''Eremurus'' is a genus of

deciduous In the fields of horticulture and botany, the term deciduous () means "falling off at maturity" and "tending to fall off", in reference to trees and shrubs that seasonally shed Leaf, leaves, usually in the autumn; to the shedding of petals, aft ...

perennial In horticulture, the term perennial ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the year") is used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. It has thus been defined as a plant that lives more than 2 years. The term is also ...

flowers in the family Asphodelaceae. They are also known as the foxtail lilies or desert candles. They are native to eastern

Europe Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...

in (

Russia Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...

and

Ukraine Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the List of European countries by area, second-largest country in Europe after Russia, which Russia–Ukraine border, borders it to the east and northeast. Ukraine also borders Belarus to the nor ...

), and temperate

Asia Asia ( , ) is the largest continent in the world by both land area and population. It covers an area of more than 44 million square kilometres, about 30% of Earth's total land area and 8% of Earth's total surface area. The continent, which ...

from

Turkey Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...

, with many species in

Central Asia Central Asia is a region of Asia consisting of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. The countries as a group are also colloquially referred to as the "-stans" as all have names ending with the Persian language, Pers ...

. The

inflorescence In botany, an inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a plant's Plant stem, stem that is composed of a main branch or a system of branches. An inflorescence is categorized on the basis of the arrangement of flowers on a mai ...

consists of a tall floral spike whose individual flowers extend their anthers around the stem axis as in the bottle brushes. Depending on the species, the spike consists of many densely-arranged, small flowers in shades of orange, yellow, white, pale pink or red-orange. The grey-green, straplike leaves grow in a tuft from the succulent root crown. Eremurus is known for its thick, fingerlike roots, which grow from a central growth point. The blooming spike is notably tall and relatively narrow, rising from 3 to 9 or 10 feet above the foliage, depending on the species. These plants are mainly native to

western Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US *Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that id ...

and

, although ''Eremurus thiodanthus'' is endemic to the

Crimea Crimea ( ) is a peninsula in Eastern Europe, on the northern coast of the Black Sea, almost entirely surrounded by the Black Sea and the smaller Sea of Azov. The Isthmus of Perekop connects the peninsula to Kherson Oblast in mainland Ukrain ...

Species

Plants of the World Online Plants of the World Online (POWO) is an online taxonomic database published by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. History Following the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew launched Plants of the World Online i ...

accepted the following species: *''

Eremurus afghanicus ''Eremurus'' is a genus of deciduous perennial flowers in the family Asphodelaceae. They are also known as the foxtail lilies or desert candles. They are native to eastern Europe in (Russia and Ukraine), and temperate Asia from Turkey to China, ...

'' Gilli - Afghanistan * '' Eremurus aitchisonii'' Baker - Afghanistan, Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan * ''

Eremurus alaicus ''Eremurus'' is a genus of deciduous perennial flowers in the family Asphodelaceae. They are also known as the foxtail lilies or desert candles. They are native to eastern Europe in (Russia and Ukraine), and temperate Asia from Turkey to China, ...

'' Khalk - Kyrgyzstan * '' Eremurus albertii'' Regel - Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan * ''Eremurus'' × ''albocitrinus'' Baker - Iran (''E. olgae'' × ''E. stenophyllus'') * ''

Eremurus altaicus ''Eremurus altaicus'' is a species of flowering plant in the family Asphodelaceae, native from Siberia to Mongolia. It was first described by Peter Simon von Pallas in 1779 as ''Asphodelus altaicus''. Distribution ''Eremurus altaicus'' has ...

'' (Pall.) Steven - Altai Republic, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Xinjiang, Mongolia * ''

Eremurus ammophilus ''Eremurus'' is a genus of deciduous perennial flowers in the family Asphodelaceae. They are also known as the foxtail lilies or desert candles. They are native to eastern Europe in (Russia and Ukraine), and temperate Asia from Turkey to China, ...

'' Vved. - Uzbekistan * ''

Eremurus anisopterus ''Eremurus'' is a genus of deciduous perennial flowers in the family Asphodelaceae. They are also known as the foxtail lilies or desert candles. They are native to eastern Europe in (Russia and Ukraine), and temperate Asia from Turkey to China, ...

'' (Kar. & Kir.) Regel - Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Xinjiang * ''

Eremurus azerbajdzhanicus ''Eremurus'' is a genus of deciduous perennial flowers in the family Asphodelaceae. They are also known as the foxtail lilies or desert candles. They are native to eastern Europe in (Russia and Ukraine), and temperate Asia from Turkey to China, ...

'' Kharkev. - Caucasus * ''

Eremurus bactrianus ''Eremurus'' is a genus of deciduous perennial flowers in the family Asphodelaceae. They are also known as the foxtail lilies or desert candles. They are native to eastern Europe in (Russia and Ukraine), and temperate Asia from Turkey to China, ...

