Deno’s GardenMy Garden

Eremurus altaicus

Altai Foxtail Lily

Family AsphodelaceaeGenus Eremurus

Several tall spikes of pale yellow flowers standing above dry steppe grasses
The whole plantAndrew BazdyrevCC BY 4.0

About the plant

What it is and where it grows — not part of any germination protocol.

Habit
perennial or tuberous geophytePlants of the World Online
Flower
Pale yellowRead from the photograph on this page
Native range
Altay, Kazakhstan, Kirgizstan, Mongolia, Tadzhikistan, Uzbekistan and elsewhereGBIF Backbone Taxonomy

Toxicity is noted only where a source states it. No note here is not a finding of safety.

Sources: Plants of the World Online — Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; Read from the photograph on this page — Deno's Garden; GBIF Backbone Taxonomy — Global Biodiversity Information Facility.

Worth knowing

  • This foxtail lily, native from Siberia to Mongolia, was first described by Peter Simon von Pallas in 1779, as Asphodelus altaicus. Wikipedia: Eremurus altaicus

This source reports two treatments. Both are shown.

Protocol 1

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty Moderate Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around November 3, 2026 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

  2. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

about 3 months from start to step 2. Germination happens during step 2, in 63 days.

55% germination in 35–63 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Eremurus p. 139Public domain
Show the original text
Eremurus (Liliaceae). Germination occurred at 40 as is typical of cold desert plants. E. altaica germ. 40(1/15 in 10th w)-70(1/15 in 8th w) and 70-40(6/11 in 5-9w)
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Eremurus p. 139. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 2

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty Very high Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around January 25, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

  2. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

    1/15 germinated in this phase.

Steps after step 1 run on after germination.

Germination happens during step 1, in 70 days.

7% germination in 70 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Eremurus p. 139Public domain
Show the original text
Eremurus (Liliaceae). Germination occurred at 40 as is typical of cold desert plants. E. altaica germ. 40(1/15 in 10th w)-70(1/15 in 8th w) and 70-40(6/11 in 5-9w)
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Eremurus p. 139. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

How each step is done, in Deno’s words, and what Verified and Derived mean.

Germination trials

Readers’ own records of sowing this species, published after review. Share your trial · All trials

Add to My Garden

View species page