Trillium: Wake Robin
Trillium ovatum might just be the most familiar floral sight in our woods and forests.
Plant care & info
Family: Liliaceae
Genus: Trillium
Common: Wake Robin
Moist wooded areas in low to mid-elevations throughout the Pacific Northwest, low to mid-elevations
Leaves are triangular to oval shaped, usually in sets of three, held in a whorl at the top of a 10 to 12″ stem. A singular flower rests on or shortly above the whorl of leaves. Depending on species, colors range from white to greenish-yellow to purple. Flowers often form a curved to flat, open triangle of three petals. Some species stand upright from the surface of the leaves.
Plant in full to partial shade and well-drained soil that’s rich with organic matter. Native Trillium wants regular water during the growing season, and little or none in summer when the plant goes dormant.
Snails and slugs can be a problem. In poorly drained soil, rhizomes can rot and plants can suffer from fungal diseases.
As its common name suggests, wake robin is one of our earliest blooming native flowers, and a true herald of spring. There are a few species of Trillium native to our area, but there are hundreds of species worldwide.
Whatever the color or size, they are recognizable by the collar of whorled leaves held above a bare stem holding a single flower. Trillium spreads by rhizomes, and if left undisturbed, it will form a colony and carpet the woodland floor in early spring.
They can also be propagated by seed, but it’s a much slower process. In nature, mice and ants help spread the seeds, with the ants being especially attracted by a protein-rich fleshy attachment to the seed called an elaiosome. They carry the seeds back to their nest, consume the desired part and then discard the seed itself, which in turn eventually germinates—having been conveniently “planted” in the ground in an organically rich environment.
Explore More Native Wake Robin
Western Wake Robin
Trillium ovatum: Western Wake Robin
This is the flower that comes to mind when one hears the name “Trillium.” Mistakenly thought by many to be Oregon’s state flower by virtue of its abundance, its pure, bright white flower—held above the triumvirate of bright green leaves—is a welcome sight in the woods and woodland gardens.
It prefers shade to partial shade, and organically rich, well-drained soil. It requires regular water in the spring, which usually happens automatically in the Pacific NW, and little or no water in the summer when the plant has died back and gone dormant for the season. The white flower gradually turns to purple as it ages.
Giant Trillium
Trillium chloropetalum: Giant Trillium
The leaves are slightly mottled and reddish-brown. The flower is held more stiffly above the leaves and can range in colors from red to greenish yellow or white. Leaves and flowers are both larger than Trillium ovatum, hence the common name Giant Trillium.
Large Purple Wake Robin
Trillium kurabayashii: Large Purple Wake Robin
This is a rare species which is only found only in isolated colonies in Northern California and into the farthest SW corner of Oregon. The large leaves are distinctly mottled with dark green and ruffle slightly when mature. The flower parts are held upright, perpendicular to the leaves, and are often a deep, rich reddish-purple in color.
Needing perhaps a little more shelter than Trillium ovatum, it is still quite garden-worthy.
Find Natives for your garden
We offer a great selection of Northwest Natives from spring through fall. The plants featured are highlighted favorites, but they do not represent ALL of the plants we carry. For a more complete list, see our Northwest Native Plant List.
