Veratrum is a genus that used to be considered to be in the Liliaceae family and has been proposed to be included in Melanthiaceae with Toxicoscordion, Zigadenus and Xerophyllum. These plants are deciduous with rhizomes with fleshy storage roots. They contain alkaloids which can be poisonous, but have also been used in medicine. Many can get quite tall and are often found in wet places. They are plants of northern temperate regions.
Veratrum californicum is a species that has a wide distribution in the Western US at elevations between 0-11000ft (0-3300m). Plants grow 3-6ft (1-2m) tall, flowering mid to late summer. Photos 1-2 were taken by Kathleen Sayce of plants growing on marshy shelves in the freshwater tidal areas of the Columbia upriver from Astoria, Oregon.
Veratrum fimbriatum known as the Fringed Corn Lily, is rare and restricted to shaded wet places on the Mendocino Sonoma Coast. It has white flowers with a yellow base and the petals are fringed. Leaves are large and pleated, emerging in spring, when they make a statement. By the time the plants blooms late summer, the leaves can be a bit weathered. The first two pictures taken late April 2004 show the leaves after they have emerged and still look very attractive. In the first picture you can see the habitat companions: Oxalis oregana, Asarum caudatum and Polystichum munitum. The second shows a grouping of plants. The last two pictures below were taken August 2003 and show the flowers. All photos by Bob Rutemoeller.
Veratrum lobelianum, considered Veratrum album ssp. lobelianum by some floras is a Eurasian species with greenish flowers. Photos taken by Alessandro Marinello.
Veratrum nigrum, The photo below was taken in the Montgomery County, Maryland, USA, zone 7 garden of Jim McKenney. This is another Eurasian species. This is a plant many would grow for its foliage alone. This is a young plant which has not yet bloomed - yet its foliage is already attracting attention.
