Yellow Trout Lily
Erythronium americanum
Also listed as Erythronium flavum
Also known as Trout Lily, Yellow Dogtooth Violet, American Trout Lily
Climate Match for your location
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A delicate spring ephemeral with nodding yellow flowers and mottled leaves that emerge before trees leaf out. It spreads slowly via bulbs and seeds, creating charming drifts in woodland gardens.
Why grow it
Yellow trout lily offers earlier spring color than many woodland ephemerals, flowering before most understory competitors emerge. It requires minimal maintenance once established in appropriate conditions, thriving in moist, well-draining woodland soil with dappled shade. Compared to cultivated spring bulbs, it integrates readily into native plant communities and supports early pollinators with minimal inputs.
Watch out for
Populations establish slowly from seed and can take several years to reach flowering size, so patience is needed when naturalizing from seed rather than bulbs. Plants may disappear temporarily during dry summers or in consistently boggy soils, though they typically return the following spring if conditions normalize.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Liliaceae
Native to the United States
Native Range
Eastern North America
Native to: Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin, West Virginia
Seasonality
Bloom Season
Harvest Season
Edible Parts
Season of Interest
Herb
Soft non-woody plants of the field layer.
Succession Role
Tolerances & Soil
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Propagation
A delicate spring ephemeral with nodding yellow flowers and mottled leaves that emerge before trees leaf out. It spreads slowly via bulbs and seeds, creating charming drifts in woodland gardens.
Climate Match for your location
See how well Yellow Trout Lily grows in your area.
Enter your ZIP code and we'll show you how this plant fits your local climate.
Why grow it
Yellow trout lily offers earlier spring color than many woodland ephemerals, flowering before most understory competitors emerge. It requires minimal maintenance once established in appropriate conditions, thriving in moist, well-draining woodland soil with dappled shade. Compared to cultivated spring bulbs, it integrates readily into native plant communities and supports early pollinators with minimal inputs.
Watch out for
Populations establish slowly from seed and can take several years to reach flowering size, so patience is needed when naturalizing from seed rather than bulbs. Plants may disappear temporarily during dry summers or in consistently boggy soils, though they typically return the following spring if conditions normalize.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Liliaceae
Native to the United States
Native Range
Eastern North America
Native to: Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin, West Virginia
Seasonality
Bloom Season
Harvest Season
Edible Parts
Season of Interest
Herb
Soft non-woody plants of the field layer.
Succession Role
Tolerances & Soil
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Propagation
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