Trillium ludovicianum
Common Name(s):
- Description
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Louisiana Trillium is a herbaceous perennial native to La, AL, and MS and is found in mixed pine-beech woods, steep ravine slopes leading to floodplains, and the low flatwoods and floodplains along streams. It is a sessile trillium with dark red, purple, or dark green 3 petaled flowers held above the mottled large bracts.
Trilliums slowly spread by underground rhizomes and are attractive planted in groups under trees in humus-rich moist well-drained soils in part to full sun.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No serious problems. Slugs and snails are occasional pests and leaf spot, rust and smut are occasional disease problems. It does not transplant well.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Trillium
- Species:
- ludovicianum
- Family:
- Melanthiaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- SE USA
- Distribution:
- AL, LA, MS
- Dimensions:
- Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Perennial
- Habit/Form:
- Erect
- Spreading
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Medium
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
- Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- High Organic Matter
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Available Space To Plant:
- 12 inches-3 feet
- NC Region:
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 6b, 6a, 7b, 7a, 8b, 8a, 9b, 9a
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Red/Burgundy
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Summer
- Fruit Type:
- Berry
- Capsule
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- 6-sided berry-like capsule with seeds that are dispersed by ants in the summer.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Green
- Purple/Lavender
- Red/Burgundy
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Solitary
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Shape:
- Cup
- Star
- Flower Petals:
- 2-3 rays/petals
- Flower Size:
- 1-3 inches
- Flower Description:
- The sessile (stemless) flower has the odor of carrion and 3 petals held above the sepals that are red to purple to reddish-green. They are 1-1.5 inches long. Blooms March to April
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Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Green
- Variegated
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Whorled
- Leaf Shape:
- Lanceolate
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Undulate
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- The leaves that are actually bracts, are sessile (stemless) and strongly mottled in dark and bronzy green, often with a central light strip and may fade with age. They are lanceolate-ovate, 2-3.5 × 1-2 inches, not glossy with margins entire to wavy. Appear in 3's in a whorled pattern.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Red/Burgundy
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Cross Section:
- Round
- Stem Surface:
- Smooth (glabrous)
- Stem Description:
- Green to reddish stem
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Naturalized Area
- Riparian
- Slope/Bank
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Shade Garden
- Design Feature:
- Mass Planting
- Small groups
- Attracts:
- Moths
- Pollinators