'' Wendelbo - Afghanistan * ''

Eremurus brachystemon ''Eremurus'' is a genus of deciduous perennial flowers in the family Asphodelaceae. They are also known as the foxtail lilies or desert candles. They are native to eastern Europe in (Russia and Ukraine), and temperate Asia from Turkey to China, ...

'' Vved. - Tajikistan * ''

Eremurus bucharicus ''Eremurus'' is a genus of deciduous perennial flowers in the family Asphodelaceae. They are also known as the foxtail lilies or desert candles. They are native to eastern Europe in (Russia and Ukraine), and temperate Asia from Turkey to China, ...

'' Regel - Afghanistan, Tajikistan * ''

Eremurus candidus ''Eremurus'' is a genus of deciduous perennial flowers in the family Asphodelaceae. They are also known as the foxtail lilies or desert candles. They are native to eastern Europe in (Russia and Ukraine), and temperate Asia from Turkey to China, ...

'' Vved. - Tajikistan * ''

Eremurus cappadocicus ''Eremurus'' is a genus of deciduous perennial flowers in the family Asphodelaceae. They are also known as the foxtail lilies or desert candles. They are native to eastern Europe in (Russia and Ukraine), and temperate Asia from Turkey to China, ...

'' J.Gay ex Baker - Turkey, Iraq, Syria * '' Eremurus chinensis'' O.Fedtsch. - Gansu, Sichuan, Tibet, Yunnan * †'' Eremurus chloranthus'' Popov - Uzbekistan but extinct * '' Eremurus comosus'' O.Fedtsch. - Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan * '' Eremurus cristatus'' Vved. - Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan * '' Eremurus czatkalicus'' Lazkov - Kyrgyzstan * ''Eremurus'' × ''decoloratus'' Lazkov & Naumenko (''E. lactiflorus'' × ''E. regelii'') - Kyrgyzstan * '' Eremurus dolichomischus'' Vved. & Wendelbo - Afghanistan, Pakistan * '' Eremurus furseorum'' Wendelbo - Afghanistan * '' Eremurus fuscus'' (O.Fedtsch.) Vved - Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan * ''Eremurus'' × ''gypsaceus'' Lazkov (''E. cristatus'' × ''E. zoae'') – Kyrgyzstan * '' Eremurus hilariae'' Popov & Vved. - Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan * ''

Eremurus himalaicus ''Eremurus himalaicus'', the Himalayan foxtail lily or white-flowered foxtail lily, is a species of flowering plant in the family Asphodelaceae. It is native to Afghanistan, Pakistan, and the western Himalayas. It is useful in the garden as a tal ...

'' Baker -

Himalayas The Himalayas, or Himalaya ( ), is a mountain range in Asia, separating the plains of the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau. The range has some of the Earth's highest peaks, including the highest, Mount Everest. More than list of h ...

of Afghanistan + Pakistan + Kashmir * '' Eremurus hissaricus'' Vved - Gissar Range in Tajikistan + Uzbekistan * '' Eremurus iae'' Vved. - Tajikistan, Uzbekistan * '' Eremurus inderiensis'' (M.Bieb.) Regel - European Russia, Western Siberia, Central Asia, Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Xinjiang, Mongolia * ''Eremurus'' × ''isabellinus'' P. L. Vilm. (''E. stenophyllus'' × ''E. olgae'') - garden origin * '' Eremurus jungei'' Juz. - Crimea * '' Eremurus kaufmannii'' Regel - Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan * '' Eremurus kopet-daghensis'' Karrer - Turkmenistan, Iran * '' Eremurus korovinii'' B.Fedtsch. - Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan * '' Eremurus korshinskyi'' O.Fedtsch - Afghanistan, Tajikistan * '' Eremurus lachnostegius'' Vved. - Tajikistan * '' Eremurus lactiflorus'' O.Fedtsch. - Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan * ''Eremurus'' × ''ludmillae'' Levichev & Priszter - Uzbekistan (''E. regelii'' × ''E. turkestanicus'') * '' Eremurus luteus'' Baker - Turkmenistan, Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan * '' Eremurus micranthus'' Vved. - Tajikistan * ''Eremurus'' × ''nikitinae'' Lazkov (''E. cristatus'' × ''E. fuscus'') – Kyrgyzstan * '' Eremurus nuratavicus'' Khokhr. Uzbekistan * '' Eremurus olgae'' Regel - a dwarf species flowering in June or July, making it one of the last species to flower - Turkmenistan, Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan * '' Eremurus parviflorus'' Regel - Pamir Mountains in Tajikistan * '' Eremurus persicus'' (Jaub. & Spach) Boiss. - Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Kashmir * '' Eremurus pubescens'' Vved. - Tajikistan * '' Eremurus rechingeri'' Wendelbo - Iraq * '' Eremurus regelii'' Vved. - Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan * '' Eremurus robustus'' (Regel) Regel - Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan - grows from 6 to 10 feet high. * '' Eremurus roseolus'' Vved - Afghanistan, Tajikistan * '' Eremurus saprjagajevii'' B.Fedtsch. - Tajikistan, Uzbekistan * '' Eremurus soogdianus'' (Regel) Benth. & Hook.f. - Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Afghanistan * '' Eremurus spectabilis'' M.Bieb. - European Russia, Ukraine, Caucasus, Iran, Iraq, Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestine region, Turkmenistan * '' Eremurus stenophyllus'' (Boiss. & Buhse) Baker syn. ''E. bungei'' - Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan * ''

