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As the snow disappear in higher elevations, one of the first plants to flower is the Yellow Glacier-Lily, Erythronium grandiflorum. From late May through early July, you’ll find this magnificent yellow flower growing in patches along many of K-Country’s high alpine trails and in clearings through the subalpine forest.
Glacier-Lilies are also known as Snow-Lily, Avalanche Lily, Fawn Lily, Trout Lily, Adder’s Tongue and even Dogtooth Violet (though it is not a violet). They can be found in greatest numbers on avalanche slopes, especially the run-out zones where the soil is richer and less rocky. They’re also found in alpine meadows where ample snow collects during winter
It’s very easy to identify. Two long, broad solid green leaves rise up and apart just above the ground. From their centre, a thin, leafless stem arises and curves over at its tip, suspending the showy yellow flower in a down-facing position. Each flower consists of six long, pointed, yellow petals with tips that curl back towards the flower base. A cluster of long stamens protrudes from the flower centre. There is usually one stunningly elegant, lily-like flower per stem. Each plant grows from a slender, vertical, fleshy root (“corm”) that is buried deep beneath the ground surface.
Glacier-Lily is a “spring ephermeral”, meaning it grows and blooms as soon as the snow melts away, and then soon after, the leaves turn yellow and dry up as it begins to go dormant. All that’s left from this season’s growth are the dried stems topped by the elongated, club-shaped seed capsules.
Of high importance
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This plant is exceptionally important to the high mountain ecosystem. With its early emergence and bloom time, it often provides the first sustenance of the season to pollinators and to various herbivores. To Grizzly Bears, Black Bears, and rodents like Marmots, the corms are a delicacy. Since they tend to grow in large patches, grizzlies in particular target this plant all through the flowering season. Often in the high alpine in mid-summer, the dig remnants you see are the evidence of late spring feeding on Glacier-Lily. Once the flowers turn to seed, the seed pods are eaten by Deer, Elk, Bighorn Sheep and Mountain Goats.
To Indigenous people, this plant is a valued food source. It is called “maxa” by the Ktunaxa people. There is a starch in the corms, called inulin, that becomes highly digestible when steamed. Ktunaxa cooked Glacier-Lily corms along with other root vegetables in underground steam pits. Crushing the corm and mixing it with water gave them a poultice for boils, blisters and burns.
However, modern collection of this plant for the corm has decimated populations outside parks. Take the corm, and the plant dies, with no seed pods ever being produced. No matter where you see a Glacier-Lily, admire it, but leave it be.
See some of the other stunning flowers of K-Country here!
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