© 2011 Patty Hankins
One of the wildflowers I hoped to photograph this spring was a trout lily. I’d seen a few photos of them and knew they grew in several areas where I photograph pretty regularly. But as of the beginning of the spring wildflower season – I still hadn’t found any to photograph. Part of my challenge was I wasn’t sure if I’d recognize them from the descriptions. Fortunately – I found some this year – and once I spotted one – I knew immediately what it was!
© 2011 Patty Hankins
I was fortunate enough to photograph both varieties of trout lilies that grow in my area. The first is the trout lily (erythronium albidum) also known the dogtooth violet. The second is the white trout lily (erythronium albidum), also known as a fawn lily. Both are wildflowers native to the Eastern United States and parts of Canada. The yellow trout lilies have a somewhat larger range than the white trout lilies do. The yellow trout lilies are listed as threatened in Iowa, while the white ones are similarly listed in Maryland.
© 2011 Patty Hankins
Both varieties of trout lilies bloom in the early spring. Both grow up to 12″ tall – although all the ones I saw were significantly shorter than that. Most were not more than 6″ tall. They are easily identified by their bell shaped flowers – where the petals and sepals frequently bend backwards to expose the brown stamens.
© 2011 Patty Hankins
One of the easiest ways to identify trout lilies is by their leaves – elliptical mottled basal leaves. The coloring of the leaves reminded people of the markings on a trout – hence the name trout lily. The alternate name Dogtooth Violets refers to the roots of the plants – a corm about the size and shape of a dog’s tooth.
© 2011 Patty Hankins
Trout lilies prefer to areas with strong sun in the early spring – but can do well in partial shade later in the season. They grow well in rich moist soils. Here in the Washington DC area, they bloom at the same time as the Virginia Bluebells – which can provide wonderful photographic opportunities of the two wildflowers.
© 2011 Patty Hankins
There are several reported uses of Trout Lilies by Native Americans, included as a treatment for fevers and wounds. Iroquois women reportedly used the raw plants (excluding the roots) as a contraceptive. The root, when chewed and spit into a river, was said to attract fish. As always, information about traditional medicinal uses is provided for information purposes only and not a recommendation for use.
I photographed trout lilies this year in two locations – in Turkey Run Park in Virginia and along a section of the Appalachian Trail in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
© 2011 Patty Hankins
If you’d like more information about Trout Lilies you can find in on the following websites
Yellow Trout Lily – Erythronium americanum
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
White Trout Lily – Erythronium albidum
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center