Trillium grandiflorum (Large-flowered Trillium)
| Also known as: | White Trillium, Snow Trillium, White Wake Robin |
|---|---|
| Genus: | Trillium |
| Family: | Melanthiaceae (Trillium) |
| Life cycle: | perennial |
| Origin: | native |
| Habitat: | part shade, shade; rich woods |
| Bloom season: | May - June |
| Plant height: | 8 to 18 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 flowers]](/udata/r9ndp23q/white/large-flowered-trillium_0523_095920.jpg)
Flower is 2 to 3 inches across, 3 white petals, usually with ruffled or wavy edges, and a pointed tip. The petal width varies greatly, from relatively narrow to almost as wide as long. In the center is a group of several yellow stamens. There are 3 green sepals that are shorter and narrower than the petals. Each plant has a single flower at the end of a 2 to 3 inch stalk that rises above the leaves. The flowers turn rosy pink with age.
Leaves:
![[photo of leaves]](/udata/r9ndp23q/white/large-flowered-trillium-100_4618.jpg)
A single whorl of 3 leaves is at the top of the stem. Leaves are 3 to 6 inches long and wide, generally oval to egg-shaped with a sharply pointed tip and tapering slightly at the base. Deep veins radiate from the base of the leaf.
Notes:
Large-flowered Trillium is the largest Trillium in Minnesota. It is long-lived but slow to mature—it can be several years between the time seed is germinated and the first flower blooms. The seeds are mostly spread by ants, which take the fruit to their underground homes, eat the fruit flesh and leave the seed behind. 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
Large-flowered Trillium plants
pink flowered plant
view from the side
a colony of Large-flowered Trillium
flower with broad petals
garden grown Large-flowered Trillium
Large-flowered Trillium plants
pink flowered plant
view from the side
a colony of Large-flowered Trillium
flower with broad petals
garden grown Large-flowered TrilliumPhotos by K. Chayka taken at Wild River State Park, Chisago County. Photos courtesy Peter M. Dziuk taken in a private garden in Anoka County.
Comments
Have you seen this plant in Minnesota, or have any other comments about it?
on: 2009-05-09 18:06:07
I live along the Grindstone river in Hinckley Minnesota. These are plentiful along the river bank and surrounding woods.
on: 2009-05-24 12:47:39
I live in Wadena County of NW- MN the flowers cover the woods surrounding my home.
on: 2009-06-08 09:53:28
I have these in my backyard in New Market Township, MN
on: 2010-06-02 09:53:09
I found these beautiful flowers in the woods by our house, could be at least 50 plants.
on: 2010-09-07 14:33:05
I have seen large swathes of these flowers in the ditches and semi-open woods along Hwy 169 by Aitkin, MN.
on: 2011-05-17 15:31:26
These beautiful flowers grow all over around my house and the surrounding area.
on: 2011-05-20 19:50:19
We were 4 wheeling on the soo line and in Milacs and there were several of these flowers
on: 2012-05-19 13:24:54
I live in Hill City and they are everywhere in the woods around my townhome. Both the white and purple. They are just beautiful!!
on: 2013-06-07 13:44:14
In the woods by the cabin in Pine County, Trillium are now plentiful, and this is the first year we see them almost everywhere. With the cool spring, this is also the first time they've stayed around for almost a month, giving the white blooms the time to change to pinks and purples.
on: 2013-08-19 21:42:49
Trillium grandiflorum is abundant around Lake Mille Lacs and my cabin on the south end of the lake. I've taken many pictures of this beautiful flower.
on: 2014-06-09 13:01:14
I found one in the woods next to our new cabin. Very beautiful. Would love to know if there's some way to help propagate them
on: 2014-09-03 13:26:31
We have quite a few of these growing through the woods here. The variety that I have seen have the flower under the leaves and the petals are curled back towards the stem. They also produce large clusters of red/orange berries at the start of September.
on: 2015-05-09 22:41:55
I have about 7 or 8 separate clumps growing beautifully in my backyard by the CR Dam.
on: 2015-05-13 13:26:54
This was my first time seeing this beautiful flower! I have been keeping my eyes peeled, and all of a sudden this last Saturday my eyes connected with a beautiful minor sea of these beauties!
on: 2015-06-07 22:36:29
I have many of these in the woods behind my house. They are many that are about 18 to 20 inches high.
on: 2016-05-03 20:56:13
I found this last summer in the deep pine straw mulch lining my driveway. My home is in NE proper but is on 1/2 acre and the mulch is under 11 40'-60' red pines. Haven't seen it bloom yet though.
on: 2016-05-15 13:30:30
Growing wild in my backyard.
on: 2017-05-02 20:58:09
I found 10 or so plants in my woods--one is getting ready to bloom! :)
on: 2017-05-21 17:31:03
They have been along the road to our cabin. More and more each year.
