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Pacific trillium

Trillium ovatum

The Pacific trillium is a beautiful flower that grows in the woods. It has three white petals that can turn pink as they age, making it look like a little star in the forest!

Habitat: Forests

Appearance

The Pacific trillium has a single, striking white flower with three broad, ovate petals that deepen to pink or purplish with age. It stands atop a whorl of three large, emerald green leaves, creating a symmetrical display.

KingdomPlantaePhylumTracheophytaClassLiliopsidaOrderLilialesFamilyMelanthiaceaeGenusTrillium
Pacific trillium
deciduous trait badgeflowering trait badgeshade_tolerant trait badgespring_blooming trait badge
Pacific trillium

Category

Plants

Rarity

Common

Danger

1/5 · Very low

Snaps

Be the first to snap!

Interesting facts

A Pacific trillium can take up to seven years to bloom its very first flower!

Everything about this plant comes in threes: three leaves, three petals, and three sepals!

Native Americans used its roots for medicine, earning it the nickname 'birthroot'.

Picking a trillium flower can kill the entire plant because its leaves are essential!

Special abilities

Ability

Ant Delivery Service

Pacific trillium has special seed attachments called elaiosomes that ants carry, helping the plant spread its seeds far and wide.

Ability

Age-Telling Petals

Pacific trillium's white petals slowly turn pink or purple as the flower ages, showing its maturity to the world.

Ability

Perennial Powerhouse

Pacific trillium can live for many decades thanks to its underground rhizome, storing energy to bloom year after year.

Measurements & details

Height
20-50 cm
Spread
20-40 cm
Flower Size
3-7 cm
Bloom Season
Spring to early summer (March-July)
Edible
No
Toxicity
Mild
Lifecycle
Perennial
Pollination Method
Insect

Ecological connections

depends on

Silky ant

Formica fusca

Carries trillium seeds to their nests, aiding dispersal.

eats

Mule deer

Odocoileus hemionus

Browses on the leaves and flowers of the trillium plant.

pollinates

Little house fly

Fannia canicularis

Visits the flowers and helps transfer pollen for reproduction.

Traits

Also known as

Western trillium

Collections

Safety

Danger

1/5 · Very low

Do not pick the flowers; they are best enjoyed in nature!

Frequently Asked Questions

How tall is Pacific trillium?

20-50 cm

How wide does Pacific trillium spread?

20-40 cm

How big are the flowers on Pacific trillium?

3-7 cm

When does Pacific trillium bloom?

Spring to early summer (March-July)

Is Pacific trillium edible?

No

Is Pacific trillium toxic?

Mild

What is Pacific trillium's lifecycle?

Perennial

How is Pacific trillium pollinated?

Insect

Snap Map

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Where to spot

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