Bloomipedia
White fawnlily (Erythronium albidum)
Photo: Jensyn Scott via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized

Flower profile

White fawnlily

Erythronium albidum

White fawnlily (Erythronium albidum) is a flowering plant in the Liliaceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly March–April across the U.S.

Native in the lower 48

White fawnlily is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. It's on our flower lists for 8 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in March–April.

26states where USDA records it
8Bloomipedia state lists include it
17,297U.S. sightings*

*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.

On our lists for: Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, Wisconsin

Quick look

Erythronium albidum, commonly known as the white fawnlily or white trout lily, is a small herbaceous geophyte in the lily family. It is also known as adder's tongue, white dog's-tooth violet, serpent's tongue, trout lily, deer tongue, creeklily and yellow snowdrop.

  • 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 26 states. USDA PLANTS
  • In Illinois, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in April. iNaturalist
  • In Ohio, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in March–April. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 4,316 research-grade sightings of it in Illinois, ranking #25 among the 180 flowers on our Illinois list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 2,670 research-grade sightings of it in Ohio, ranking #65 among the 186 flowers on our Ohio list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 1,861 research-grade sightings of it in Wisconsin, ranking #80 among the 161 flowers on our Wisconsin list. iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month across the U.S. (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (3,625 records)
Bloom time in the 8 states whose Bloomipedia list includes it
StateTypePeak bloomSightings*
IllinoisNativeApril4,316
OhioNativeMarch–April2,670
WisconsinNativeApril–May1,861
MinnesotaNativeApril–May1,609
IndianaNativeMarch–April819
MissouriNativeMarch–April770
ArkansasNativeFebruary–March630
IowaNativeApril–May509

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
State rare plant lists
Not listed Not on the official rare plant list in 6 of our 8 states.
See each state
Illinois
Not listed Not on Illinois List of Endangered and Threatened Flora (17 Ill. Adm. Code 1050), per the Endangered Species Protection Board's 2025 checklist. NatureServe: S5, secure in Illinois. IL E&T checklist 2025
Ohio
Not listed Not on Ohio endangered and threatened plants (Ohio Adm. Code 1501:18-1-03, eff. Dec. 26, 2024). NatureServe: S5, secure in Ohio. OAC 1501:18-1-03
Wisconsin
Not listed Not on Wisconsin endangered and threatened species list (Wis. Admin. Code NR 27.03). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Wisconsin. NR 27.03
Minnesota
Not listed Not on Minnesota endangered, threatened and special concern plants (Minn. R. 6134.0300). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Minnesota. Minn. R. 6134.0300
Missouri
Not listed Not on Missouri Wildlife Code endangered species (3 CSR 10-4.111), plants. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Missouri. 3 CSR 10-4.111
Iowa
Not listed Not on Iowa endangered, threatened and special concern plants (Iowa Admin. Code r. 571-77.3). NatureServe: S4, apparently secure in Iowa. IAC 571-77.3
Indiana
No list Indiana has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants (the DNR keeps a rare plant list, but it isn't regulatory), so we show NatureServe's Indiana ranks instead. NatureServe: S4, apparently secure in Indiana.
Arkansas
No list Arkansas has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Arkansas ranks instead. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Arkansas.
Rare elsewhere
Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: AL (S1), DC (S2), LA (S2), MD (S2), MS (S2), SD (S1), VA (S2), WV (S2). (S1 critically imperiled, S2 imperiled, SH possibly extirpated, SX presumed extirpated.)

Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.

Can you eat it?

For peopleNot well documented

None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no page for this plant), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people.

For petsNot well documented

It isn't on the ASPCA plant list.

🌿 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 white fawnlily in 26 states plus Washington, D.C.

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin; District of Columbia.

Illinois counties with USDA records: Adams, Alexander, Bond, Boone, Brown, Bureau, Calhoun, Carroll, Cass, Champaign, Christian, Clark, Clay, Clinton, Coles, Cook, Crawford, Cumberland, De Witt, DeKalb, Douglas, DuPage, Edgar, Edwards, Effingham, Fayette, Ford, Franklin, Fulton, Gallatin, Greene, Grundy, Hamilton, Hancock, Hardin, Henderson, Henry, Iroquois, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson, Jersey, Johnson, Kane, Kankakee, Kendall, Knox, LaSalle, Lake, Lawrence, Lee, Livingston, Logan, Macon, Macoupin, Madison, Marion, Marshall, Mason, Massac, McDonough, McHenry, McLean, Menard, Mercer, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Moultrie, Ogle, Peoria, Perry, Piatt, Pike, Pope, Pulaski, Putnam, Randolph, Richland, Rock Island, Saline, Sangamon, Schuyler, Scott, Shelby, St. Clair, Stark, Stephenson, Tazewell, Union, Vermilion, Wabash, Warren, Washington, Wayne, White, Whiteside, Will, Williamson, Winnebago, Woodford.

Ohio counties with USDA records: Adams, Ashland, Athens, Auglaize, Brown, Butler, Carroll, Champaign, Clermont, Clinton, Coshocton, Crawford, Cuyahoga, Darke, Erie, Fairfield, Franklin, Gallia, Geauga, Greene, Guernsey, Hamilton, Harrison, Highland, Holmes, Jackson, Knox, Lake, Lawrence, Lorain, Lucas, Meigs, Miami, Montgomery, Morgan, Muskingum, Noble, Ottawa, Paulding, Portage, Preble, Sandusky, Scioto, Seneca, Shelby, Stark, Summit, Tuscarawas, Warren, Washington, Wayne, Wood, Wyandot.

Wisconsin counties with USDA records: Ashland, Bayfield, Brown, Calumet, Clark, Columbia, Dane, Dodge, Door, Douglas, Dunn, Fond du Lac, Grant, Green, Iowa, Iron, Jefferson, Kenosha, La Crosse, Lafayette, Manitowoc, Marathon, Milwaukee, Oconto, Outagamie, Ozaukee, Pepin, Pierce, Polk, Portage, Racine, Richland, Rock, Sauk, Sheboygan, Vernon, Walworth, Washington, Waupaca, Winnebago, Wood.

Names, range and relatives

Native status by region (USDA PLANTS): Canada: Native; Lower 48 states: Native.

County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 587 counties across 26 states; the most are in Illinois (101), Missouri (58), Ohio (53).

Other Erythronium on Bloomipedia (6): Yellow trout lily, Glacier lily, Giant white fawn lily, Dimpled trout lily, Avalanche lily, Beaked trout-lily.

More from the Liliaceae family (32 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Cucumber root, Bluebead lily, Checker lily, White globe lily, Yellow mariposa lily, Tolmie's pussy ears, Columbia lily, Hooker's fairybells.

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Sources