Trillium is a Perfect Native to Grow in a Northwest Garden

We’ve just survived yet another long wet winter here in Northwest. Finally, our glorious spring has arrived! It’s that wonderful time of year we’ve all waited for, when our gardens finally come alive. It’s also the time when the wildflowers emerge, in all their beautiful colors, shapes and sizes, gracefully making their presence known. My favorite of all wildflowers is the Trillium.

 I should tell you a little more about this wildflower since I’ve discovered that many people have never heard of it. Trillium are beautiful woodland spring wildflowers whose beauty is subtle yet elegant. They are considered “” since they live above ground for a very short period of time, blooming in early spring (around March or April here in the Puget Sound area) and go dormant by summer.

 They come in a wide range of colors including white, beige, pink, purple, red, brown, yellow and green. The flower shapes and sizes vary considerably from wide open petals to narrow, upright ones.  Some Trillium flowers have no flower stem and sit directly on top of its leaves (called sessile flowers) while others sit atop a pedicle flower stem (called pedicellate flowers). Some Trillium stand 18” tall while others are dwarf, barely reaching 2” in height.  These among other characteristics make for a wonderful array of diversity within its genus.

 The name, Trillium, comes from the Latin word “tres” for three referring to the fact that many of its flowers parts come in threes: three leaves, three petals, and three stigmas.  While it is currently classified under the Trilliaceae botanical family, it previously was in the Liliaceae (Lily) family; so you can see how it came to be called Trillium.

 Trillium originated millions of years ago in the Appalachian Mountains. The plants eventually spread westward to Washington and have since become one of our most beloved wildflowers. Our unique climate of wet springs and dry summers turn out to be the perfect growing conditions for Trillium.

My personal interest in Trillium began about fifteen years ago when I purchased a Trillium ovatum, our native Trillium, at a local plant sale. For some reason this unique plant caught my fancy that day and I was curious to know more about it.

 I discovered that there are about 47 species of Trillium in the world but interestingly they are only native to two geographical locations in the world: North America and NE Asia.  I also learned they are becoming scarce because native populations are being encroached upon by urbanization and some species are actually endangered. For this reason they should not be dug from the wild but obtained from reputable nurseries that grow them from seed. 

I wanted to buy more of them but it was almost impossible to find any locally. It turns out that it takes up to seven years for a Trillium to flower from seed and most nurseries cannot economically afford to carry a plant for that long. So oftentimes they are only available through Trillium enthusiasts, like me, who grow them from seed as a labor of love.

Now Trillium has become the trademark plant of my garden and nursery business. I have established a Trillium Display Garden which currently showcases 36 of the world’s 47 species to help increase public awareness of Trillium. Each year many garden clubs come to the garden to listen to a talk on Trillium while enjoying tea and refreshments using Trillium china. Afterwards everyone is given a guided tour of the Trillium Trail where they can view the Trillium during their peak blooming season. These Trillium Tours are very popular and are usually booked a year in advance.

A garden just isn’t complete without some Trillium and now is the perfect time to plant them. Then you too can enjoy the excitement of seeing them bloom every year and herald the arrival of spring.   

Editor's Note:  While Susie Egan's Cottage Lake Gardens is a private garden, it is open to the public during its Spring Plant Sale where Trillium are also available for purchase, it is one of the few places to purchase Trullium. For information about this event see .