Trillium catesbaei
bashful wakerobin
Southeastern United States (southern Appalachians and Piedmont)
Attracts Pollinators
Native to North America
Overview
Trillium catesbaei is a spring-flowering woodland perennial in the family Melanthiaceae, growing 8-20 inches (20-50 cm) tall from a thick underground rhizome. Each stem bears a single whorl of three broad, oval, stalked leaves, above which a single flower hangs on a curved stalk that often holds the bloom below the foliage, the source of the name bashful wakerobin. The flower has three reflexed, wavy petals that open pale pink and deepen to rose with age, about 1-1.5 inches (2.5-4 cm) long, with yellow anthers at the center. It blooms in spring and then sets a fleshy capsule before the whole plant dies back to the rhizome by midsummer. The seeds carry an oily attachment that ants gather and disperse. Plants are slow to develop, often taking several years from seed to first bloom, and they resent disturbance once established. It grows in rich, acidic woodlands of the southern Appalachians and the southeastern Piedmont, in dappled shade under deciduous trees. It needs cool, moist, humus-rich soil and goes dormant in summer, leaving bare ground. Hardy in USDA zones 5 to 8.
Native Range
Native to the southeastern United States, mainly the southern Appalachian Mountains and Piedmont of Georgia, the Carolinas, Tennessee, and Alabama, growing in rich, acidic deciduous woodland, on slopes, and along streams.Suggested Uses
Used in shade and woodland gardens, native plant collections, and naturalized drifts under deciduous trees, spaced 8-12 inches (20-30 cm) apart. It suits cool, moist, humus-rich pockets among ferns and other spring woodlanders. Its summer dormancy means it pairs with later plants that fill the gap.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height8" - 1'8"
Width/Spread8" - 1'
Bloom Information
Blooms in spring, mainly April to May, with the single flower nodding below or among the leaves. The petals open pale pink and deepen to rose over the bloom period. Each plant flowers for a few weeks before setting seed and going dormant.
Detailed Descriptions
Foliage Description
greenGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 2-4 hours of direct sunlight daily
• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight
• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight
• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight