Oregon Fawn Lily

Erythronium oregonum

Oregon Fawn Lily is a bulb for bulb layer, suited to full sun to partial shade and clay, loam, acid soil or moist ground, flowering Apr, May, Jun.

Where to use it in a border

At around 30 cm, it sits best along the front edge, where a low, spreading habit reads best. Give it about 15 cm of room to spread, roughly 7 to the metre when planted in a drift. It is hardy across USDA zones 5a to 8b and rated H6 by the RHS, so check it suits your area before planting.

It appears in our lists of full sun, clay soil, acid soil, wet soil, pollinator-friendly plants.

Border Builder uses Oregon Fawn Lily's height, spread, soil, bloom months and companions to place it in a full border plan for your own conditions, on iPhone and iPad.

Flowering through the year

Worth knowing

• It copes with ground that stays wet, which most border plants will not.
• It tolerates acid soil but dislikes shallow chalk.
• Not recorded as pet-safe; site it away from pets that graze if that matters to you.
• Its flowers are valued by bees and other pollinators.

Good companions

Plants that share its conditions and style, chosen to complement its place in the border:

• Black Cohoshfor height behind it
• Cascade Oregon Grapeto edge in front
• Chinese Wild Gingerto edge in front
• Dusky cranesbill 'Samobor'to edge in front
• False Lily-of-the-Valleyto edge in front
• Foxglovefor height behind it

Garden styles

Shade cottage Wildlife garden Woodland