Yellow Avalanche Lily
(Yellow Glacier-Lily)
Erythronium grandiflorum Pursh
Two different collections were made of this distinctive spring-flowering plant: The first was obtained on 8 May 1806 somewhere along the Clearwater River between Big Canyon Creek in Nez Perce Co. and Little Canyon Creek in Clearwater Co., Idaho. The second was made on 15 Jun 1806 when the party was along the Lolo Trail in Idaho Co., Idaho. Here Lewis and Clark were north of Lolo Creek and camped that evening along Eldorado Creek near the mouth of Lunch Creek. (Source)
It is a perennial herb with 2 leaves 4-8 inches long from deeplly buried elongated, corm like bulbs. The flowers are bright yellow, nodding, 1 1/4-2 1/2 inches across, with 6 petals curved upwards and 6 large stamens projecting downwards, usually solitary on a leafless, 4 to 16 inch stalk. It blooms from April to August. The fruits are erect, 3-sided clubs-shaped capsules, 1 /14-1 5/8 inches long.
The plant prefers light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and requires well-drained soil. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland). It requires dry or moist soil. It is found in sagebrush, open woodland and grassy mountain slopes, sometimes to the tree line. Rich moist soil along the banks of streams, shaded woods and sub-alpine meadows, often in large patches. It is found in the Northern Rocky Mountain area.
Value for Wildlife:
Yellow avalanche lily is an important forage for grizzly bears, which dig
for the corms in spring. Ground squirrels will also feed on corms. In an Idaho
study, Yellow avalanche lily made up the bulk of mule deer diets during
May. In Idaho, mule deer ate disproportionate amounts of Yellow
avalanche lily compared to its availability, suggesting there was some
preference for the lily . Bears will stray from their normal course of travel
along ridges to seek out glacier lily corms. Yellow avalanche lily provides fair
graze for small mammals, deer, and elk. (Source)