Purple Trillium, Wake-robin, Birthroot, Red Trillium, Trillium erectum L., Naturalized Minnesota Wildflower plant, Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden

	Plants of the Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden
	Common Name	Scientific Name	Plant Family	Garden Location	Prime Season
	Purple Trillium	Trillium erectum L.	Lily	Woodland	Spring
Other names and notes	(Wake-robin, Birthroot). The most prolific Trillium in the Woodland Garden, found growing as solitary specimens and as large groupings. The large grouping preventing the growth of other plants in that area. Like all Trilliums, the leaves form a whorl of 3 at the top of the stem which is 10 to 15" in height. The flower stem rises from the whorl and the petals and sepals are of equal length - from 1/2 to 1-1/2". The plant is ill-scented and has a bitter and acrid taste.


Above: The Purple Trillium in full flower in mid May. Below: The emerging stems in mid April and the plant in bud. About a month elapses between emergence and full flower.



Above: The fruit capsule of the Purple Trillium.	Below: A bed of Purple Trillium. Above: After the plants die back in summer, nothing else will be growing in this spot as is shown above where the Purple Trillium are lying dormant near the Interrupted Ferns.

Notes: This plant was listed on Martha Crone's 1951 inventory of plants in the Garden at that time. It is not native to Minnesota, but to the eastern U.S. and Canada with a range westward as far as Michigan and Illinois and Ontario.

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References: Plant characteristics are generally from sources 15, 16, 30, 31, 33, W2 & W3. Distribution principally from W2 and also 31, 34 and W1. Planting history generally from 1, 4 & 4a. Other sources by specific reference. See Reference List for details.

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