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Article: Trout lily: Erythronium americanum.
- Article from:
- New York State Conservationist
- Article date:
- April 1, 2007
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2007 New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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The trout lily is an early spring treat found blooming in New York's rich, moist woods. The six- to ten-inch tall plants are usually found in colonies, poking up through last autumn's fallen leaves. Younger plants are flowerless and have only a single leaf, while older plants produce two leaves and a flower. Classified as a spring ephemeral, this plant disappears completely by the end of June.
The name trout lily derives from the distinctively mottled green and purple leaves that resemble a brook trout's body. Another name, fawn lily, refers to the way the two leaves stand upright, like the ears of an alert fawn, and also the similarity of the leaves to the ...