How to Grow Trilliums

Photo/Illustration: Gene Bush

Trilliums (Trillium spp. and cvs.) are among the native woodland plants I treasure most. I cannot imagine late winter and spring without their symmetry of threes: three leaves, three sepals, and three petals—hence, the common name “trinity flower.” With more than 40 species to drool over, these jewels of the forest floor are a collector’s dream. Some big, some small, some white, some deep red—trilliums have a lot to offer. Most species originated in various regions of the United States, offering many gardeners a chance to grow these remarkable plants. Best of all, trilliums are fairly easygoing and will flourish and blend beautifully with other woodland plants.

Every trillium is special in its own way. I encourage gardeners to seek out the best plants for their gardens. When choosing trilliums, however, be aware that some plants are protected under law and should not be dug from state or federal lands. At least one species, Trillium persistens, is listed as endangered by the federal government.

A trillium species may be listed as endangered in one state and not in another; check with your state department of natural resources before making your selection. Almost all trilliums sold from nurseries originate from some source in nature, such as private property, public land with permits, or rescues from construction projects. Be sure you acquire your plants from a reputable source; nursery-propagated stock is always preferable.

East and midwest Gems

While the flowering period for trilliums varies depending on where you live, my trillium season begins in late winter or early spring. One of the first and most plentiful to appear in early spring is the recurved or prairie trillium (T. recurvatum, Z 5–8). This plant is easily recognized. The maroon bloom sets down on the main stalk in a well formed by the plant’s three leaves. It can be 12 to 18 inches tall. Look for individuals with nice mottling in the leaves. Plants are tolerant of transplanting, and rhizomes will often produce offsets that quickly form new stems and clumps.

In midspring, the showy great white trillium (T. grandiflorum, Z 4–7) sends out large white blooms with petals that often reach more than 2 inches in length. The plants themselves can grow to 18 inches tall in rich soil, but for me, they hover around 12 inches. The large leaves are veined but not mottled. Some plants will produce flowers that turn pink as they age. There are also semi-double and fully double forms that are worth seeking out.

One of the last trilliums to bloom for me in mid- to late spring is one I’m especially fond of: yellow trillium (T. luteum, Z 5–7). Both the leaves and the yellow bloom are sessile, meaning stalkless. The bloom smells like lemon oil, and the foliage is richly mottled with silvery overcasts at the center. Plants have a stocky appearance and normally shoot up to a height of 14 inches in my garden.

Prairie trillium transplants easily and forms new stems quickly.

Great white trillium produces showy blooms that age to pink.

Yellow trillium is a late bloomer with the fragrance of lemon oil.

Yankee Woodlanders

If you garden in the North, there are several trillium species native to your area; two in particular are stinking Benjamin and bent trillium.

Stinking Benjamin (T. erectum, Z 4–7) is not truly a stinker unless you get your nose right in there; the flowers smell like pond water. From a normal viewing distance, however, all you will experience is a magnificent show. The flowers open with 2-inch-long, chocolate to reddish purple petals in mid- to late spring. The foliage is solid green with pointed tips and sits atop 14- to 20-inch-tall stalks. Look for the white-blooming form, T. erectum var. album, which retains a dark ovary (a raised, podlike area) at the center of each flower.

Bent trillium (T. flexipes, Z 4–7) usually reveals its flowers above the foliage in midspring. As the flower ages, its stem bends downward, hiding the flower beneath the leaves. The white petals can grow to more than an inch long. Occasionally, a maroon flower occurs, but it retains the white ovary. This is a highly variable plant from one region to another. When grown farther south, some populations are quite large in size, reaching almost 2 feet tall, and flowers are held well above the foliage.

Stinking benjamin typically shines with rich, reddish chocolate-colored flower petals, but this white-flowering variety displays a striking dark ovary at the center. Photo/Illustration: Gene Bush

Bent trillium keeps gardeners on their toes with its variable white or maroon flowers.

For gardeners in the South, I recommend 8-inch-tall dwarf wake-robin (T. pusillum, Z 5–9). The foliage of this little jewel emerges a deep purple-black-green, while the blooms are white with rippled petals. As plants mature, the foliage becomes medium green and the blooms turn pink, then lavender-purple. Leaves are unusually small and narrow for a trillium, reaching 1 inch wide and 3 inches long. And after transplanting, its rhizomes are quick to form colonies.

Propeller toad shade (T. stamineum, Z 5–8) is noted for its unique form. Each narrow, chocolate-colored petal is more than an inch long and twists like a propeller above the slightly mottled leaves. The plant’s appearance is stocky, and its height is just over a foot. It pairs well with Jacobs’s ladder (Polemonium reptans, Z 3–8) and creeping phlox (Phlox stolonifera cvs., Z 4–8) in spring.

Propeller toad shade features twisting petals over slightly mottled leaves. Photo/Illustration: Gene Bush

Sweet Beth (T. vaseyi, Z 5–8) is a must-have for the shade garden. It is among the largest of all trilliums at just under 2 feet tall when grown in rich, moist soil. Sweet Beth’s velvety chocolate-red blooms can be over 4 inches wide, and the petal tips strongly reflex, pushing the stamens forward. Mature blooms appear in mid- to late spring just beneath the large leaves. I have seen white-blooming forms of Sweet Beth out and about. This plant grows well in the North, but it excels in its native habitat of Tennessee and northern Georgia.

Dwarf wake-robin is a petite species at only 8 inches tall.

Sweet beth is the tallest of all trilliums at almost 2 feet. Photo/Illustration: Gene Bush

West coast Jewels

There are a couple of trilliums that are native to areas west of the Rocky Mountains. The first is the giant trillium (T. chloropetalum, Z 6–9). With an overall height of about 2 feet and leaves that reach 7 or 8 inches long, this plant is sure to be noticed. The leaves are usually darkly mottled, and the bloom color can range from white to deep purple-black. The flowers make their debut around early to mid-spring. In its native habitat, giant trillium can be found tucked in the redwood forests of the Pacific Northwest.

The western white trillium (T. ovatum, Z 5–8) is another plant that can be found among the redwoods. The equivalent of the eastern great white trillium, this plant has solid green leaves, which grow quite wide compared to other trilliums. The flowers open in early spring. The petals are narrower than those of T. grandiflorum and turn from snow white to a lovely shade of lavender-red when aging.