Painted Trillium

Painted Trillium
Trillium undulatum

You Are Here: Wildflower Guide > Late Spring to Early Summer> Painted Trillium
To go back to the master directory, click on the Wildflower Guide button above.
To jump back to the Late Spring group, click here.
To jump to another season, click one of these links: early spring : mid-spring : mid-summer : late summer : fall : winter

Ah, the elusive Painted Trillium! Found only at high elevations (above 4500 feet), usually on moist acid soil - look for high Spruce/Fir/Hemlock/Rhododendron groves. Painted Trillium is a small, delicate member of the group, growing 6-8" high. The leaves are 4-5" long, 2-3" wide. The flower grows on a short upright stalk and is about 1.5" to 2" wide. The petals are white with a blaze of crimson at the center, and they are slightly wavy, or "undulating" along the edges. They bloom in mid-to late May, and don't last long. Over the summer they develop a single bright red berry-like fruit - often you can identify the plant by this fruit.

A note on the nomenclature (naming conventions) on this site: Scientific names and classifications are constantly being argued and changed, and it drives me nuts. Although I use many different sources for knowledge, for naming consistency I use the "Manual of the Vascular Flora of the Carolinas" by Radford, Ahles and Bell, 1968 edition. This book is a well-established authority for the plants of our region and I've been using it for years. If for some reason I must use a different source for a particular plant, I will make note of it within the descriptive text. Don't like it? Tough!

fdudley@weaversites.com

Fiona Dudley
Weaversites
986 Reems Creek Road
Weaverville NC 28787

828-231-1501