"Trillium erectum" is a species of flowering plant native to the east and north-east of North America. It is a Spring ephemeral, an herbaceous perennial whose life-cycle is synchronised with that of the deciduous forests where it lives.
Similar species: Lilies, Supplejacks, Etc.
By Christine Young
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Uploaded May 3, 2020. Captured May 1, 2020 22:15 in 3280 Franklin Ave, Millbrook, NY 12545, USA.
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Trillium erectum is a spring ephemeral with MANY common names that reflect the plant’s chemical, anatomical, and ecological properties. The plant is native to eastern North America and grows in rich, damp woodlands.
Its common names include: wake robin, purple trillium, red trillium, Indian shamrock, birthroot, nosebleed trillium, ill-scented trillium, stinking Willie, wet dog trillium, and stinking Benjamin.
It gets the moniker “wake robin” because the plant blooms in spring, which roughly coincides with the spring return of the American Robin to the northeastern areas of North America. The names “purple trillium” and “red trillium” are easily explained by the gorgeous color of the flower’s petals. “Indian shamrock” refers to the plant’s three-leaved structure. Native Americans used extracts from the roots to control uterine bleeding, hence the name “birthroot”. Furthermore, it is called “nosebleed trillium” because of its astringent applications. Finally, all the stinky names: “ill-scented trillium”, “stinking Willie”, “wet dog trillium”, and “stinking Benjamin”. As you might guess, Trillium erectum gets these names because it smells bad…The odor is faint, but is reminiscent of a combination of wet dog and carrion. It might not be that potent to a human nose, but it is delightfully odoriferous to flesh flies, carrion beetles, and other insects that pollinate the flowers. {Spotted in New York State by JungleDragon moderator, Christine Young} #JungleDragon #Trillium #Trilliumerectum
**Please note that these flowers should not be picked. They are rare or vulnerable in many states, and plucking off the blooms can seriously harm or even kill the plants.**
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