Trillium sulcatum aka Furrowed Wakerobin

Trillium sulcatum is a woodland perennial called furrowed wake-robin. It belongs to the Melanthiaceae family and grows in clumps. Its native range lies in the eastern and central United States. Recorded states stretch from Alabama and Georgia north to West Virginia. It grows in moist mountain woods, including the Appalachians. There, it often grows above sedimentary rock.

Garden plants stand about 1–2.3 feet [0.3–0.7 metres] tall. RHS gives an upper height of 3.3 feet [1 metre]. Reported widths range from 0.3–3 feet [0.1–0.9 metres]. RHS places the upper spread at 1.6 feet [0.5 metres]. The straight green stems have no branches or hairs. Each bears three broad green leaves with long, sharp tips. These leaves form a whorl and have smooth edges. They can reach 0.67 feet [0.2 metres] long and wide. The foliage dies back each year.

A single flower rises above the leaves on a curved stalk. Each flower has three petals and three green sepals. The petals curve back, and their tips have a crease. Maroon is the usual shade, though other colours occur. These include purple, white, yellow, cream, pink, and mixed tones. Flowers open from April to May in North Carolina. Chicago lists a broader season from March through June. Reports describe the scent as musty or foul. Red to maroon, berry-like capsules follow the flowers. In North Carolina, these ripen during July and August.

Grow this plant in partial shade or full shade. Give it moist, humus-rich soil that drains well. Neutral to slightly acid soil suits it. Add leaf mould as an autumn mulch each year. Growth is slow, and plants do not transplant well. Seed-grown plants may need several years before they flower. Divide rhizomes after flowering; pruning is not needed. Published USDA ranges span zones 4–8, though the sources differ. RHS rates its UK hardiness as H4.

Use it in woodland beds, shaded borders, or native gardens. Avoid neighbours that crowd it out. Bees visit the flowers, and small mammals eat the fruits. It also hosts caterpillars of two moth species. Serious problems are uncommon, but slugs, snails, and aphids may attack. Leaf spot, rust, and smut can also occur. NC State lists the plant as poisonous. The evidence does not establish safe human food uses.