For our second match of the day, we move into the plant bracket of the March Species Madness tournament. Here, one of last year’s Final Four participants, the Yellow Trout Lily (Erythronium americanum), faces off against the Red Maple (Acer rubrum). Will the red maple have the patriotic home field advantage? Or will the beauty of the trout lily win over voters yet again?
The trout lily could be one of the older participants in this tournament, since some trout lily colonies live, producing flowers year after year, up to 200 or 300 years. They also have an excellent rapport with ants, who take the seeds of mature plants, eat part of them, and then scatter the rest to germinate. Look for the flower beside our trails in early spring, just after all the snow and ice has left the ground. While this is a common wildflower, its bloom appears briefly, and then it’s gone. Check out some more yellow trout lily facts from the Canadian Wildlife Federation.
What can be more Canadian than the red maple? Except that the stylized maple leaf on the Canadian flag is that of the sugar maple. The red maple’s sap is used to make maple syrup as well, but it is a different species. Its red flowers, red fruit, twigs and, of course, its red autumn leaves are well known throughout eastern Canada, contributing greatly to the pallette of the surrounding canopy. They are also known for their one-winged seeds that flutter to the ground like helicopters, and which provide food for local squirrels and chipmunks. Learn more about this amazing tree at the Arbor Day Foundation.
So, will the Final Four participant trout lily do it again this year, possibly going all the way to the championship? Or does Canada love its red maple so much, it can spark an upset? Only you can decide the outcome, so cast your ballot below: