Trout Lily
Erythronium americanum
Trout lily flowers are yellow on the inside and bronze-colored on the outside. (jclucier/Flickr)
Trout lily is a native perennial plant with nodding yellow flowers that bloom in early spring.
Appearance:
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A single, nodding flower at the top of a short stalk
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Flowers are yellow on the inside and bronze-colored on the outside
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Flowers have six petals that curve upward away from six brown stamens
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Flowers bloom in March-May
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Mottled brown and green leaves at the base of the plant. Young plants have only one leaf, while mature adult plants have two leaves.
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Grows to 6-8 inches tall
Habitat:
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Found in moist, rich areas such as meadows, clearings and deciduous woods
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Grows in partial shade
Range:
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Grows throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed
Feeding:
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Sprouts and flowers in early spring, before new tree leaves grow and block out the sun
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Plants grow from a white bulb that has a tooth-like shape
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New plants usually grow when underground rhizomes spread and form colonies
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Mature plants also spread via seeds. Ants scatter the seeds, eating part of the seed and leaving the rest to germinate.
Other Facts:
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Also known as dogtooth violet or adder’s tongue
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The name “trout lily” comes from the plant’s mottled leaves, which look like the markings on brook trout
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Some trout lily colonies are 200-300 years old
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Trout lily leaves and bulbs were once eaten for medicinal purposes as a contraceptive
Sources and Additional Information:
