Yellow Trout Lily (Erythronium americanum)

Difficulty: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
(Moderate to challenging — best done with patience and care)

Best Time for Division:

Late summer to early fall — typically August to September, when the plant is fully dormant and foliage has withered away.

Signs Plant is Ready:

• Leaves have completely yellowed and disappeared

• Soil is moist but not soggy

• Rhizome clumps are firm, healthy, and lightly spreading

Tip: Mark locations in spring while plants are visible — they “disappear” by summer.

Division Steps:

1. Locate dormant plants using garden markers or memory from spring bloom

2. Gently dig around the clump with a hand trowel, being careful not to damage deep rhizomes

3. Lift clumps and shake off excess soil

4. Separate individual rhizomes — each should have a firm, white to tan body and (ideally) a small developing bud

5. Discard any shriveled or soft rhizomes

6. Replant divisions 2–3 inches deep and 4–6 inches apart in shady, humus-rich soil

7. Water gently and mulch lightly with leaf litter or compost

Note: It may take 2–3 years for divisions to bloom — but foliage will emerge earlier.