Trilliums Trillium
Other Common Name(s):
Previously known as:
- Trillium spp.
- Phonetic Spelling
- TRIL-ee-um
- This plant has low severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
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Trilliums are a native North American wildflower in the lily family of which there are 38 species. In NC they are found in the mountains with a few in the coastal and Piedmont areas. The flowers all have 3 petals and 3 bracts of various colors and the bracts are often mottled.
Strictly speaking, trilliums have no above-ground stems or leaves. The stem is an extension of the underground rhizome and the leaves are the bracts of the flower. The flowers can be held above the bracts or be found hiding under them. There are 2 major groups of Trilliums- those with the flower held above the bracts on a stem and those without stems or sessile. Flowers can be large and showy or small in size.
They prefer rich, loamy or humus-rich soils with good drainage and neutral pH for the most part in partial to full shade. Avoid afternoon sun and provide moisture during the growing season but drier when dormant.
Use these plants in the shade garden for spring color, under trees or a woodland site. They are slow to spread but long-lived.
Trillium seedlings take 2 or 3 years to develop their characteristic three-leaf structure, so if you see long, thin leaves poking out of the soil around your trillium, don't pull them out! It may take 7 or more years for a trillium to grow from seed to a mature, blooming plant. Cheap trilliums are almost always poached from the wild--purchase plants only from reputable dealers! Seeds are dispersed by ants and ground-nesting wasps, such as yellow jackets. Deer love to eat trilliums.
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.
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscapes:
- Juniper Level Botanic Gardens: Part Sun-Part Shade Gardens
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- T. lancifolium 'Shotgun Wedding'
- T. lancifolium 'Shotgun Wedding'
- T. lancifolium 'Shotgun Wedding'
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- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- T. lancifolium 'Shotgun Wedding'
- T. lancifolium 'Shotgun Wedding'
- T. lancifolium 'Shotgun Wedding'
- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Trillium
- Family:
- Melanthiaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- Has been used medicinally through the ages as astringents, coagulants, expectorants, and uterine stimulants.
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Division
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Eastern North America
- Distribution:
- Throughout
- Wildlife Value:
- Deer will browse trilliums
- Dimensions:
- Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 0 ft. 7 in. - 1 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Native Plant
- Perennial
- Poisonous
- Wildflower
- Habit/Form:
- Creeping
- Spreading
- Growth Rate:
- Slow
- 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
- Loam (Silt)
- Soil pH:
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5b, 5a, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9b, 9a
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Red/Burgundy
- Fruit Type:
- Berry
- Capsule
- Fruit Description:
- Six sectioned reddish berry-like capsule up to 1.25 inches with small brown seeds each with a protein-rich fleshy elaiosome attached to attract ants to disperse the seed.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Pink
- Purple/Lavender
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Solitary
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Shape:
- Saucer
- Flower Petals:
- 2-3 rays/petals
- Flower Description:
- Flowers are solitary with 3 petals and 3 bracts. The petals can be yellow, pink, purple or white and the bracts can be green or mottled. Flower size varies as to species
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Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Variegated
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Whorled
- Leaf Shape:
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Description:
- The stem is just an extension of the horizontal rhizome and produces tiny, scale-like leaves (cataphylls). The larger green and sometimes mottled "leaves" are actually bracts of the flower. They are oval and in whorls of 3.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Description:
- The stem is an extension of the underground rhizome and generally green
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Naturalized Area
- Walkways
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Native Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Shade Garden
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Heavy Shade
- Problems:
- Poisonous to Humans