A close-up of Erythronium revolutum
Erythronium revolutum is commonly known as either pink, coast, or mahogany fawn-lily.
A bulb-forming perennial, Erythronium revolutum is one of the many members of the lily family, or the Liliaceae. The elongated bulbs sometimes have sessile offsets attached (an aid to forming dense colonies), along with one or two basal leaves. The slender leafless scapes hold a nodding rose-pink flower with curving tepals. Pink fawn-lily is generally native to coastal forests from southern British Columbia to northern California. Plants are found in well draining, but moist, habitats such as forest openings and grassy places with fine sandy soil.
According to Food Plants of Coastal First Peoples by Nancy J. Turner, the Kwakwaka’wakw, and possibly the Nuu-chah-nulth ate the bulbs of the pink fawn-lily. Information about the use of this plant obtained by Turner was from Franz Boas‘s Ethnology of the Kwakiutl (1921), which states that the Kwakwaka’wakw dug them with special yew-wood spades when the leaves first sprouted in the spring and later stored them in ventilated baskets in a cool place. Sometimes the Kwakwaka’wakw would eat the raw bulbs on a hot day, which are slightly bitter with a milky taste. For feasts, the bulbs would be steamed in tall cedar boxes and served with large quantities of grease (a clear oil rendered from a small fish, the eulachon). Other times, the bulbs would be dried in the sun and boiled, or baked for a short time in hot ashes and served with grease. It’s noted that water was always imbibed with pink fawn-lily bulbs or else one would get sick!
Ethnobotanical histories of certain native plants such as the one given here could be taken to imply that in the old days they were far more abundant or concentrated in occurrence.
Seattle area gardeners can see this species in season at the Edward B Dunn Gardens and at the Kruckeberg Botanic Garden.
Great photo and interesting write-up, thank you.
Delightful photo of a beautiful flower.
I love reading how the plant was used by the local native people. Always a fascinating insight into the relationship between plants and people.
Thanks so much!
With the winter we have been having here in Michigan, we need beautiful reminders that Spring is coming. Spring has scheduled herself for today, but still so very cold here.