Erythronium americanum

Trout Lily, Yellow Trout Lily

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Family: Liliaceae (Lily family)

Mid-Atlantic bloom time: February - April

Mid-Atlantic fruit ripe: April - May

Trout Lily (Erythronium americanum) is easily confused with less common Dimpled Trout Lily (Erythronium umbilicatum). E. americanum tends to grow in groups (forming colonies), whereas E. umlilicatum usually is found growing as individuals.

Distinguishing the two species can be tricky and requires looking closely at details. Trout Lily's anthers (the pollen bearing parts) are usually yellow, but can by brown or lavender. Dimpled Trout Lily's anthers are usually lavender, brown, cinnamon or purple (but sometimes yellow).

The better character to look for is whether the sides of the 3 inner yellow petals (not the 3 outer yellow sepals!) near their base have auricles (little bumps on each side) or not. If it has auricles, it is E. americanum; if the petals are uninterrupted (smooth), it's E. umlilicatum. Note: "auricle" is from Latin, meaning "little ear", so you could say the petals have little ears near their base!

After the petals drop and the fertilized ovary starts to swell, look to see if the ovary lacks a dimple at its end (E. americanum) or has a dimple (E. umbilicatum).

10 April 2013 Scotts Run Nature Preserve, McLean, VA	5 April 2013 Scotts Run Nature Preserve, McLean, VA	10 April 2013 Scotts Run Nature Preserve, McLean, VA	13 April 2015 Sky Meadows State Park, Paris, VA
14 April 2018 Manassas National Battlefield Park, Manassas, VA (with dark brown anthers)	14 April 2018 Manassas National Battlefield Park, Manassas, VA (with yellow anthers)	14 April 2018 Manassas National Battlefield Park, Manassas, VA (showing pinching near base of left petal)	14 April 2018 Manassas National Battlefield Park, Manassas, VA (pinching or auricle of side of petal near base)

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