Species PlantsYellow Trout Lily

Yellow Trout Lily

Erythronium americanum

CommonPlant
Illustration of Yellow Trout Lily (Erythronium americanum)

Yellow Trout Lily is a spring ephemeral wildflower that carpets rich eastern forests in late April. Its mottled brown and green leaves resemble a brook trout's markings. A colony may take 7 years or more from seed to first flower, and mature plants persist for decades. The seeds are dispersed by ants attracted to their oily appendages.

Habitat
Rich moist deciduous forest floors, often forming large colonies
Diet
Pollen collected by native bees; seeds dispersed by ants
How common
Common

Best time to see a Yellow Trout Lily

The best time to see a Yellow Trout Lily is April, when about 71% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 52,770 research-grade iNaturalist observations.

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