Join me for another round of trillium photos that capture many of the later blooming species and hybrids grown here at JLBG. These typically wrap up here around mid-to-late April, depending on the weather. We hope this stirs up interest in this amazing group of perennials, especially the little-known species that hail from the southeast to midwest US, and the amazing hybrids that deserve to be more widely grown. Enjoy the journey.
Trillium catesbaei is a small growing pedicellate species with nodding pink flowers that are held just below the leaves.
Trillium catesbaei ‘Little Henry’ is an odd plant that occurs in Henry County, Alabama. The flowers are white, and much smaller than typical Trillium catesbaei, and may actually represent a new species.
Trillium cuneatum ‘Crown Imperial’ is a huge selection…see my size 12 shoe for scale.
Trillium decumbens is a dwarf species that’s a personal favorite. Some clones never offset, while others do so sparingly. This is a selection from North Central Alabama. Sadly, we have seen massive populations of this destroyed by deer.
Trillium decumbens ‘Silver Dollar’ is a very rare silver leaf form.
Trillium discolor is a late season species, hailing from the region around upstate South Carolina. In some populations, the the flowers are buttery yellow, and in others, the plants all have ivory flowers. Below is our extremely good offsetting form, Trillium discolor ‘Cream Dream’.
We think Trillium flexipes is the best pedicellate (flower is on a stalk above the leaf) species for the garden. It multiplies well, unlike most Trillium grandiflorum, making a much more showy garden specimen. This is our exceptional clone, Trillium flexipes ‘White Dove’
Trillium grandiflorum ‘Georgous’ is our best heat adapted seed strain of Trillium grandiflorum, a plant which, as a rule, doesn’t like our hot spring temperatures.
Trillium grandiflorum ‘Parkway Pink’ is one of the most lusted after trilliums in existence. Unlike typical Trillium grandiflorum, which can age to pink, this one emerges pink. We were lucky to have obtained this years ago from a gardener in Germany.
Trillium lancifolium ‘High Points’ is our clumping selection of a species that’s typically found in swamps and flood plains, where it grows in loose colonies. Fortunately, it grows fine in most average moisture garden soils.
Trillium lancifolium ‘Silver Speculation’ is our garden seedling selection with mostly silver foliage.
Trillium lancifolium ‘Wedding Party’ is another tightly clumping JLBG garden seedling with flowers that age to a chartreuse-amber.
Trillium oostingii is a unique toadshade, first published in 2008, from a single population found along the Interstate highway in SC, across from a McDonalds. It typically produces only a few offsets in the garden.
Trillium oostingii ‘Mass Appeal’ is our garden seedling that offsets like no other form we encountered, quickly making a large patch. This is much larger in all parts, and is almost certainly a tetraploid (double chromosome) form.
Trillium sp. nov. underwoodii is one of several recently discovered species, in this case, from Alabama, that have yet to be formerly named. We use this unpublished name to show its superficial pattern appearance to Trillium underwoodii, although the leaf form and stature are closer to Trillium cuneatum.
Trillium radiatum is a new species, that hails from the region where Alabama, Georgia, and Tennessee converge. For us, this makes a massive, late-flowering clump.
Trillium reliquum ‘Mint Chocolate Chip’ is a superb, nicely offseting clone from a roadside rescue several decades earlier, when we were shocked to find heavy equipment destroying a population of this endangered toadshade. Thankfully, there have been many more populations of Trillium reliquum discovered since it was listed as Endangered, so it really no longer qualifies for protection. Hopefully, when its status is reevaluated, it will be delisted.
Trillium rugellii is a vigorous pedicillate species, with white flowers that hang just below the foliage.
Trillium rugellii ‘Moonrise’ is a Zac Hill collection from Alabama, of an odd form, that holds it flowers above the foliage. We originally thought this was a form of Trillium flexipes, but everything else matches Trillium rugellii. There is a remote possibility that this could be a natural hybrid of the two species.
Trillium ‘Silverella’ is a Trillium foetidissimum hybrid. Although the flower time usually don’t ovelap, it appears that the other parent could be Trillium discolor.
Trillium simile, from the Blue Ridge Mountain region, is very similar in appearance to a white Trillium sulcatum, or Trillium flexipes.
Trillium sp. nov. dawsonii is a yet to be named species from high elevations in the Georgia mountains. For us, it’s one of the latest of the sessile species to flower. In the wild, both purple and yellow flowered forms are common. The last time I visited these in the wild, house construction was destroying these populations before it even gets named. Below is our superb selection, Trillium sp. nov. dawsonii ‘Sun Spots’
Trillium staminuem has long been a favorite, with its unique propeller like flowers. Its distribution is centered in Alabama, and into surrounding states. Below is an exceptional clone we named Trillium stamineum ‘Ghost Town’
Trillium stamineum ‘Twist of Silver’ is our selection with no leaf mottling.
Trillium sulcatum is a pedicellate species that traverses the Appalachian Mountain region. We typically fail with this cold-loving species, but as you can see, seedlings from a population in Walker County, Georgia are thriving.
Trillium stamineum ‘Matthews’ is a very rare yellow-flowered variant, discovered by Alabama trillium guru, Harold Holmes.
Trillium viridescens ‘KC Silver’ is an introduction from plantsman, Barry Yinger. This is a midwest native species, most prevalent in Oklahoma and Arkansas.
Trillium x flexatum are hybrids of Trillium flexipes with Trillium sulcatum. As you can see in the next three images, the range of colors is extensive, and the vigor is generally better than the straight species.
Trillium x foeteatum ‘Razzle Dazzle’ is our selection of a cross of Trillium foetidissimum x Trillium cuneatum. The intensity of the leaf patterns are better than in either parent.
Trillium x foetile ‘Storm Front’ is our selection of a hybrid between Trillium foetidissimum and Trillium gracile.
Trillium x foetingii ‘Tactical Treasure’ is our selection of a cross of Trillium foetidissimum x Trillium oostingii. The vigor is quite amazing.
Trillium x freatum are hybrids between Trillium sp. nov. freemanii and Trillium cuneatum. Our selection, Trillium x freatum ‘Antique Silver’ is pictured below.
Trillium x freatum ‘Golden Moments’ is another selection from the same cross.
Trillium x ludoissimum ‘Silver Treasure’ has formed an amazing specimen, from a cross of Trillium ludovicianum x Trillium foetidissimum.
Trillium x luteatum is a naturally occuring hybrid between Trillium cuneatum and the yellow-flowering Trillium luteum. These have amazing vigor, and can get quite large. This is a yet un-named seedling. Most interspecific trillium hybrids, like Trillium x luteatum, do not have formerly published nothospecies names, so our names are technically unofficial, but we find them of tremendous help in studying the hybrids. The next three images show the variation of flower color when the two species are hybridized.
Trillium x macaroni are our hybrids of Trillum maculatum and Trillium cuneatum. Our selection, Trillium x macaroni ‘Ruffled Madness’ is a stunning selection.
Trillium x recstingii ‘Bicolor Babe’ is our first hybrid of the purple-flowered Trillium recurvatum x the yellow-flowered Trillium oostingii.
Trillium x recurvifolium are our hybrids of Trillium lancifolium x Trillium recurvatum. The selection below is a yet un-named seed selection.
