HUNTSVILLE, Alabama-- Dear Harvey: This trillium grows in my wooded front yard in Harvest every spring. I’m thinking it may be trailing trillium or relict trillium – any ideas? Do you believe it would survive transplanting to the base of another tree across town? – Stan E.
These look very healthy growing in your garden. As to identification, we will give it a shot and see what happens. Often it is a matter of eliminating all the species that it cannot be and deciding it is the last one standing. The good news is that trilliums as a whole are one of the easiest wildflowers for most anyone to identify, whether you are a gardener or not, since the name directly relates to the number of plant parts that are visible to any onlooker.
Trilliums are noted for their three leaves, three sepals and then three petals on each plant, and the name is derived from the Greek word for three. Furthermore, there are two sets of three stamens (the male flower part) and three seed-bearing capsules that are joined to the pistil (the female flower part), which has three pollen-receptor stigmas. As you can see, threes are everywhere.
There are two distinct types of trilliums – the wake robins and the toadshades – with the difference being in how the flower is presented. The wake robin trilliums have the flower on a short stem arising from the center of the three-leaf whorl and hovering above the foliage. These are also called pedunculate species. The toadshades have the flowers essentially lying above the foliage, like they are resting in the arms of the leaves. These are also termed sessile trilliums. Your trillium is a toadshade species since the petals of the flower are arising right at the foliage line.
From the looks of your plant I would guess it is Trillium cuneatum (tree-LEE-um kun-EE-a-tum), more commonly known as the whippoorwill toadshade. This is the most common native trillium species in our area of Alabama (and much of the Southeast) while also having one of the largest genetic diversity among trilliums growing in the wild. That means that you may find many variations among the whippoorwill toadshades growing in different locations throughout the region.
I called on Harold Holmes, the trillium expert in our area, and he felt sure it was the species cuneatum, just because of locale and your picture, while also pointing out the diversity he has seen in the species. I believe Harold has photographed more than 200 different variations in his wildflower exploring of the broad species. He also feels that it is not the relict trillium (Trillium reliquum) since it is one the rarest of sessile trilliums and is found more along the southern part of Georgia as opposed to the Cumberland Plateau region of northern Alabama and eastern Tennessee.
As to transplanting your trillium, it can be done but often it is best to wait until it is about to go dormant for the year. This will be from late July into September and will ensure that the plant has a store of food reserves for the upcoming year. Since this is a very dry time of year, make sure your plants are watered well first and then move them to a spot that is shaded and has a soil very rich in organic matter. Be patient for they will take a few years to settle in and begin spreading.
I hope this helps and now through the end of March is a wonderful time to explore the many trails and natural areas around North Alabama to see trilliums in their natural habitat. At the Huntsville Botanical Garden there is one of the largest collection of trillium that you will find in the country – something we are very proud of having as part of our display gardens.
Things to do right now:
Prune boxwood by thinning as opposed to shearing resulting in a more natural growth habit and healthy plant.
When the soil can be worked, add compost or other organic matter to your garden.
Last week to apply pre-emergent herbicide for crabgrass control; do not overseed fescue if pre-emergent has been applied.
Harvey Cotten is the chief horticulturist and vice president at the Huntsville Botanical Garden. Write c/o The Huntsville Times, P.O. Box 1487, West Station, Huntsville 35807.