I’ve been in love with Pacific Trillium since I first spotted this plant growing on the side of trails here in the Pacific Northwest. 

Just as the weather starts to hint at Spring, these beautiful blossoms are some of the first to appear alongside the violets and toothwort.

Every year, I find myself eagerly tracing their familiar homes in my wooded backyard. Their white blossoms are striking in the mass of green that carpets the forest floor.

For some reason, the simple beauty of Trillium ovatum has captivated me, and calls me to form a kinship with the plant. If you don’t know their botanical intricacies, they look like a run-of-the-mill lily. But for me, they offer silent lessons on resilience, rest, and authenticity.

Let’s check out what makes Trillium species so remarkable - from their life stages and ecological significance, to the challenges they face.

Pacific Trillium: Trillium ovatum

species: ovatum

genus: Trillium

family: Melanthiaceae (Bunchflower)

Etymology

ovatum: ovoid, egg-shaped

trillium: three-lily

mel-anthos: pure flower, greek (ANPS)

aka

• Western Trillium
• White Trillium
• Western Wake-Robin
• Birthwort

(WNPS, UPS)

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Western Trillium: The Basics

Trillium Anatomy

• Bracts: three leaf-like structures arranged like a three-leaf clover
• Sepals: three protective outer layers that shield the flower petals
• Petals: three form the bloom that attracts pollinators
• Stigmas: the yellow structures in the center of the plant which produce pollen for reproduction

When you look at trillium, its name makes sense. The marvel of trillium lies in its perfect symmetry: three leaves, three sepals, three petals. Sometimes I notice three spiral-shaped stigmas in the center, appearing almost like the Celtic Triskel.

The botanical community refers to these leaves as bracts, framing a scape similar to that of garlic scapes (USFS).

Yet, in my wooded yard, they are more than scientific terms; they are parts of a living entity that I have the privilege to nurture.

Interestingly, trillium has three petals and three leaves instead of more as a way to conserve energy. The plant can absorb enough light for photosynthesis, but doesn’t produce any more growth than it needs to in order to thrive. https://www.hesperosflown.com/flora/trillium-ovatum-pacific-trillium-western-wakerobin/

Additionally, something about the three petals also is an effective signal to pollinators to stop by (Wikipedia).

Trillium’s Growth Cycle

• Germination: it takes approximately two years for a seed to sprout
• Juvenile Stage: The plant emerges with one leaf for several years
• Maturity: The first bloom can take between 7-18 years to develop
• Lifespan: Plants can live beyond 70 years
• Dormancy: Mature plants can enter a dormant phase, not growing or blooming for a season or two.

By their nature, Trillium teach us to not be in a rush. 

While I’ve found varying information on rate of germination, the general average states that it takes two years for a seed to rise above ground.

When it does germinate, the plant will be a..unilium, perhaps, with just one leaf and no flowers (MT Outdoors), and a staggering 7-18 years years for the plant to bloom (Ream,  MT Outdoors).

What’s more, is that these plants can go dormant and not rise above the surface for a year or two, and can also pause flowering or fully leafing out before going back to where they are in their life cycle (Ream).

Tarn Ream, a researcher in Missoula has noted that the rate of dormancy is usually over 1/4 of mature plants!

While it’s hard to tell the exact age of a trillium plant, there’s been at least one that was 72 years old, found in Oregon (MT Outdoors).

When I look at the plants that are blooming in my yard with this in mind, I’m in even more awe.  How lucky I am, to be witnessing this event, and to know that the plants that don’t flower this year will have their time in the years to come.

After the bloom, the seed develops if pollination was successful. These plants rely on the pollination services of insects like bees and beetles.The support of ants eating the outer coating of the seed helps disperse trillium species (USFS).

In my own woods, I notice more ant holes appear on the trail when the trilliums start to open. It makes me happy to know that the ant population is doing well, and that they show up for the plants every year.

