Also known as dog’s-tooth violet or adder’s tongue, the genus Erythronium includes 20-30 species and is in the lily family, Liliaceae, that also includes tulip, fritillary, and toad lily. They are perennials and all but six of the established species are native to North America where they grow in forests and meadows. Flowering plants have a pair of green leaves while vegetative plants have only one leaf. The leaves may or may not be mottled with brown, purple or white depending on the species. The bell-shaped flowers are usually nodding, may be single or in clusters of 2-5, and open only during the day. There are usually 6 tepals that may be ascending, spreading or recurved and white or yellow in color with tints or markings of pink to blue or purple . Anthers are conspicuous and may be white, yellow, pinkish, reddish, or brown. Some species are difficult to distinguish and the same common name may be used for more than one species. Plants usually like some shade and humus-rich, well-drained soil.
The genus name Erythronium comes from the ancient Greek ἐρυθρός (eruthrós) meaning red, and refers to the flower color of the type species, E. dens-canis.
Photo Credit: Wikipedia
The environmental conditions of the Southwest have resulted in at least 4 species of native trout lily there but they may be native to other places too. The trout lilies described here are native to at least one state in the Southwest.
Small White Fawn Flower (Erythronium albidum)
Pairs of elliptical basal leaves are 3-9″ long and may be mottled with silver-green or brown markings. The nodding, flowers are carried singly on a 6-12″ long leafless stalk and are white, 1-2″ long and have recurved tepals. Six stamens have long yellow anthers.
Alternate Name/s: White trout lily, white dogtooth-violet, white fawnlily, adder’s-tongue
Native Range: Texas and Oklahoma as well as places in the Southeast, Midwest, Mid-Atlantic and New England.
Habitat: Moist to mesic woodlands
Type: Perennial, corm
Height: 6-12″
Bloom Time: Spring
Bloom Color: White with yellow
Light: Part shade to shade
Soil: Humusy, consistently moist, well-drained, acidic
USDA Hardiness Zones: 3-8
Photo Credit: Wikipedia
Yellow Avalanche Lily (Erythronium grandiflorum)
A basal pair of solid green leaves are fleshy, broadly lance-shaped, and up to 14″ long. Leafless stalks bear one to three nodding flowers with recurved, bright lemon-colored tepals surrounding white stamens tipped with white, red, or yellow anthers. A variety with white tepals is also possible. Flowers are pollinated by hummingbirds and bees including bumble bees.
Alternate Name/s: Glacier lily, snow lily, fawn lily, dogtooth fawn lily, large-flowered adder’s tongue
Native Range: New Mexico as well as in places in the Rocky Mountain area and Pacific Coast
Habitat: Subalpine mountain meadows, slopes, and clearings
Type: Perennial
Height: 8-12″
Bloom Time: Late spring-early summer
Bloom Color: Yellow
Light: Part sun
Soil: Humusy, consistently moist, well-drained
USDA Hardiness Zones: 3-9
Photo Credit: Wikipedia
Prairie Fawnlily (Erythronium mesochoreum)
A paired of basal leaves are elliptic to lanceolate and up to 5.5″ long. A leafless stalk carries a single spreading flowers that is white tinged with blue or purple on the underside and with a yellow spot on the upper side. Conspicuous anthers are yellow.
Alternate Name/s: Midland fawnlily
Native Range: Texas and Oklahoma as well as places in the Midwest.
Habitat: Original prairies, and some glades and savannas
Type: Perennial
Height: 4-8″
Bloom Time: Early to late spring
Bloom Color: White tinged with blue or purple on the underside with spot of yellow on upper side
Light: Semi-shade
Soil: Humusy, consistently moist, well-drained
USDA Hardiness Zones: 4-7
Photo Credit: Wikipedia
Yellow Trout Lily (Erythronium rostratum)
A pair of basal leaves are 2-8″ long and green usually mottled with brown. Leafless stem carry a single flower with ascending or spreading yellow tepals tinged red-purple or orange. Unlike other trout lilies, the flowers are not nodding. Conspicuous anthers are yellow.
Alternate Name/s: Yellow fawnlily, beaked trout lily, golden-star
Native Range: Texas and Oklahoma as well as places in the Southeast and Midwest
Habitat: Mesic woods, bottomlands, flood plains and along waterways, shaded lower ledges of bluffs
Type: Perennial
Height: 4-8″
Bloom Time: Early spring to late spring
Bloom Color: Yellow
Light: Part shade
Soil: Humusy, consistently moist, well-drained, slightly acidic
USDA Hardiness Zones: 4-8
Photo Credit: Eric Hunt, Wikimedia Commons
For the purpose of this article, the Southwest comprises the states of Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Arizona. Other states often associated with the Southwest are included in other geographic areas. The key factor linking these four states is aridity. The area includes high dry plains and true deserts as well as spurs of the Rocky Mountains. Only Texas has a coast on the ocean which brings more precipitation and humidity to east Texas and Oklahoma than elsewhere in the area. In addition to the ocean, the Rio Grande and Colorado Rivers are significant water features in the area. Although temperatures in the mountains can be cool, most of the area experiences hot temperatures for a long period each year.