Northwest Blooms · Perennials
Trillium erectum
Red Trillium
- Family
- Melanthiaceae
- Height
- 12 to 18 inches
- Width
- 12 to 18 inches
- Flower color
- Deep maroon to burgundy three petaled flowers with yellow stamens
- Foliage color
- Medium to dark green broad ovate leaves arranged in a whorl of three
- Bloom time
- Mid spring often April to May
- Light
- Partial shade to full shade
- Water
- Evenly moist soil
- Maintenance
- Low; allow foliage to die back naturally after flowering; divide only when plants become crowded
- Growing zone
- USDA zones 4 to 7
- Wildlife
- Carrion flies and beetles that act as pollinators and ants that disperse the seeds
About this plant
Trillium erectum produces a neat whorl of three broad, pointed leaves that spread horizontally near the top of a single upright stem. At the center, a solitary flower rises above the leaves, its three maroon to deep reddish-purple petals surrounding a cluster of yellow stamens. Blooming in mid to late spring, the flower has a fleshy texture and upright form that gives the plant a distinctive presence in shaded woodland settings.
Native to eastern North America, Trillium erectum grows naturally in deciduous forests from Canada to the Appalachian region. In gardens it brings classic woodland character to shaded borders, native plantings, and naturalized areas beneath trees, where its early spring blooms provide seasonal interest among ferns and other shade-loving perennials.
Works well in
Borders · Shade Gardens · Woodland Gardens · Pollinator Gardens · Rain Gardens
Companion plants
Heucheras · Siberian bugloss · Sweet woodruff · Foamflowers · Epimediums · Hostas
Design tip
The early flowers arrive when the garden is still waking up, so give it a spot you pass often in spring. Cooler light suits it, so tuck it on the north side of a shrub or wall where the soil stays even.
Where to see it
This plant can be seen at Heronswood Garden.
