Trout Lily
Erythronium americanum
Yellow trout lilies bloom at Truxtun Park in Annapolis, Md., on Monday, April 6, 2020. The name “trout lily” comes from the plant’s mottled leaves, which look like the markings on brook trout. The yellow trout lily is a spring ephemeral, blooming before the tree canopy casts the forest floor in deep shade. The plant is slow-growing, taking several years to reproduce and forming colonies that can grow to cover the forest floor over the course of several hundred years. (Photo by Will Parson/Chesapeake Bay Program)
Trout lily is a native perennial plant with nodding yellow flowers that bloom in early spring.
Appearance
The trout lily has a single, nodding flower at the top of a short stalk. Flowers are yellow on the inside and bronze-colored on the outside, with six petals that curve upward away from six brown stamens. The flowers bloom in March to May. Mottled brown and green leaves grow at the base of the plant. Young plants have only one leaf, while mature adult plants have two leaves. Trout lilies grow 6 to 8 inches tall.
Reproduction and Life Cycle
The trout lily sprouts and flowers in early spring, before new tree leaves grow and block out the sun. Plants grow from a white bulb that has a tooth-like shape
New plants usually grow when underground rhizomes spread and form colonies. Mature plants also spread via seeds. Ants scatter the seeds, eating part of the seed and leaving the rest to germinate.
Did You Know?
- The name “trout lily” comes from the plant’s mottled leaves, which look like the markings on brook trout. It is also known as the dogtooth violet or adder’s tongue.
- Some trout lily colonies are 200 to 300 years old.
- Trout lily leaves and bulbs were once eaten for medicinal purposes as a contraceptive.
Sources and Additional Information
- Native Plants for Wildlife Habitat and Conservation Landscaping: Chesapeake Bay Watershed – U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
- PLANTS Database: Erythronium americanum – USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
- Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center: Erythronium americanum – The University of Texas at Austin
- Trout Lily – Canadian Wildlife Federation
Quick Facts
Species
Native
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Size
6 to 8 inches tall -
Habitat
Found in moist, rich areas such as meadows, clearings and deciduous woods. Grows in partial shade.
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Range
Grows throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
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Status
Stable