Tigger's Green Paw
Erythronium (Dog Tooth Violet)
Animal Safety: Dogs: Cats: Rabbits:
There are no known risk to animals eating Erythronium, but at the same time, some websites say they are harmful.
So as I am an amateur regarding plants and their toxicity, I am putting my paw firmly into the don’t know camp.
Unless there is a botanist out there that can 100% confirm one way or the other.
Free Grazing: See above
Lifespan: Perennial
Soil Type: Prefers acidic, chalky, alkaline clay heavy soil
Life cycle:
Plant: May to November
Flowers: April to June
About:
Erythronium, the fawn lily, trout lily, dog's-tooth violet or adder's tongue, is a genus of Eurasian and North American plants in the lily family.
Erythroniums (dog's tooth violet) are beautiful plants, and are easy to grow provided they're given the moist soil and shady woodland conditions they're used to in the wild. The English name reflects the shape of the bulb, which is said to resemble a dog's tooth.
Growing erythroniums from seed is a slow process and it might take five years until they flower but it can be the only way to get some of the more unusual species.
The genus Erythronium comprises of 27 species, the majority of which are found in North America.
Erythronium has a long history of cultivation in Europe. The plant was praised by early gardening writers, such as Englishman John Parkinson in 1629.
These long-lived plants can be found in deciduous woodlands, sometimes in sizable colonies that can be up to 300 years old.
Photograph: Ian Stephens