# dimpled trout lily (*Erythronium umbilicatum*) The dimpled trout lily is a beautiful flower that blooms in spring. Its unique shape and spotted leaves make it stand out in the forest, where it loves to grow. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 1 - **Habitat:** Forests ![dimpled trout lily](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Trout_lily_pair_square.jpg&width=800) Photo: Dcrjsr, CC BY 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Trout_lily_pair_square.jpg) ## Appearance The dimpled trout lily has mottled, lance-shaped green leaves resembling a trout's skin, often appearing in pairs. Its nodding, bright yellow, bell-shaped flower blooms singly on a slender stalk, with petals that curl backward. The distinctive fruit forms with a 'dimple' at its tip. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Liliopsida - **Order:** Liliales - **Family:** Liliaceae - **Genus:** Erythronium ## Interesting facts - Early Native Americans sometimes ate its leaves and bulbs for food, especially during lean times! - It takes nearly seven years for a trout lily seed to grow big enough to bloom its first flower! - The unique 'dimple' on its seed pod gives this specific trout lily its special name! - Trout lilies spend most of their lives as a hidden bulb underground, just waiting for spring! ## Special abilities - **Spring Super-Emerge:** The dimpled trout lily can sprout and flower super early in spring, capturing sunshine before forest trees grow leaves. - **Ant Taxi Service:** It has seeds with yummy sugary caps that ants carry away, helping the plant spread its babies far and wide. - **Deep-Sleeping Bulb:** Below ground, a deep-sleeping bulb helps the plant survive harsh winters, storing energy until spring's warmth returns. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 10-25 cm - **Spread:** 5-10 cm - **Flower Size:** 2-4 cm - **Bloom Season:** Early spring - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** Mild - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** [Common Eastern Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*) — visits flowers for nectar - **Symbiotic with:** Eastern Mound Ant (*Formica subsericea*) — disperses seeds for food - **Eats:** [White-tailed Deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-tailed-deer) (*Odocoileus virginianus*) — browses leaves and flowers ## Traits - [Spotted](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spotted): Marked with spots or patches of a different color. - [Deciduous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deciduous): Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons. - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Spring Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spring-blooming): Spring blooming plants produce their flowers during the spring season, often signifying the end of winter and the start of new growth. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always look but don't pick flowers, so everyone can enjoy them! ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify dimpled trout lily? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is dimpled trout lily? 10-25 cm ### How wide does dimpled trout lily spread? 5-10 cm ### How big are the flowers on dimpled trout lily? 2-4 cm ### When does dimpled trout lily bloom? Early spring ### Is dimpled trout lily edible? Yes ### Is dimpled trout lily toxic? Mild ### What is dimpled trout lily's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Eno River State Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/eno-river-state-park) — North Carolina, US · State Park - [Reynolds Nature Preserve](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/reynolds-nature-preserve) — Georgia, US · Nature Reserve - [Stone Mountain Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/stone-mountain-park) — Georgia, US · Natural Landmark [View all places to see dimpled trout lily](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/dimpled-trout-lily) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Dimpled Trout Lily: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/dimpled-trout-lily)