By Don Hendershot

Peering from the trail into the dappled early-spring forest, the forest floor seems luminous. When I leave the trail to investigate I find a colony of large flowered trillium, Trillium grandiflorum, in bloom, the two-inch white petals reflecting the muted sunlight.

If you’ve spent much time on the trails of the Southern Appalachians in spring you’ve probably encountered trilliums of some, or many forms. It is one of our signature spring wildflowers.

Trillium is a large and diverse genus including more than 40 species. Probably 30 or more of these species range across the Eastern and Southeastern woodlands and there are at least eight distinct species in Western North Carolina. Trilliums have been traditionally included in the large Liliaceae family but some botanists place them in a separate family, Triliacea, along with one or two other genera. While trilliums may be hard to classify, they are easy to enjoy.

Three leaves whorled around the top of an eight to 12 inch stalk, supporting a three-petaled flower means trillium. The large flowered trillium is probably the most recognized species across the region because of its habit of creating large colonies.

But coming across a solitary painted trillium, T. undulatum, along a mountain trail — its crimson veining highlighting the center of a wavy, creamy white petal — seems only to enhance its fragile beauty.

Three of our species of trilliums are easily separated from the rest because the flower is sessile (no stem). These are collectively known as toad shades because of the large rounded leaves. If you find one of these toad shades with maroon petals it is most likely T. cuneatum, known commonly as sweet Betsy. On occasion, however, sweet Betsy will have yellow petals — women do have the right to change their minds. Even in the yellow form, sweet Betsy has a purple or maroon-ish ovary that separates it from the yellow toad shade, T. luteum, also known as yellow trillium. Another toad shade with pale or greenish-yellow petals, T. discolor is known from Jackson County in North Carolina.

The trilliums with flowering stalks can basically also be divided into two groups – those with stems erect, above the leaves, and those where the flower droops below the leaves. Large flowered trillium, painted trillium and wake robin, T. erectum, all tend to have erect stems. Vasey’s trillium, T. vaseyi, nodding trillium, T. cernuum and Cateby’s trillium, T. catesbaei tend to droop below the leaves. These are, of course, generalizations and you should have a good plant guide or key if you are intent on identifying these woodland beauties to species.

Trilliums are likely to be spotted from April through May on almost any trail through moist deciduous woods in the Southern Appalachians. The Appalachian Trail around Standing Indian and Siler Bald and many other sections offers great wildflower opportunities including trilliums. Porter’s Creek Trail, Chestnut Top Trail and Trillium Gap Trail in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park among scores of others are also good for trilliums.

Take your camera and collect as many images as you like, but please remember it is illegal to collect trilliums or any wildflowers from our public lands. And if you want trilliums for your garden, it is best to find a nursery specializing in native plants, because, not only is it illegal to collect plants from public lands, trilliums, in particular, do not re-locate well and most die from transplanting.