Scientific Name: Fritillaria pudica

FACTS: The yellow bell is a member of the lilly family, blooming in the early spring.

In the areas where it grows, many American Indian tribes regarded the appearance of yellow bells as a sign that spring had truly arrived.

They thrive in dry or otherwise barren-seeming soil, and even grow well in pure sand.

While this soil description fits that of the Hermiston Butte, generally, yellow bells are found on the east and north sides. Like so much plant life that lives here, they come out only when conditions are just right. They grow, bloom and recede very quickly each spring.

Flowers are usually one to a stem, bell shaped, drooping and bright yellow in appearance. As the flower ages it turns a dusty brick red. The leaves are sparse and mostly spring from the base.

While reported to grow as high as 12 inches, on the butte they tend to be less than 4 inches in height. Flowers are less than an inch across at the widest part.

The plant comes up from a bulb like structure, called a corm, which is shaped much like an onion, with many layers.

Underground, this is surrounded by bunches of little bulblets that look like grains of rice. These are said to be edible and where they grow in larger populations were a common food gathered by American Indians.

I have not tried them and do not recommend the attempt, as the corm of the yellow bell is similar in appearance to other underground plants that are not edible.

Yellow bells are not endangered, but their range is limited to the east side of the Cascade Mountains, across Idaho to the slopes of the Rockies.

Where to find them on the butte: Along the north side hiking trails. Single flowers are widely scattered.