Plant Sale 2025 — Trillium sessile
Trillium sessile is a long lived woodland plant that is often called Toadshade or Wake Robin. “Trillium” is from the Latin “tri” referring to the flower parts occurring in threes, and “llium” from the Latin “liliaceous” referring to the funnel-shaped flower. “Sessile” is from the Latin “sessil”, for sessile, stalkless, which refers to the flower having no pedicel. Trillium sessile prefers dappled shade in moist, rich, loamy soil.
The interesting maroon blooms have three erect petals appear in spring. The fruit is a dark greenish-purple berry. It spreads by underground rhizomes but doesn’t transplant well from the wild. The foliage tends to die down to the ground by mid-summer but the plant will return the following spring. Trillium sessile attracts flies and beetles to pollinate it. Grow this lovely native plant in rich moist woodland type environments. Trillium sessile can be seen in the gardens in front of the Education Building at Ivy Creek Natural Area.
Photos: E.M. Truax
