Yellow Trout Lily - Erythronium americanum

Above: Yellow Trout Lily in Madison, Wisconsin near Agawa Path on May 4, 2022.

Yellow Trout Lily - Erythronium americanum (Spring Ephemeral)

The Trout Lily is a perennial, colony forming, spring ephemeral flower native to North America. A yellow trout lily produces an erect flower stalk with a nodding, bisexual flower with 6 recurved, yellow, lanceolote tepals. Its preferred growing conditions are in part sun to mostly shade and deep, moist loamy soils.

Blooms: April - May.

NOTE: Only plants with two basal leaves will flower. They can take 4 -7 years to mature and flower.

The common name "trout lily" refers to the appearance of its gray-green leaves mottled with brown or gray, which allegedly resemble the coloring of brook trout.

Other names include: American trout-lily, yellow dog-tooth violet, yellow trout-lily, Adder's Tongue.

Above: The leaves of Trout Lilies are easily recognizable. They are mottled green and brown the the markings on brook trout. The common name Adder's tongue also referes to the tongue-shaped, brown-blotched leaves.

For more information on Yellow Trout Lily, visit Wikipedia.

Or, visit the Online Virtual Flora of Wisconsin website at: http://wisflora.herbarium.wisc.edu.

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