on: 2017-05-25 04:58:31
They are all over in the woods of northern Wisconsin.
on: 2017-05-28 11:55:36
Plentiful along Lake Mille Lacs wooded shoreline. Bloomed 28th May in 2017.
on: 2017-05-29 14:02:03
Beautiful white/pink blooms in a number of locations at their prime
on: 2018-03-05 10:54:49
I found a couple of these hidden in a tiny area behind my garage! I attempted to transplant one to a shady part of my garden... but I'm afraid that it didn't survive.
on: 2018-05-22 14:46:13
We just noticed these in a shady area of our yard for the first time. Very pretty; I hope they spread!
on: 2018-05-29 15:29:25
I saw few of them just along the trail. So pretty, I do have a great picture of one.
on: 2018-07-20 15:07:49
I have had these large trilliums for the last 35 year's in my yard and in my woods.
on: 2019-05-13 19:13:34
We just moved into a new house this winter and now that it's spring we have tons of trilliums blooming in our front yard, what a nice surprise!
on: 2019-05-15 18:55:00
The wooded areas of this rest area had hundreds today!!
on: 2019-05-17 11:18:37
Transplanted a peony from my grandparents garden a couple falls ago, and was pleasantly surprised to find a trillium blooming near it this spring!
on: 2019-05-21 23:04:12
"Trillions of Trilliums" at Pine Grove Park in LIttle Falls!
on: 2019-06-11 07:46:58
We see them lining the Munger Trail between Duluth and Carlton!
on: 2020-05-08 12:26:48
Single trillium discovered in my backyard woods this spring. First trillium I am aware of in 34 years at this address.
on: 2020-05-19 16:03:30
These trillium practically carpet the slopes along the Sandstone trail at Interstate State Park. Lovely! Such a great trail for spring wildflowers.
on: 2020-05-22 16:33:10
Found my first pair of them this morning. Just caught a glance in the brush and took a couple pics. Someone said they're endangered, is that true? Maybe wild ones?
on: 2020-05-22 18:43:34
Richard, this trillium is pretty common in Minnesota (see the distribution map), so no, it's not endangered. Snow trillium is the rarest one in Minnesota, but not endangered either.
on: 2020-05-23 19:09:08
I moved to Dayton 40 years ago and these trillium were growing in the front of my house in a little garden. They still are going strong. They do not spread, they are like three large plants. With them are two other plants that don't spread. The flower is much smaller and bell shaped, and the leaves have like five scalloped edges. I haven't found them yet.
on: 2020-05-24 21:52:04
I found a large trillium in the ditch on a dirt road. I had never seen one before.
on: 2021-05-16 21:27:06
We have many of these of the white and pink variety
on: 2022-05-14 21:22:41
Saw them today-5/14/22 - quite a patch of them. I took some pictures.
on: 2022-05-25 12:23:19
I have one plant on my wooded backyard hill that has been there for >15 years, and another very small single plant that showed up a couple years ago. No others. I look for them every year.
on: 2022-06-08 15:02:03
If you Hike up past the Devils kettle at Judge Magney State Park there is a largish patch.
on: 2023-05-09 11:58:48
I saw a couple of these flowers on the trail we hiked near the river.
on: 2023-06-12 17:00:43
I understand the showy white trillium morphs to shades of pink and lavendar as it dies away, but I'm seeing some deep rose and dark lavendar flowers now. Are these the same, or a different varietal? June 11th and the white masses are no more. Not finding clear info anywhere. Would appreciate photos of this trillium's stages here.
on: 2023-06-12 17:09:07
Judy, there are no varieties of this species so consider those colors to be natural variations that might be affected by environmental conditions.
on: 2023-08-21 16:10:29
I have white and apparently red Trillium? The whites are everywhere on land I have, this year I found two with large red lantern type seed pods. Also called Hanging Trillium from what I found.
on: 2023-08-21 16:54:19
Doug, all of Minnesota's native trilliums have white flowers, though large-flowered trillium does turn pink as the flower fades. There are some dark red flowered natives to our south and east and some are available in the garden trade. The color of the fruit is not indicative of the flower color.
on: 2023-11-29 09:35:07
This plant has never been recorded in Marshall County. However, we have a very large natural population on our property near the Old Mill state park. I will be working with a local SNA representative in the spring to get them officially confirmed and some specimens collected to send to the herbarium.
on: 2024-04-13 15:55:18
When I see those pictures of giant patches of GW trillium, I wonder, do they spread mostly by seed or root offshoots?
on: 2024-04-13 16:42:56
Paul, this species spreads vegetatively and by seed.
on: 2024-04-24 08:00:58
Having a cabin on Trillium Lake, we see this flower growing mostly in the wooded areas of the lake lot. They bloom in late spring into mid summer.