectar plant #bulb #rock garden #yellow flowers #bedding plants #small spaces #pollinator plant #wet soils tolerant #bee friendly #wildlife friendly #woodland
Problems & Resistance
Resistant to
Wet Soil

Planted at Hunnicutt

Nobody’s planted this one yet.