Erythronium americanum (trout lily)

Trout lilies are common components of our spring flora and enjoy a brief flowering season in late April to early May.  Their common name derives from the facts that they are found in the lily family (Liliaceae) and that their leaves are speckled, like trout.  These perennial plants only flower when they've saved up enough energy to produce their showy reproductive organs.  Flowering individuals produce two leaves; those that won't flower only produce one.  Next time you see these plants, you should be able to get a sense that flowering is probably pretty rare in this species since most individuals produce only one leaf each year.