Flower profile
Dimpled trout lily
Erythronium umbilicatum
Dimpled trout lily is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. It's on our flower lists for 2 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in February–April.
*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.
On our lists for: Georgia, North Carolina
Quick look
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.
- It belongs to the Liliaceae family. iNaturalist
- USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) with a perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
- USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 10 states. USDA PLANTS
- NatureServe lists it as native to North Carolina and Georgia. NatureServe
- In North Carolina, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in February–April. iNaturalist
- In Georgia, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in February–April. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 2,948 research-grade sightings of it in North Carolina, ranking #53 among the 111 flowers on our North Carolina list. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 1,584 research-grade sightings of it in Georgia, ranking #44 among the 111 flowers on our Georgia list. iNaturalist
Dimpled trout lily gift ideas
Handmade dimpled trout lily gifts from independent makers.
🌱 Sample spot. Handmade gift picks from independent shops will appear here once our shop partnership is approved. These cards are placeholders, not real products.
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Dimpled trout lily art print
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Dimpled trout lily greeting card
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Dimpled trout lily mug
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Dimpled trout lily earrings
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Dimpled trout lily embroidery pattern
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Dimpled trout lily sticker
When does it bloom?
Bloom time in each of our 2 states
| State | Type | Peak bloom | Sightings* |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Carolina | Native | February–April | 2,948 |
| Georgia | Native | February–April | 1,584 |
Conservation status
- Federal (U.S. ESA)
- Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
- NatureServe global
- G5 Secure worldwide. NatureServe
- North Carolina
- Not listed Not on North Carolina Protected Plant Species List (02 NCAC 48F .0301). NatureServe: S5, secure in North Carolina. 02 NCAC 48F .0301
- Georgia
- Not listed Not on Georgia protected plants (Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 391-4-10-.09; a 2026 update is proposed). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Georgia. Ga. R. 391-4-10-.09
- Rare elsewhere
- No other U.S. state ranks it S1, S2, SH or SX.
Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.
Can you eat it?
None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no edibility or poison notes on its page), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people. NC State Extension
It isn't on the ASPCA plant list, and NC State Extension doesn't flag it for pets.
🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.
Where does it grow?
USDA PLANTS records dimpled trout lily in 10 states plus Washington, D.C.
recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded
See the full list of states
Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia; District of Columbia.
Georgia counties with USDA records: Butts, Carroll, Catoosa, Columbia, Dade, DeKalb, Early, Forsyth, Greene, Habersham, Hall, Harris, Hart, Henry, Jackson, Lamar, Murray, Oglethorpe, Putnam, Rabun, Randolph, Rockdale, Stephens, Taylor, Towns, Union, Walker, Walton, Washington, Wilkes.
More North Carolina flowers
Sources
- USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile ERUM2.
- iNaturalist, Erythronium umbilicatum: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
- Wikipedia, Erythronium umbilicatum (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
- North Carolina: North Carolina Protected Plant Species List (02 NCAC 48F .0301).
- North Carolina: North Carolina Noxious Weed List (02 NCAC 48A .1702) (the list names any non-native Lythrum; we apply it to purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria), which isn't native).
- Georgia: Georgia protected plants (Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 391-4-10-.09; a 2026 update is proposed).
- USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
- NatureServe Explorer, Erythronium umbilicatum (global and state ranks).
- Edibility and toxicity: NC State Extension.
- Photo: Michael J. Papay via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.