Eremurus subalbiflorus ''Eremurus'' is a genus of deciduous perennial flowers in the family Asphodelaceae. They are also known as the foxtail lilies or desert candles. They are native to eastern Europe in (Russia and Ukraine), and temperate Asia from Turkey to China, ...

'' Vved. - Turkmenistan, Iran * '' Eremurus suworowii'' Regel - Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan * '' Eremurus tadshikorum'' Vved. - Tajikistan * '' Eremurus tauricus'' Steven - Crimea, northern Caucasus in Russia * '' Eremurus thiodanthus'' Juz. - Crimea * '' Eremurus tianschanicus'' Pazij & Vved. ex Pavlov - Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan * '' Eremurus turkestanicus'' Regel - Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan * '' Eremurus wallii'' Rech.f. - Syria * ''Eremurus'' × ''warei'' Jekyll & E.T.Cook (''E. olgae'' × ''E. stenophyllus'') – Iran * '' Eremurus zangezuricus'' Mikheev - southern Caucasus * '' Eremurus zenaidae'' Vved. - Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan * '' Eremurus zoae'' Vved. - Kyrgyzstan

Cultivation

''Eremurus'' is hardy to USDA Zones 5–7. Usually four species are available commercially for cultivation: *''E. himalaicus'' grows to about with pure white racemes *''E. robustus'' can reach in height with pink or white flower spikes *''E. stenophyllus'', a dwarf species, reaches in height with yellow flowers. Also ''E''. × ''isabellinus'' which is a hybrid of ''E. olgae'' and ''E. stenophyllus'' is available as 'Cleopatra', with orange spikes. The

cultivar A cultivar is a kind of Horticulture, cultivated plant that people have selected for desired phenotypic trait, traits and which retains those traits when Plant propagation, propagated. Methods used to propagate cultivars include division, root a ...

'Joanna' has won the

Royal Horticultural Society The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), founded in 1804 as the Horticultural Society of London, is the UK's leading gardening charity. The RHS promotes horticulture through its five gardens at Wisley (Surrey), Hyde Hall (Essex), Harlow Carr ...

Award of Garden Merit The Award of Garden Merit (AGM) is a long-established award for plants by the British Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). It is based on assessment of the plants' performance under UK growing conditions. It includes the full range of cultivated p ...

. The octopus-like tuberous roots are easily injured; planting on a cone of soil, with the crown on the peak and the roots hanging down, is recommended. Plants are readily affected by winter root rot, so that a layer of sand or gravel beneath is recommended to ensure drainage. Covering with compost or mulch provides protection from frost.

Gallery

File:Eremurus robustus shoots in snow. Image by Schnobby, cropped & brightened.jpg, ''E. robustus'' leaf rosettes, in bud, emerging from snowy ground File:Eremurus robustus 2017-04-17 7791.jpg, ''E. robustus'' leaf rosette at time of first appearance of embryonic flower spike File:Eremurus robustus (Asphodelaceae) (44492387882).jpg, ''E. robustus'' flowering on SW slope of

Fergana Fergana ( uz-Latn-Cyrl, Fargʻona, Фарғона, ), () or Ferghana, also Farghana is a district-level city and the capital of Fergana Region in eastern Uzbekistan. Fergana is about 320 km east of Tashkent, about 75 km southwest of A ...

range, nr. Sary-Kyr pass,

Kyrgyzstan Kyrgyzstan, officially the Kyrgyz Republic, is a landlocked country in Central Asia lying in the Tian Shan and Pamir Mountains, Pamir mountain ranges. Bishkek is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Kyrgyzstan, largest city. Kyrgyz ...

File:Eremurus inderiensis 28519526.jpg, ''E. inderiensis'' developing flower spike starting to elongate, nr.

Baikonur Baikonur ( ; ) is a city in Kazakhstan on the northern bank of the Syr Darya river. It is currently leased and administered by the Russian Federation as an enclave until 2050. It was constructed to serve the Baikonur Cosmodrome with adminis ...

Kazakhstan Kazakhstan, officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a landlocked country primarily in Central Asia, with a European Kazakhstan, small portion in Eastern Europe. It borders Russia to the Kazakhstan–Russia border, north and west, China to th ...

