False Unicorn
(Chamaelirium luteum (L.) A. Gray)

botanical information

Chamaelirium luteum (L.) A. Gray is native to North America with a natural range stretching from Florida north to New York and west to the Mississippi River.  Chamaelirium can be found in moist, acidic soils located in partially to fully shaded areas in meadows, thickets, and rich woods.  Most of the larger populations of this native plant exist in the southern portion of its range.  It is a long-lived dioecious perennial in the Liliaceae family.  Leaves form a basal rosette with an emerging flower stalk that bears either a male or female flower spike.  Flowers typically bloom April to June and are white or greenish-white with male flowers fading to yellow.  The male flower spike can reach eighteen inches or more, while the female flower spike rises to over thirty inches.  Flowering does not occur every year on the same plant.  Seeds ripen late into the fall.  The rhizome measures from one-half to three inches in length and often curves upward at one end in the form of a horn.  Fibrous rootlets grow from the rhizome.  Once the plants are at least four to six years old, harvesting of the root can occur, usually in early autumn and well after flowering is complete.  

Chamaelirium luteum is used both medicinally and ornamentally and is gaining popularity in both markets.  It is also known by its common names: fairy wand, star grub root, devil’s bit, false unicorn, and blazing star.  

medicinal uses

Widely used by North American Indians as a woman's herb, chamaelirium was traditionally used to prevent miscarriage and has a reputation for improving fertility.  In Western herbal medicine, it has been used to treat pregnancy problems and ovarian cysts. 

selecting a planting site

Chamaelirium likes to grow in rich open woods or under the shade of hardwood and conifers.  It prefers a moist, acidic soil that drains well.  Richo Cech, author of Growing At-Risk Medicinal Herbs, recommends a soil pH ranging from 4.5 to 6, with a high humic content.  If planting in a natural woods setting, Cech suggests locating the planting beds in a conifer or mixed hardwood-derived loam, a sandy loam (like in the North Carolina piedmont region), or bottom land, where leaf mulch does not accumulate.  Look for a site where other woodland plants grow such as Solomon’s seal, lady’s slipper orchid, hepatica, Iris cristata, Hexastylis sp., or perhaps a native stand of chamaelirium. 

Well suited for cultivation in North Carolina, chamaelirium will grow in the central region of the state using wild-simulated and woods-cultivated methods. To date, cultivation is only taking place on very small plots scattered throughout the plant's natural range.

planting

Propagation is typically done through seed or root division, though large quantities of seed are not readily available commercially.  Chamaelirium can be propagated by dividing the rhizomes in early spring or in fall.  Plants can be started from seed, but the rhizome divisions may allow for a faster harvestable plant. 

 The surface of the rhizome is covered with small eyes that have the ability to produce growth buds and roots, according to Cech.  Cech recommends cutting rhizomes into sections as narrow as one-quarter inch, leaving the disk-shaped pieces to callus overnight.  Plant in pots, keeping soil moist and pots shaded until the new plants emerge.  In a well-prepared three-foot wide bed with high organic matter, transplant young plants six to ten inches apart by staggering the plantings.  Top dress beds with a light covering of mulch.  Cech recommends pine needles, bark much, or rotted conifer-derived sawdust.  Add mulch as needed throughout the growing season.  Plants should be ready to harvest four to six years after planting.

 Germinating chamaelirium seed is not too difficult, according to Cech, but the seed does need to go through a period of cold then warm stratification, according to Baskin et al. (2001).  Baskin et al. also found that germination of chamaelirium seed was much higher when seeds were exposed to light.  Cech recommends seeding flats with a high organic soil mix comprising of two parts peat moss, one part decomposed pine needles, one part perlite, and one-half part sand.  In late fall or early winter, gently sow the newly harvested dried seed approximately one-eighth of an inch deep in flats or in prepared outdoor, shaded seedbeds.  When the seedlings emerge in spring or early summer, Cech suggests leaving the young seedlings undisturbed for at least one growing season before transplanting out into permanent beds.

insects and diseases

Snails and slugs can be pests to this species under moist conditions.  Deer have been observed feeding on the flower stalks.  As new information becomes available, this publication will be updated.

harvesting, cleaning, and drying

Chamaelirium is usually harvested in the fall. This allows for the seed to be collected before digging the roots.  Since rhizome pieces are small and generally measure less than three inches in length, digging is easiest with a spading fork or smaller digging tool.   

 Shake the roots free of dirt and carefully remove only roots that are chamaelirium.  It is not acceptable to include foreign particles.  Protect from the sun and heat; do not allow the roots to dry out.  Since fresh roots are susceptible to mold, keep unwashed roots stored in sphagnum moss until ready to process.  Check often to prevent the roots from drying out, and stir the roots to allow for aeration.  When ready for processing, it is recommended to wash chamaelirium roots quickly with a pressure hose.  Take great care to not damage the roots as they are cleaned and to remove all particles of dirt. 

Once the roots are cleaned, dry the roots in a warm place with adequate airflow.  Chamaelirium roots are quite small and should be dried whole.  If a drying unit is not available, a dehydrator, converted greenhouse, or converted rooms in a barn are areas that can be used for drying.  According to Cech, “Dry for one day with low temperature (70⁰F) and high air flow.  Then, turn up the temperature to 100⁰F until roots are dried thoroughly.  Once the roots are completely dry, store in glass jars, plastic bags in light-proof sacks, in a cool, dark, and dry location.”  Stored like this, chamaelirium should keep for two to three years.  

markets  

Buyers of this material are widely dispersed throughout North America and Europe.  Demand for chamaelirium continues to increase at a slow but steady rate.  Supply is harvested exclusively from native sites, putting strains on wild populations, particularly in the southeastern United States.  A wild harvester can easily collect entire populations in a short period of time.  In some states, chamaelirium is classified as a “species of concern”, “endangered”, or “rare”.  Some buyers, who are concerned about the exploitation of natural populations, are stipulating that the material they purchase be supplied through cultivation or by sustainable wild-harvest techniques.  All efforts should be accelerated to protect this species.

Allard, D.J. 2003. Chamaelirium luteum (L.) A. Gray (Devil’s Bit). Conservation and Research Plan for New England. New England Wild Flower Society, Framingham, Massachusetts, USA.

 Baskin, C. C., J. M. Baskin, and E. W. Chester. 2001. Morphophysiological dormancy in

seeds of Chamaelirium luteum, a long-lived dioecious lily. Journal of the Torrey Botanical Society 128:7-15.

 Cech, Richo. 2002. Growing At-Risk Medicinal Herbs. Horizon Herbs. Williams, Oregon. 314 pp.

 Greenfield, Jackie, and Jeanine M. Davis. 2004. Medicinal herb production guides. North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC.

 Strategic Reports. 2002. Analysis of the economic viability of cultivating selected botanicals in North Carolina. A report commissioned for the North Carolina Consortium on Natural Medicinal Products by North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC. 244 pp.

The North Carolina Arboretum is grateful to Jackie Greenfield and Jeanine M. Davis for their contributions to this publication, including excerpts from their publication “Medicinal Herb Production Guides”. The Arboretum also wishes to thank Richard Rice for his artistic renditions of the herbs. The Superb Herbs Web site and the documents provided were made possible by a grant from the NC Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, found on the Web at www.ncagr.com.