Plant of the Month

April’s Plant of the Month

LATIN NAME: Erythronium dens-canis (air-ih-THROE-nee-um dens-KAY-nis)

COMMON NAME: Dogtooth Violet / Trout Lily

FAMILY: Liliaceae

TYPE: Herbaceous perennial flowering bulb

LOCATION AT BLOEDEL RESERVE: Rhododendron Glen

ORIGIN: Central and Southern Europe

GARDEN USES: Woodland Garden

FUN FACT: The Latin name for this perennial—Erythronium dens-canis—comes from the Greek eruthros, meaning “red,” a nod to the flower’s color. Its common name, Dogtooth Violet, refers to the oblong bulb, which resembles a dog’s canine tooth, and to the flower’s somewhat violet-like appearance—though it’s not actually part of the violet family.

Another common name, Trout Lily, is a better fit. It reflects the plant’s place in its proper family and the mottled pattern on its leaves, which resembles the spotting on a trout (the fish, that is). As it happens, these lovely flowers bloom right around trout fishing season, too.

–Content by Gardens North Manager Sean Peterson