File:Eremurus alaicus (5546699412).jpg, ''E. alaicus '' flowering on a grassy slope near Karakol,

in the

Tien Shan The Tian Shan, also known as the Tengri Tagh or Tengir-Too, meaning the "Mountains of God/Heaven", is a large system of mountain ranges in Central Asia. The highest peak is Jengish Chokusu at high and located in Kyrgyzstan. Its lowest point is ...

range File:Mountain rivers of Tajikistan 05.jpg, Stand of yellow-flowered ''E. sp.'' in bloom in April in a mountain river valley,

Tajikistan Tajikistan, officially the Republic of Tajikistan, is a landlocked country in Central Asia. Dushanbe is the capital city, capital and most populous city. Tajikistan borders Afghanistan to the Afghanistan–Tajikistan border, south, Uzbekistan to ...

File:PikiWiki Israel 7032 Plants of Israel.jpg, E. sp. (probably ''E. spectabilis'') in flower and fruit on a dry slope in

Israel Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in West Asia. It Borders of Israel, shares borders with Lebanon to the north, Syria to the north-east, Jordan to the east, Egypt to the south-west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Isr ...

File:Еремурусовий схил 02.jpg, E. sp. - stand of plants in fruit,

nature reserve A nature reserve (also known as a wildlife refuge, wildlife sanctuary, biosphere reserve or bioreserve, natural or nature preserve, or nature conservation area) is a protected area of importance for flora, fauna, funga, or features of geologic ...

Luhansk Oblast Luhansk Oblast (; ), also referred to as Luhanshchyna (), is the easternmost Administrative divisions of Ukraine, oblast (province) of Ukraine. Its administrative center is the city of Luhansk. The oblast was established in 1938 and bore the n ...

Ukraine File:Շրեշտ.jpg, Young Eremurus leaf rosettes on sale as a

leaf vegetable Leaf vegetables, also called leafy greens, vegetable greens, or simply greens, are plant leaves eaten as a vegetable, sometimes accompanied by their petioles and shoots, if tender. Leaf vegetables eaten raw in a salad can be called salad gre ...

in an

Armenia Armenia, officially the Republic of Armenia, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of West Asia. It is a part of the Caucasus region and is bordered by Turkey to the west, Georgia (country), Georgia to the north and Azerbaijan to ...

marketplace A marketplace, market place, or just market, is a location where people regularly gather for the purchase and sale of provisions, livestock, and other goods. In different parts of the world, a marketplace may be described as a ''souk'' (from ...

File:Hyles centralasiae (Sphingidae- Macroglossinae- Macroglossini) – third instar larva on Eremurus olgae (32408511714).jpg, Close-up of flower buds of ''E. olgae'' with hawk moth

larva A larva (; : larvae ) is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into their next life stage. Animals with indirect development such as insects, some arachnids, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase ...

File:Satyrium (Superflua) mirabilis (Lycaenidae- Theclinae) mating on Eremurus sogdianus (Asphodelaceae) (33041236702).jpg, '' Satyrium mirabilis'' (see Satyrium) butterflies mating on ''E. sogdianus'' File:Wave Hill - 20220616 - 28 - bumblebee pollinating foxtail lily.jpg, Bumblebee sp. pollinating flowers of '' E. stenophyllus'' var. stenophyllus in

Wave Hill Wave Hill is a estate in the Hudson Hill, Bronx, Hudson Hill section of Riverdale, Bronx, Riverdale in the Bronx, New York City. Wave Hill currently consists of public horticultural gardens and a cultural center, all situated on the slopes ov ...

garden,

Bronx The Bronx ( ) is the northernmost of the five Boroughs of New York City, boroughs of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. It shares a land border with Westchester County, New York, West ...

File:Eremurus himalaicus Pustynnik himalajski 2010-06-20 02.jpg, ''E. himalaicus'' ripening 3-valved seed capsule File:Stamps of Uzbekistan, 2002-04.jpg, Uzbek postage stamp depicting ''E. hilariae'' (one of series devoted to the wildflowers of

Uzbekistan , image_flag = Flag of Uzbekistan.svg , image_coat = Emblem of Uzbekistan.svg , symbol_type = Emblem of Uzbekistan, Emblem , national_anthem = "State Anthem of Uzbekistan, State Anthem of the Republ ...

) File:Stamps of Uzbekistan, 2011-08.jpg, Uzbek postage stamp depicting
''E. korolkowii'' File:HJElwes Eremurus.jpg, Plant hunter Henry John Elwes beside bed of '' E. aitchisonii'', formerly named for him as ''E. elwesii /
elwesianus''

References

Bibliography

* * * {{Authority control Asphodelaceae genera Asphodeloideae