Loveless, Brenda K.
Erythronium albidum Nutt.
White troutlily, Dogtooth violet, White fawnlily, Adder's tongue
Liliaceae (Lily Family)
A low, lily-like plant with
elliptic basal leaves which may or may not be maroon-mottled. Sterile 1-leaved plants grow together with fertile 2-leaved plants. A white bell-shaped flower, 1-2 in. long, is borne on 6-12 in. stalk. Petals and
sepals are often bent backwards exposing six brown stamens. The name Dogtooth Violet comes from its root, a
corm the size of a dogs tooth.
Leaves make an attractive ground cover. Plants multiply rapidly by root offshoots and seed, but can require up to six years before blooming.
Image Gallery:
22 photo(s) available
Plant Characteristics
Duration: Perennial Habit: Herb Leaf Complexity: Simple Size Notes: 6 to 10 inches high
Leaf: Green mottled with purple
Flower: Flower 1 inch across
Fruit: Size Class: 0-1 ft.
Bloom Information
Bloom Color: White
Bloom Time: Feb , Mar , Apr
Bloom Notes: In Texas, blooms at same time as redbuds and wild plums.
Distribution
USA: AL , AR , GA , IL , IN , IA , KS , KY , LA , MD , MI , MN , MS , MO , NE , NJ , NY , OH , OK , PA , SD , TN , TX , VA , WV , WI , DC
Canada: ON Native Distribution: Southern Ontario south to eastern Texas
Native Habitat: Low,
deciduous woods; thickets; floodplains; prairies
USDA Native Status: L48(N), CAN(N) Growing Conditions
Water Use: Low , Medium
Light Requirement: Part Shade , Shade
Soil Moisture: Moist , Dry
Soil pH: Acidic (pH<6.8) , Circumneutral (pH 6.8-7.2)
Soil Description: Deep, humus-rich loam; acid, neutral, and lime soils okay, moist to dry
Conditions Comments: Adapted to grow in
deciduous hardwood forests, so should be planted where it will receive ample sun in early spring.
Benefit
Use Ornamental: Adds white, early spring blossoms and pleasant, ground-level foliage to the woodland garden.
Use Wildlife: Deer consume leaves.
Conspicuous Flowers: yes
Interesting Foliage: yes
Deer Resistant: No
Last Update: 2012-10-03