Growth Above and Below the Surface

Trillium reminds me that sometimes, beautiful developments in our lives take time.  We might be doing work underground, or we might be trying to find our way through the dark for an extended time before we see the light of our efforts.  Even when we feel the warmth and can see our own growth, there are times when it does feel like we need to continue to develop skills, be in daily practice, continually…and then finally, the blossom appears. 

Trillium also teaches us that it’s okay to take breaks, to pause, to have a sabbatical. You do not have to be 100% productive 100% of the time. Bloom when you can, go at your own pace. 

Early Blooms

While Trillium is one of the first plants to emerge and bloom in the spring, its earliness actually has a purpose. During this time, the forest canopy isn’t as filled in yet. Aside from evergreen trees, most deciduous trees are not leafed out at this time. At most, they are in their leaf bud stage. This gives the trilliums the advantage of accessing light in order to engage in photosynthesis to feed itself.

As the canopy fills in, the trillium blooms will start to fade to red before they decay and spend the rest of the year resting.

Pacific Trillium can bloom as early as February in California, or as late as June in northern high altitutde locations. 

A flower that changes colors

Over the course of a few weeks, the white Pacific Trillium bloom will shift from bright white to pale pink to a vibrant magenta-purple color. As if these flowers weren’t amazing enough, this shifting color prompts me to visit the patches of trillium that grow in my yard daily to see where they are in their color cycle.

Why do the petals change color? According to Montana Outdoors, the shift to pink can serve as a signal to insects that the pollen is gone from the plant. Perhaps like a “do not disturb” sign.

Pacific Trillium Habitats

• Shaded understories of Douglas Fir woodland
• Redwood forests
• Moist woodlands

Geographically, Pacific Trillium lives on the west coast from California to British Columbia, and makes its way as far east as Montana (USFS).

In my yard, Pacific Trillium grows in the mostly shady understory of Douglas Fir trees. I often find them in bloom shortly after the White Violet and Stream Violet bloom, and in the same locations. 

It can also be found on redwood forests, or on moist woodlands (Save the Redwoods).

Conservation and Sustainability

• Do not pick trillium flowers - it can hinder their ability to survive and reproduce
• Loss of woodland habitat is a threat to the species
• Deer browsing can negatively impact plant populations

Trillium is on the list of at-risk herbs at United Plant Savers. While these flowers are gorgeous, they should not be picked. The rhizome will not continue to survive and the plant will not be able to reproduce.  I sometimes see some trillium with nibbles, probably from deer, but thankfully the deer here seem to be attracted to the other plants more than the trillium.

According to United Plant Savers, another threat to these beautiful plants is a loss of where they grow best - in wooded areas. 

Deer are known to munch on trillium to the point of harming their population (MT Outdoors).

Interestingly, while deer and goats have similar taste preferences, my goats pretty much ignore the trillium. Maybe this is because they prefer other tasty treats in the woods, or maybe my goats are land stewards like me and want to keep the trillium population thriving. Either way, I’m grateful.

As admirers of the Pacific Trillium, it falls upon us to be guardians of their splendor. Education and advocacy can go a long way to protect these plants and their habitats. 

Conservation groups and botanical researchers emphasize the importance of preserving natural woodlands, promoting sustainable land management practices, and combating the spread of invasive species.

It's also crucial to support policies and initiatives that fight against climate change, as its impacts can irreparably alter the delicate balance trilliums need to thrive. Action not only protects these beautiful flowers but also the intricate web of life that depends on them.

Personal Reflection: Lessons from Trillium

I was raised + live in a society where we are valued by our level of productivity and not by the skills we are cultivating with care. I notice in myself the need to rush towards “accomplishment,” even when there is a part of me that really wants to languish in the learning, to dwell in a place of development, to hone in on a craft and perfect it. 

So when I go to visit my Trillium friends, I admire their defiance against the “harder faster better” culture and to go at their own pace. They aren’t “late-bloomers” or “slow-movers” - they just are themselves, beautifully welcoming spring in a rotating chorus of blooms.

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