Yep – he’s right. It
won’t grow here in my part of Texas. This is Trillium grandiflorum, a member of the Lily family. The flowers are three petaled and large – up to
5” across. It’s most commonly found in
the northwest to northeast states. And
in most of those states, it is an endangered, protected wildflower.
Why? Well according
to sources I checked with, Trillium grandiflorum is a very popular garden
flower. However, it is believed that
those for sale are from plants collected in the wild. Heavy collecting and changes to its habitat
have caused fewer and fewer Trillium to survive. Picking a trillium flower does not kill the
plant but damage can result if the green leaves are disturbed. If the leaves
are taken you won’t see any more growth on that particular plant until the
following year or possibly not even then depending on the size of the rhizome. So,
if you are ever hiking up in the frozen northlands and come across a patch of
Trillium, admire it, take pictures, and walk on.
Now, why won’t it grow here.
It’s hot here. Hot and
humid. And hot. Trillium grows best in a temperate climate,
in a woodland setting. It grows from rhizomes
and will bloom from early spring to early summer. It likes to have leaf litter mulch (as you
would find in woodlands) to keep the ground moist and cool. And, it’s not likely to bloom if under stress
from excessive sun and heat (that would be here).
Well fine!
However, I thought,
perhaps I can grow one from seed, plant it carefully and keep an eye on how it
does – deep shade, lots of mulch. Well,
seed germination is a real process. The
seed, produced at the end of summer can take as long as 90 – 120 days to
germinate. The seedling develops in the
dark and can take almost a year before sending up one small leaf. Then, although long-lived (like 25+ years),
Trillium grows very slowly and it will be between 7 to 9 years before it
blooms. OK – so maybe I won’t do
that. I can be patient, but a year
before a single leaf???? Seven to 9 years before a bloom???? No, I think I’ll take a pass after all.
OK – what else? Well
Trillium is an herb. The young leaves can
be added to a salad or cooked as a pot herb (for flavoring rather than, say spinach-like). The root is used as an antiseptic,
antispasmodic, and diuretic. Fresh or
dried, the root may be boiled in milk to treat dysentery. Grate the root and apply as a poultice to the
eye to reduce swelling or on rheumatic joints.
Boil the leaves in lard as a poultice for ulcers or to prevent
gangrene. An infusion of the root was
used to help with childbirth or cramps. And, finally, the root bark can be used as
drops for earache.
Now, lest you comment “HA! We can grow a smaller version
of Trillium here!
No, this isn’t Trillium.
This is Herbertia, a member of the Iris family. It’s a Texas native and blooms from March to
late April. It grows from a small bulb
which can be very deeply planted and hard to find if you try to dig one up. The best way to dig up bulbs - locate a plant
by the spring flower, mark the area then carefully dig up and divide in the
fall. The flowers are very small – about 2 inches across and are a beautiful
purple color. The flowers open for one
day only. It’s a good source of nectar for
bees and butterflies. Likes light shade
and dry feet. Grows well in any type of
soil. If left undisturbed, Herbertia
will multiply and become a carpet of blue flowers.
Ok – well Trillium would have been on my list of “Things I
Want to Plant”, but I’ve taken off. I’ll
just have to admire it from afar.
Take care.
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