Dimpled Troutlily

Description

Erythronium umbilicatum, the dimpled trout lily, is a species of flowering plant in the lily family. It is native to the Southeastern United States, primarily in the Piedmont and Southern Appalachian areas. It is reported from West Virginia, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia. Erythronium umbilicatum is a spring ephemeral and its preferred habitat is forests. It has egg-shaped bulbs up to 25 cm long. Leaves are up to 20 cm long, mottled. Scape is up to 20 cm long, bearing one yellow flower, sometimes with brown spots on the tepals. Erythronium, the fawn lily, trout lily, dog's-tooth violet or adder's tongue, is a genus of Eurasian and North American plants in the lily family, most closely related to tulips.The name Erythronium derives from Ancient Greek (eruthrós) "red" in Greek, referring to the red flowers of E. dens-canis. Of all the established species, most live in North America; only six species are found in Europe and Asia. Erythronium includes about 20–30 species of hardy spring-flowering perennial plants with long, tooth-like bulbs. Slender stems carry pendent flowers with recurved tepals in shades of cream, yellow, pink and mauve. Species are native to forests and meadows in temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. Erythroniums are widely grown as ornamental plants, with numerous hybrids and cultivars having been selected for garden use. Popular cultivars include Erythronium 'Pagoda', E. 'Sundisc', E. 'Joanna', E. 'Kondo', E. 'Citronella', E. californicum 'White Beauty', and E. 'Rosalind'. Propagation is best by seed in autumn or by division of bulbs, depending on species. Some species propagate vegetatively. The plant is also great as a ground cover, as it will spread over several years.