Veratrum californicum

These are striking, yet rarely encountered plants that we are thrilled to offer! They are quite difficult to propagate and represent years of work. Despite difficulty with propagation, they are easy to grow, though flowering can take several years. Immense, branched panicles. Best grown in full sun to dappled shade on moist, rich soil.

Corn lily is a US native that can be found growing from Washington to California, east to the Rocky Mountains. It is the showiest of all the veratrum species with large pleated leaves and extremely tall (up to 8 ft!) flower stalks. The unbranched flower stalks resemble corn (if you really use your imagination), but they hold showy, star-shaped, creamy-white flowers. Deer and rodent resistant.

WARNING: The roots of this plant are extremely toxic. All parts of this plant contain steroidal alkaloids that are poisonous to some livestock. Especially poisonous to sheep.

Zones: 4 to 9

Family: Melanthiaceae

Type: Perennial

Height: 36 to 72 in.

Spread: 24 to 48 in.

Exposure: Full Sun

Soil Conditions: Average

Bloom Time: July to August

Bloom Color: ivory-white to greenish-white

Native Range: Washington south to California, east to the Rocky Mountains

Image Credits:

• Image 1 (flower) Patrick Sowers, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
• Image 2 (foliage) Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
• Image 3 (form) Dcrjsr, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons