Trout Lily

We all have signs that tell us spring is here. For some, it is the red-winged blackbird calling or the sweet smell of the thawing earth. The sight of trout lilies poking through last autumn’s leaves is surely a sign for others.

This early bloomer appears briefly in the spring, often before all the snow and ice has left the ground. It is a common wildflower of eastern Canada’s deciduous — and sometimes mixed — woods but can adapt to partially shaded areas of many gardens. (See below for other Canadian Erythronium species.)

What’s in a name?

This plant has a few common names, each pointing to some distinguishing characteristic. “Trout lily” is derived from the resemblance of its mottled leaves to the colouring on brook trout. “Adder’s tongue” refers to the similarity between a snake’s tongue and the sharply pointed, unopened purple leaves as they poke through the dense forest litter. “Dogtooth violet” is said to reflect the white, tooth-like shape of its corm, although it is not a violet at all.

Its latin name, Erythronium americanum, is partly from the Greek word erythros, meaning “red.” This is a reference either to the red flower or the reddish blotching of some Erythronium species.

Appearance

Trout lilies are low-growing plants that form colonies of plants of different ages. The youngsters are flowerless and have only one leaf, while older plants produce two leaves and a single flower. A plant’s corm has to reach sufficient depths (10 to 20 centimetres below ground) before it will devote energy to making the additional parts.

Be sure to watch out for these common spring flowers before June has passed and their above-ground parts have withered away. After that, they will be focusing their energies on spreading underground and making new shoots for next year.

Uses

Trout lily leaves and corms were traditionally boiled and eaten and, as with many things in life, eaten in moderation for too many could cause mild vomiting.

(Caution: We are not recommending the use of these plants for medicinal or food purposes. Many plants are poisonous or harmful if eaten or used externally. The information on food and medicinal value is only added for interest. This information has been gathered from books and its accuracy has not been tested.)

Propagation

These plants will naturally spread by forming vast colonies. Some wild colonies are reputed to be as old as the trees around them — two or three hundred years! Despite its ability to spread, the trout lily is not considered an aggressive spreader but rather a delight to have in one's garden.

Care

Trout lilies grow in moist, fertile woods but can adapt to growing in many types of gardens. Ideally, they should be planted amidst two or more deciduous trees that are large enough to provide shade or partial shade once their leaves emerge.

As they are above ground for only a short time, the only care you have to be concerned with is choosing a suitable spot. It should offer sun in the spring — to warm the earth and provide enough light for the lilies to make and store food — and shade or partial shade in the summer.

Trout lilies are lovely interplanted with other spring ephemerals such as white-flowered bloodroot or pinkish spring beauties. They might even be happy in a section of your lawn, but be sure to let the grass grow until the plant’s aerial parts have withered away for the year.

If you buy corms, make sure they are firm and free of mould. Plant them in rich, well-drained soil in the fall, about 5 to 7.5 centimetres deep. Do not store them for future years, as they tend to go soft and mouldy. If you are buying potted plants instead, transplant them in the spring. Remember to buy from nurseries that guarantee nursery-propagated seeds or plants as our native plants and habitats are at risk from being depleted.

If you choose to improve the soil with fertilizer, compost is best.

Species Summary

Trout lily (Erythronium americanum)

• Native to: Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia
• Habitat: Moist woods and meadows
• Appearance: Yellow flower, blooming anywhere from March to May, atop a pair of purply-brown mottled leaves.

 Some Other Canadian Erythronium Species

White trout lily (E. albidum)

• Native to: southern Ontario
• Habitat: Woods and thickets
• Appearance: Very similar to the trout lily but with a white flower, sometimes tinged with a lavender-blue colour with leaves that are only slightly mottled, if at all.

Coast fawn lily, Pink fawn lily (E. revolutum)

• Native to: southwester British Columbia (Vancouver Island, adjacent islands, and mainland)
• Habitat: Meadows and open moist woods
• Appearance: Each plant has one or more pinky-white flowers and mottled leaves.

Yellow avalanche lily (E. grandiflorum)

• Native to: British Columbia, Alberta
• Habitat: Alpine meadows and slopes
• Appearance: One or more yellow flowers per plant; leaves are not mottled.

White avalanche lily (E. montanum)

• Native to: southwestern British Columbia
• Habitat: Alpine meadows
• Appearance: White flowers sometimes streaked with pink, having one or more flowers with leaves that are usually not mottled.

White fawn lily (E. oregonum)

• Native to: southwestern British Columbia (Vancouver Island, adjacent islands, and mainland)
• Habitat: Grassy ledges, open moist woods
• Appearance: This species has one or more flowers — white with a light-yellow base — and mottled leaves.

Growing native plants can save time and money and be rewarding both to the eye and to our wildlife neighbours. To learn more about growing native plants in your garden, visit http://cwf-fcf.org/en/resources/online-articles/news/habitat/gardening-with-native-canadian-plants.html.