Trillium Facts

The Flower

• Named after the Latin word for three (tres), the trillium flower has three petals and the plant has three sepals, a three-celled ovary and three leaves. A single flower sits proud at the top of each plant and trilliums bloom white, pink or red from April to June. Some varieties bloom early in spring, before the robins returns, giving them the name wakerobin, and a few varieties have the bloom facing downward, beneath the plant leaves.

Stinking Benjamin

• Known as stinking Benjamin for the flower's unpleasant odor, the red trillium grows to 16 inches high with one 2 1/2-inch-wide maroon/burgundy flower on a stem that grows 7-inch-long leaves. The root of the red trillium was once used in childbirth and was given the name bethroot, over time changing to birthroot, and the entire plant of the red trillium was made into a salve and used to treat tumors, ulcers and inflammation.

Growing Trilliums

• Trilliums grow in sun, shade and part shade, with preference to a shady location. They like moist soil conditions and will sprout to 1 to 3 feet high, depending on the variety. Seeds develop on the plant six weeks after flowering, are ready to collect when dark and are often spread by ants or mice. Attracted to the seeds, ants carry them back to their homes where they eat the part they like and then discard the seed, where it germinates in the ant's fertile leftovers.

Moving Trilliums

• When removed from the ground, trilliums quickly wilt and seed development stops. Once moved to another location, the trillium will take years to recover from the change and may not survive. A protected flower in many areas, the trillium cannot be removed without a permit from the state, but if there is a shady area to fill, trilliums are available at many garden centers.