Species Spotlight: Trout Lily

(This article was originally published in the Spring 2010 issue of the River Rambler)

Those of us eager for the spring to arrive come out to LRRP; there is a cure. The Trout Lilies (Erythronium americanum) are in full bloom these days throughout the park, a sure sign that spring has arrived.  Found all along the east coast and as far west as Arkansas, Trout Lilies thrive in the park’s damp, open woods along the river. Visitors to the park can hike out to see these amazing flowers in abundance along the Ridge and North River Loop Trails. Once out there, hikers will find these flowers blanketing the hillsides and slopes along the river blooming among the ferns. In fact, a hiker will be hard pressed tiptoeing around the many lilies growing right on the trail. Anyone still with the winter blues who hike out among these lilies are sure to shed their winter hangovers and feel revitalized.

The Trout Lily will reach a height of 4-10 inches and have 2-3 leaf blades growing from the base to about 3 inches. It is said that Trout Lilies got their name due to the red-purple marbling on their green leaves which resembles a trout’s markings and the fact that their blooms usually coincide with trout season. The flower sits atop a reddish leafless stem and is yellow facing the ground with six petals folded upward. There are other common names for this interesting flower, some may recognize them as ‘Fawn Lilies’ or ‘Adder’s Tongue’.

    

Under any name these lilies are worthy of recognition. Many medicinal uses have been developed from the Trout Lily. Teas can be made from the leaves, stem and flower and can be used to cure hiccups and fevers. When crushed, the flower can be used as a skin emollient and to dress wounds. Certain chemicals found in the plant have antimutagenic properties which are promising for finding cures for cancer. All parts of the plant are edible; the leaves can be a light addition to a salad. They provide food for a variety of wildlife, bears like to eat the bulbs and the deer will eat the seed pods. Perhaps the later is a reason why there is a ‘sea of gold’ on the hillsides and slopes down along the river.

    

Steeped in folklore and having many potential medicinal uses, the trout lily has found a safe home here at Little River Regional Park. Trout Lilies do not bloom until its seventh year of life and to have so many in bloom, the park is truly a great place to come and see these amazing flowers in person. Please do not wait too long, they will only bloom until early May, so come on out and shed the winter blues away.