trout lily may 6 2018 DSC 4495

Erythronium americanum, trout lily, Erythrome d'Amérique.

A spring ephemeral common in Eastern Canada and United States, the trout lily grows on the floor of woods, where it flowers very early in Spring before the trees open their leaves and cast the forest into shade. It takes 4-7 years to flower and is found in colonies that, it is said, can be hundreds of years old. Its seeds are dispersed by ants. They find the seed coat irresistible and carry the seeds back to their nests. After eating the outer waxy seed coat they discard the kernel, which then grows safely underground inside the ant nest, In addition, the mature bulb or corm sends out shoots called droppers that rise to the surface and then grow back into the soil where they form new bulbs allowing the plant to spread asexually. The only member of this family Europe is Erythronium dens-canis, the dog's-tooth-violet, but, although the flower shape is very similar, the colours are different witht he European flower being lilac or pink.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erythronium