I’ve painted a Yellow Trout-lily Flower (Erythronium americanum) a few times now. We have many established colonies around here and I’m always happy to see them. They are such a beautiful, ephemeral spring flower. The brown-mottled leaves are what inspired the “trout” in the name, as they are similar to the markings on brook trout.

The flowers are hermaphrodite (with both male and female organs). They are also one of many native flowers that disperse their seeds using myrmecochory. This is a mutually beneficial relationship with ants. The flower’s seeds are coated with a lipid-rich appendage so ants are attracted to them, which protects and disperses the seeds.White and red trilliums, wild ginger, bloodroot, Dutchman’s breeches, trailing arbutus and species of hepatica and violet all depend on myrmecochory. I’d like to hear someone say that word… I love the way it sounds when I say it 🙂

Trout-lily leaves, flowers, and corms are edible as well. One shouldn’t eat a lot, though, as they are an emetic and could make you throw up!

Trout-lilies grow in colonies. Some colonies have been dated to be up to 300 years old, according to Wikipedia.

This painting of a Yellow Trout-lily Flower examines it up close and bigger than life (though it’s not a big painting at 13×9.5).