Trillium simile Gleason. Common name: Sweet White Trillium. Phenology: (Late Jan-) Mar-early May; Jun-Jul. Habitat: Very rich soils of slopes and coves over mafic or calcareous rocks, often also in or near seepage. Distribution: A Southern Appalachian endemic: Blue Ridge and uppermost Piedmont of w. NC, nw. SC, e. TN, and n. GA.
ID notes: Petals white or very rarely maroon.
Origin/Endemic status: Endemic
Synonymy ⓘ: = FNA26, K4, NS, POWO, S, Tn, W, Case & Case (1997), Floden & Knapp (2023), Patrick (1986), Patrick (2007); < Trillium erectum L. var. vaseyi (Harb.) H.E.Ahles — RAB. Basionym: Trillium simile Gleason 1906
Links to other floras: = Trillium simile - FNA26
Show parent genus | Show parent in key(s)
Heliophily ⓘ: 2
Hover over a shape, letter, icon, or arrow on the map for definition or see the legend.
© Alan Cressler: Trillium simile, Noontootla Creek Gorge, Ed Jenkins National Recreation Area, Chattahoochee National Forest, Fannin County, Georgia 1 by Alan Cressler source | Original Image ⭷
© Keith Bradley | Original Image ⭷
© Richard & Teresa Ware CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
© Will Stuart | Original Image ⭷
© Alan Cressler: Trillium simile, Noontootla Creek Gorge, Ed Jenkins National Recreation Area, Chattahoochee National Forest, Fannin County, Georgia 4 by Alan Cressler source | Original Image ⭷
© Richard & Teresa Ware CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
© Richard & Teresa Ware CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷Feedback
See something missing or incorrect about Trillium simile? Let us know here:
- Please include your name and if possible, email in case when need to clarify what you wrote.
- If you opt out of including email, please be as specific as possible (e.g., which photo is incorrect?)
- Please do not submit questions asking to identify plants or about horticultural topics (e.g., how do I control an invasive plant in my garden?). Instead, those questions can be submitted here for the Carolinas region only.
- Please do not send us feedback about unkeyed species as this work is ongoing.
- Please allow time for flora edits to show in our next data release. We greatly appreciate your feedback but may require extra time to research complicated taxonomic issues.
Horticultural Information
Intro: Erect, rhizomatous perennial found in very rich soils of slopes and coves over mafic or calcareous rocks; often also in or near seepage.
Stems: Stem scape-like, with a single whorl of leaves and flower stalk at the top; smooth.
Leaves: Leaves in a whorl of 3, sessile, roughly diamond-shaped, 4--7 in. long by 4--8 in. wide, solid green, with major veins prominent.
Inforescence:
Flowers: Flower solitary and erect to leaning on a stalk emerging from center of leaf whorl; creamy white; 1 1/2-3 1/2 in. wide; consisting of 3 ascending (not spreading), broadly oval petals with only slightly recurved tips, 3 shorter sepals, and a purplish-black pyramidal ovary surrounded by 6 stamens.
Fruits:
Comments: Flowers have a faint green-apple smell.
Height: 11-23 in.
plant sale text:
bloom table text:
description: Erect, rhizomatous perennial found in very rich soils of slopes and coves over mafic or calcareous rocks; often also in or near seepage.
stems: Stem scape-like, with a single whorl of leaves and flower stalk at the top; smooth.
leaves: Leaves in a whorl of 3, sessile, roughly diamond-shaped, 4--7 in. long by 4--8 in. wide, solid green, with major veins prominent.
inflorescence:
flowers: Flower solitary and erect to leaning on a stalk emerging from center of leaf whorl; creamy white; 1 1/2-3 1/2 in. wide; consisting of 3 ascending (not spreading), broadly oval petals with only slightly recurved tips, 3 shorter sepals, and a purplish-black pyramidal ovary surrounded by 6 stamens.
fruits:
comments: Flowers have a faint green-apple smell.
cultural notes:
germination code:
native range:
0 unsaved edits on this page.