Trillium nivale (Snow Trillium)
| Also known as: | Dwarf White Trillium, Dwarf White Wake-robin |
|---|---|
| Genus: | Trillium |
| Family: | Melanthiaceae (Trillium) |
| Life cycle: | perennial |
| Origin: | native |
| Status: |
|
| Habitat: | part shade, shade; rich woods |
| Bloom season: | March - May |
| Plant height: | 3 to 6 inches |
| Wetland Indicator Status: | none |
| MN county distribution (click map to enlarge): |  |
| National distribution (click map to enlarge): |  |
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Detailed Information
Flower: 
![[photo of flower]](/udata/r9ndp23q/pd/trillium-nivale-018.jpg)
A single flower 1 to 2 inches across on a green to reddish stalk at the top of the plant. Flowers have 3 flaring white petals, generally oval to elliptical with a blunt tip, alternating with 3 narrow green sepals that are shorter than the petals and curl back slightly. The edges of the petals are often a bit wavy. In the center are 6 yellow stamens and a white 3-parted style with curled tips.
Leaves and stem:
![[photo of leaves]](/udata/r9ndp23q/pd/trillium-nivale_011.jpg)
Flowering plants have a single whorl of 3 leaves at the top of the stem, just below the flower. Leaves are up to 2 inches long, 1¼ inches wide, mostly oval to egg-shaped with a blunt tip and a short leaf stalk. Leaves have 3 or 5 prominent parallel veins and are bluish to gray green. Stems are green to reddish. Leaves and stems are hairless. Non-flowering plants tend to be smaller, and may have only 1 or 2 leaves.
Notes:
This is the smallest trillium in Minnesota, one of the earliest spring bloomers, and is a rare find throughout its range. According to the DNR it was listed as a MN Special Concern species in 1984 and is threatened by invasive species—buckthorn and garlic mustard in particular—by land development, and erosion from recreational land use. The remaining populations are on both public and private lands, but there are no programs currently in place to manage and care for this delicate, rare species. In the southeast counties populations are more sparse and scattered than along the Minnesota River valley, where it can indeed look like spring snow. 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
Snow Trillium plants
side view
colony in the Minnesota River valleyPhotos by K. Chayka and Peter M. Dziuk taken in Hastings, MN. Photo courtesy Aimee Dirksen taken in Brown County.
Comments
Have you seen this plant in Minnesota, or have any other comments about it?
on: 2011-04-07 18:54:49
South of Mankato along the Red Jacket biking trail. They caught my eye today (4-7-11) while biking and I recognized them as a Trillium but did not know they grew so small until I found your web site. Thanks for adding the Snow Trillium to my limited wild flower knowledge base. I plan to return with my camera to capture these unique little flowers.
on: 2011-04-13 19:35:10
We just moved to the area this winter (MN river valley) and was surpirsed to see the speckle of white flowers on the hillside yesterday (4/13)...they are so beautiful. Thank you for this wonderful wedsite...I am now excited to see what other wildflowers we can spot throughout the year!
on: 2011-05-20 16:38:09
i was on the bus, and if your wondering im 11, all along the road were the flowers they were pretty i was really wanting one. My mom says there are some in our woods, but they havent bloomed yet.
on: 2011-05-20 17:23:28
Yes, they are all pretty, aren't they? :-) If you are up near Itasca State Park, what you probably saw is called large flowered trillium, Trillium grandiflorum. It grows in the woods in most of northern Minnesota.
on: 2011-07-13 06:45:05
march 26th is the earliest date I have photographed the snow trillium in flower
on: 2012-03-30 21:51:06
The snow trilliums are blooming gloriously in Red Jacket Park right now. I was there this afternoon to take some photos. Other spring ephemerals are in full bloom (hepatica) or well on the way (Bloodroot, Dutchman's Breeches; others coming up).
on: 2012-03-31 18:28:03
There are huge numbers of Snow Trilliums blooming right now at the site referred to above, along with many hepaticas and a few Dutchman's Breeches and Bloodroots.
on: 2015-04-06 13:29:28
Found about 200-300 plants just south west of Amboy in Blue Earth County, there is a little easement road that runs near the river. Almost all of the plants were in bloom when we stumbled across them on 4/4/2015. Beautiful little plants!
on: 2015-04-13 17:08:51
I spoted a small clump of these yesterday 4/11/15 along a trail in my wooded area north of the house. Never saw these before..i have larger trillium that bloom later in the spring, but not in that particular area
on: 2015-04-20 19:37:16
Can you (or Aimee D.) tell me where the snow trillium colony picture was taken? It says near the MN River, in northern Brown County, but I'd like more specifics. Don't want to wait till next year to see them. Thanks. Julie
on: 2015-04-21 06:38:49
Sorry, Julie, but we don't like to broadcast specific location information for rare plants since there is too great a risk to put them in jeopardy. Besides, it's probably already too late to see them there this year.
