How Big Can a White Trillium Grow?

Leaves and Flowers

• This herbaceous perennial has bright green foliage in spring and summer. The flowers are large, typically 3 inches long, with three white petals that form a cup shape. Each stalk produces a single flower cupped by a cluster of three leaves. The leaves continue down the stalk to the soil line creating a lush, clumping herbaceous plant.

Growing Season

• An early-blooming perennial, white trillium has a short growing season. New shoots emerge from the soil in early to mid-spring as soon as the soil warms, and the plants reach their mature height by mid-spring. The flowers bloom in mid- to late spring and, in mid-summer, white trillium goes dormant and dies back to the ground. The plants remain dormant through the fall and winter and regrow in spring from hardy subterranean roots.

Planting and Growing

• You can plant white trillium in spring or fall when the soil is workable. Select a spot in full to part shade. Full shade is any area that gets less than two hours of sun per day while a spot in part shade can get from two to four hours of sun a day. White trillium grows best and will reach mature heights fastest in humus-rich soil that drains well. When dividing the plants, wait until late summer or early fall when the plants go dormant. Cut back the plants in late summer after the foliage dies back naturally.

Landscape Use

• White trillium is ideal for dark, shady areas where sun-loving perennials fail to thrive. Grow this shade-loving perennial in woodland gardens, shaded border areas and in understory planting. It makes a good ground cover when planted in groups spaced 6 to 12 inches apart. White trillium is a North American native plant that will naturalize. When planting white trillium, keep the short growing season in mind. By combining white trillium with a selection of low-growing perennials that remain green through summer, you can prevent having an empty spot in the garden when it dies back.

Landscape Design

• Try combining white trillium with hellebore (Helleborus orientalis). Hellebore blooms in early spring and remains green through the growing season. In mild climates it will remain green year round. Like white trillium, hellebore grows 12 to 18 inches tall. Hellebore grows in USDA zones 4 through 9. Another shade-foliage plant to consider is Chinese astilbe (Astilbe chinensis var. pumila.) Chinese astilbe is smaller than white trillium, growing 9 to 12 inches tall. It blooms from spring through summer and remains green into the fall. This herbaceous perennial grows in USDA zones 4 through 8.