Dog Tooth Violets

It is always with a sense of awe and excitement that I observe the arrival of the different wildflowers which adorn the mountains here in Springtime. It is a sure sign that winter is over and that sunshine and warm days will soon return!

After the Buttercups have come and gone, the lovely Dog Tooth Violets appear by the hundreds. They also go by the name of Trout Lily, Glacier Lily, Yellow Fawn Lily, or Adder's Tongue. The Dog Tooth Violet (Erythronium grandiflorum) is a member of the Lily family, growing up from a deep seated perennial bulb. The graceful, nodding bell-shaped flowers are bright yellow.....a wonderful sight for color starved eyes this time of year!

This round bud reminds me of a balloon....about ready to pop open!

The anthers turn more reddish as the bloom matures, and the petals curve backwards....giving it a festive air.

A hillside, covered with Dog Tooth Violets. They prefer the shady wooded areas.


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For lo, the winter is past,
the rain is over and gone;
The flowers appear on the earth;
the time of the singing of birds is come,
and the voice of the turtledove
is heard in our land...

Song of Solomon 2:11