Spring Beauties - orange spots

[Old Gray Mare]

I've read that the bulb of Spring Beauties are edible. Small pink and white flower that likes growing in wet shaded area. Plant may reach 6 inches tall. In some areas I've noticed Orange spots on the plants leaves that look like some sort of fungal(?) infection.

Any one here ever eat these bulbs? Are the ones with orange spots to be avoided?

[Martinhouse]

We have Spring Beauties here in Arkansas and they grow like a cloud of pink and white over the entire yard, in sun as well as in shade, and with only the normal damp soil of spring. Some are nearly white and some range to nearly solid pink.

I've heard that Native Americans ate the bulbs, but I always thought digging and cleaning them would use up more food value and energy than they'd provide.

Mine totally disappeared when my chickens free ranged, so I imagine the chickens ate all the seeds. When the chickens were no longer an issue, I had to beg a few lawn mower grass catcher bags of lawn clipping from my Mom's yard to spread all over my lawn, to get them back.

I'll try to remember this coming spring to look for orange spots on mine when they are blooming.