on: 2016-04-09 16:08:49
Several snow trillium were blooming on April 5. Fascinating to see.
on: 2017-05-04 08:31:08
I have photo documentation of snow trillium in the MN River Valley, in Bloomington, along a spring-fed stream. Growing with other unique species including yellow trout lily, wood anemone, rue anemone, bloodroot, dutchman's breeches, hepatica, and sugar maple. This vegetation re-occurs along each spring-fed stream, which were also winter encampments for Native Americans. Since many of these species are quite difficult from seed, (ant dispersed, etc.) and completely out of context (a forest vegetation in the middle of savanna) I am under the assumption this vegetation was planted and maintained by Natives for medicine and food.
on: 2017-05-09 23:10:12
Found a snow Trillium in our backyard near a pond/wet land in the woods How do they reproduce?
on: 2018-04-24 13:03:42
Found a few popping at 7 mile creek park off 169. Seems to be a bit later than last year.
on: 2018-04-30 10:58:46
We found these for the first time April 29, 2018. There are quite a few (hundreds) in this area but are somewhat threatened as lots are being sold and houses built in these woods.
on: 2018-05-20 09:55:00
Found these flowers (May 19-20) deep in the woods while out turkey hunting. Area is private land about 8 miles west of the St Croix River. Didn't know what they were until I searched on this website.
on: 2018-05-20 12:06:28
Kari, what you found was not snow trillium, but Trillium grandiflorum, large-flowered trillium. This year snow trillium was blooming about a month ago, and if you check the distribution map you'll see it isn't found as far north as Sunrise Township. Large-flowered trillium is very common in that area. Compare the leaves and you'll see the difference right away.
on: 2019-04-17 19:59:55
I have a patch of these plants on my property that has expanded from an area about 10 feet across to 30 feet in the last few years. This is located in a dense young sugar maple bush on a south facing slope of a lake. The little white flowers are blooming up through the snow this Spring!
on: 2019-04-27 07:56:38
Lots of snow trillium blooming just past their peak as the later trilliums are starting to bud.
on: 2019-04-29 20:19:16
Found the snow trillium blooming today (4-29-19) at the Hasting SNA along with Dutchmen's Britches, wild ginger, and sharp-lobed hepatica.
on: 2020-04-04 02:15:46
About 15 years ago there were lovely patches on private property in wooded ravines in the heart of the city of Jackson . Also in 2007 they carpeted certain areas of private and public land along the Cottonwood River in Lyon County.
on: 2020-04-06 17:07:34
Spotted Snow trillium popping up all over in the Root River Valley today. My first encounter with them.
on: 2020-04-09 13:17:44
I've been noticing these where we collect maple sap along the Maple River just south of Mankato. Last year they were blooming on March 28th. This year March 29th.
on: 2020-04-10 10:50:16
There is a nice colony in the Minnesota River Valley.
on: 2020-04-22 21:02:28
Today the Trillium were the dominant wildflower blooming in Root River Park south of Rochester.
on: 2020-04-22 21:25:01
Saw today when out for a walk. North facing slope. Maple/basswood forest type.
on: 2020-05-24 17:54:13
Just two of them, alongside a woodland trail.
on: 2020-05-25 07:38:30
Patricia, if you look at the distribution map, you'll see snow trillium has a limited range in the southern part of the state. It also blooms in April and would be long done by late May. What you undoubtedly saw was Trillium grandiflorum, large-flowered trillium, a common woodland species found in much of Minnesota, including the Duluth area.
on: 2021-04-04 21:02:28
We have clusters of snow trillium in our east facing ravine. It's the smaller flowering specie, so I'm sure it's snow trillium and not the large-flower trillium. It's in full bloom today.
on: 2021-04-05 08:44:00
Cynthia, if it's blooming in early April, it can only be snow trillium. Lucky you!
on: 2021-04-06 21:56:38
A nice young man told us about this, we've never seen it, so pretty excited, he told us where to look for it, and after trying but not succeeding we bumped into him again, opposite direction, he gave us better directions and we were successful. So tiny, and not a whole lot of them, so pleased to see them. The flower is quite the same as grandiflora, but the leaves and the plant itself was so much smaller, and earlier. Thanks to him. He may be an above mentioned person. Love spring, and it's ephemeral beauties.
on: 2021-04-16 22:51:10
My wife and I saw snow trillium for the time on 4-5-21 on a walk at 7 mile. We recognized them as trillium but didn't know what kind.
on: 2022-04-20 20:02:24
4-19-22 saw quite a few and took pictures
on: 2022-04-21 14:13:31
Seen many blooming (4/21/22) on the hillside of the Root River Park. Only wildflower I saw in full bloom there so far this spring.
on: 2022-05-04 22:42:47
These small trilliums are blooming along the Cedar Bog Lake lowlands trail.