Trilliums for a windy spot?

[Tristan_He]

Hi All,

I am a fan of Trilliums but have a pretty unsuitable garden. It's in N Wales with a generally SW aspect and little 'real' shade (i.e. really leafy spots) though quite a bit of shade from shrubs and small trees. I've tried a few Trilliums before but the growth habit does not really lend itself to our situation - sooner or later we generally get a summer storm that seriously damages the stems and / or foliage. Slugs are also a problem but there are ways and means...

I do have a plant of T. grandiflorum in the lee of a medium-sized Rhododendron that was planted out last year and is emerging well this (even seems to have put on weight). I've also got hold of two dwarf species, T. rivale and T. ovatum var, hibbersonii which I hope will be wind-resistant by virtue of their small size.

Are there any other Trilliums that would be worth a try - for example other dwarf forms, or species that will grow in open situations as well as woodlands?

Thanks, Tristan

[Maggi Young]

Here in Aberdeen we find that all the Trillium  except the  shortest are very  susceptible to damage by wind. And this in a garden which is quite sheltered.  Any wind can shred the emerging foliage or mature leaves of the larger species. Some years we're lucky!

[Tristan_He]

I suspected this might be the case Maggi. They do seem to be quite hardcore woodlanders. 

[Gabriela]

I suspected this might be the case Maggi. They do seem to be quite hardcore woodlanders. 

Not all of them; do not give up and also try Trillium nivale. Besides being small, look what conditions he enjoys - from Flora of NA:
"Forested, limestone-derived soils, alkaline glacial drift or loess, creeping soils at head of ledges, talus of cliff bases, crevices in limestone cliffs, gravelly deposits on higher floodplain riverbanks; 100--300 m; Ill., Ind., Iowa, Ky., Md., Mich., Minn., Mo., Nebr., Ohio, Pa., S.Dak., W.Va., Wis.
Trillium nivale occurs primarily at the southern edge of Pleistocene glaciation and shuns humus, leaf deposits, and much plant competition.”

[Rick R.]

Definitely Trillium nivale.  Yesterday we had winds so strong that I saw a telephone pole snapped, and just today I went out to look at them in the wild here in Minnesota, USA. They are still just fine, and even the petals are unscathed.  Still very windy out, and I couldn't get nice clear pics because even these short, stout stems never stop moving.  Here they grow on limestone outcrops with a thin humus soil and a summer tree canopy of shade.

[Maggi Young]

Yes, as I said  the little ones are stronger in relation to weather resistance -  it is  possible to source seed of T. rivale  reasonably easily - and sometime hibbersonii too - but  getting seed of T. nivale is  akin to seeking baby unicorns - and in the UK, for instance,  if one manages to find any nursery with them in stock one can expect to pay at least £12 each - not a very likely circumstance for most folk!

[Gabriela]

Too bad it's not mentioned growing anywhere in Ontario - I like it very much. Not that you could have seen it today, after 20 cm of snow!

Yes, as I said  the little ones are stronger in relation to weather resistance -  it is  possible to source seed of T. rivale  reasonably easily - and sometime hibbersonii too - but  getting seed of T. nivale is  akin to seeking baby unicorns - and in the UK, for instance,  if one manages to find any nursery with them in stock one can expect to pay at least £12 each - not a very likely circumstance for most folk!

I didn't know about this but it can be explained by the facts that - wild populations are scarce/rare in US so seed collecting is not advisable, and then it doesn't clump like other Trilliums; I can tell from my personal nursery experience.
I had plans to buy a couple for my garden this spring, but given this problem I will try to find more. More seeds available from garden cultivated plants is the only solution. And I will call them 'baby unicorns' 

[Darren]

After years of diligence I managed to get two clones of T.nivale, both divisions from show winners and offered for sale on the members plant stall at shows. One clumps well and the other is slower. I had to let someone down last year after mice ate the developing pods but if seed matures this year I will do my best to help you all out. My only condition is that you do likewise once your plants flower. There might be a couple of almost flowering size seedlings spare as well.

[Tristan_He]

Thanks Gabriela and Rick. I'll try to track some of these 'baby unicorns' down.

Darren, that's a very generous offer and I'd be delighted to try some seed - pm me if you have any spare.

Maggi, £12 is quite a bit. But then have you seen the prices of some of the Japanese Hepaticas?

[Leena]

I had plans to buy a couple for my garden this spring, but given this problem I will try to find more. More seeds available from garden cultivated plants is the only solution.

I hope you succeed.
I will join the queue for T.rivale seeds.

[Maggi Young]

Maggi, £12 is quite a bit. But then have you seen the prices of some of the Japanese Hepaticas?

Even more people  are not able to afford those!

[annew]

Thanks Gabriela and Rick. I'll try to track some of these 'baby unicorns' down.

Darren, that's a very generous offer and I'd be delighted to try some seed - pm me if you have any spare.

Maggi, £12 is quite a bit. But then have you seen the prices of some of the Japanese Hepaticas?

And don't mention snowdrops!