Minnesota Wildflowers


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Erythronium americanum (Yellow Trout Lily)

Plant Info
Also known as: Yellow Adder's-tongue, Dogtooth Violet
Genus:Erythronium
Family:Liliaceae (Lily)
Life cycle:perennial
Origin:native
Habitat:part shade, shade; moist rich woods, thickets, along streams
Bloom season:April - May
Plant height:4 to 8 inches
USDA PLANTS database:Minnesota county distribution map

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Detailed Information

Flower: Flower shape: 6-petals

[photo of flower] A single, nodding yellow flower, 1½ inches wide by 1 inch long, at the end of a stiff naked stem to 8 inches long. Flowers sometimes tinged with purple on outside of petals or reddish dots in throat. There are 6 long stamens in the center, usually with deep rusty red tips (anthers), or sometimes yellow. Petals flare out and back, often completely curved back to stem at maturity.

Leaves: Leaf attachment: basal Leaf type: simple

[photo of leaves] Leaves are broad and oval to 2 inches wide to 8 inches long, tapering on both ends at tip to underground bulbs, most bulbs not producing flowers. Flowering plants have a pair of basal leaves, non-flowering plants have a single leaf. The pale, waxy green leaves are mottled with purplish brown to white.

Notes:

Leaves are very similar to Minnesota's other two trout-lilys (E. albidum and E. propullans) though some of the images here were taken at Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden, where both white mottling leaves and yellow anthers were displayed; I have not seen this in the wild (yet?). The source of EB plants is not known. Like the other species this is most common on flood plains, the leaves appearing by early April and completely gone by June (spring ephemeral), and can form large colonies.

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Map of native plant purveyors in the upper midwest

More photos

Photos courtesy Peter M. Dziuk, taken at Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden in Minneapolis and along Sand Creek in Pine County

Comments

Have you seen this plant in Minnesota, or have any other comments about it?

Posted by: Heather in Deerwood, MN
on: 2010-04-17 15:10:50

Found one in the woods about 15 feet off the dirt road in Deerwood, MN.

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