Trillium cernuum (Nodding Trillium)
| Also known as: | Whip-poor-will Flower |
|---|---|
| Genus: | Trillium |
| Family: | Melanthiaceae (Trillium) |
| Life cycle: | perennial |
| Origin: | native |
| Habitat: | part shade, shade; acidic woods |
| Bloom season: | May - June |
| Plant height: | 8 to 20 inches |
| County distribution (click map to enlarge): |  |
| Spotted in Ramsey County at: |
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Detailed Information
Flower: 
![[photo of flower]](/udata/r9ndp23q/white/nodding-trillium_0518_161332.jpg)
A single flower hangs down at the end of a stem ½ to 1½ inches long. Flowers are about 1½ inches across and have 3 white petals and 3 green sepals almost as long as the petals. The petals and sepals both curve up, with the petals usually curving more strongly. There are 6 stamens with pinkish purple tips (anthers) that hang down from the center. The anther is typically about half the length of the stamen.
Leaves and stem:
![[photo of leaves]](/udata/r9ndp23q/white/nodding-trillium_0518_161418.jpg)
A whorl of 3 leaves is at the top of the otherwise naked main stem. Each leaf is broadly oval to diamond-shaped, up to 4 inches long and wide with a sharply pointed tip. The leaf edges are wavy but otherwise smooth.
Notes:
It is very easy to miss these flowers because the leaves tend to drape over them, hiding them from view. When I went out looking for them, I had to lift up the leaves to see if flowers were there and found flowers only on the tallest plants. There is a similar species, Drooping Trillium (T. flexipes). Various references mention that the length of the flower stalk or anthers, the degree the petals curve, the degree the flower angles, size of the leaves, or other differences can help in differentiating the 2 species but there is much overlap in all those respects. I used to believe the color of the anthers was the best way (Drooping Trillium usually has creamy anthers) but have found that is not reliable, either (sigh). General rule: if the flower is below the leaves and it has pinkish purple anthers, it's Nodding Trillium, but location in the state can help ID it as well, as Drooping Trillium is far less common. At one time Trillium was in its own Trilliaceae family, then moved to the Liliaceae (Lily) family, and is now back in its own family, renamed Melanthiaceae.
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More photos
Nodding Trillium plant
more plants
underside of a flower
more flowersPhotos by K. Chayka taken at Vadnais/Snail Lake Regional Park, Ramsey County, and in Anoka County. Photos courtesy Peter M. Dziuk taken in Anoka County.
Comments
Have you seen this plant in Minnesota, or have any other comments about it?
on: 2009-06-15 15:10:18
I have found one just off our logging road to our back acreage north of Frazee, Minnesota. I thought it might be a regular trillium until I found the flower underneath. What a wonderful find to add to the oodles of blooming yellow lady slippers just beyond on our wooded hill. I used the Wildflowers of Wisconsin book to identify the plant.
on: 2010-05-01 21:55:20
I saw about 6 nodding trilliums today in a small wooded area on the Rum River in Anoka, north of the county library. This is the first year I have noticed nodding trilliums though I have run that area for 20 years and have seen large flowered trilliums. Other flowers in bloom right now: yellow bellwort; anemones; puccoons; yellow & purple violets; prairie smoke is budded out.
on: 2010-05-11 19:23:48
I recently came accross one of these flowers in our woods. We live in the backwoods off the Ottertail River. I believe our woods were once the original river bed bottom before Ottertail put in a diversion damn.
on: 2010-05-25 08:05:47
Found one plant in the woods on our property...beautiful. Audubon Guide says it's native to eastern No. Amer.
on: 2010-05-26 15:27:08
The natural range for this trillium goes as far west as the Dakotas and north into Canada.
on: 2010-06-03 21:26:47
I have these blooming all over on my property. Yes, you have to look underneath the leaves to admire there beauty.
on: 2010-06-05 11:53:28
Several plants were found amongst snow on the mountain on our property. All were flowering, very tall and beautiful!
on: 2011-05-20 22:03:49
I found two of these in a woods near my home. I didn't know at the time what they were. I had a feeling it was some kind of trillium. It was very hard to spot and the leaves of three was thing that caught my eye. Beautiful flower.
on: 2011-05-21 13:12:23
I found several of these while hiking at Carley State Park amongst the bluebells.
on: 2011-05-23 09:15:05
We saw bunches of them along the river path at William O'Brien State Park this week! Beautiful!! 5/20/2011
on: 2011-06-01 20:02:18
Walking along the local township road tonight, we saw these beautiful flowers. In full bloom. The road ditch was full of them
on: 2011-06-28 11:36:00
Late May /early June shows an abundance of trillia along the Western end of the scenic Skyline Parkway. This has been the highest concentration of this plant that I have ever seen. The woods is covered with them - truly a sight worth the trip.
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on: 2009-06-05 08:09:11
I was visiting Spruce Hill Park in Douglas County when I came upon a single Nodding Trillium. I thought the three leaves looked somewhat like a Jack in the Pulpit, but when I looked underneith the leaves I was overjoyed to see this beautiful little flower. I did not know what it was at the time. I took several pictures and identified it from your site. Thanks for the info.