Trillium 2021

[Herman Mylemans]

In 2003, I planted Trillium hibbersonii in humus rich soil, in shade, it stayed alive till 2012. But it always stayed one plant, there were some seedlings in 2013. But at the moment everything is lost. Maybe is the solution gritty poor soil.
Trillium undulatum is also a very difficult one to keep alive.

[ashley]

My T. hibbersonii, from seed sown in about 2008, is also in fairly humus-rich soil. 
In all that time individual plants have not bulked up although they slowly multiply by seed.

[Diane Whitehead]

It grows very slowly from seed. 

Here are seedlings from seed I sowed last June 22.  They germinated September 1 and grew though the winter in my cold greenhouse.  This photo was taken today, and you can see they can be measured in millimetres.

[ashley]

Even after another year (sown 6/2019) they're still tiny, and all too easy to lose in the garden.
Your pink plant is lovely Diane, and it's very impressive to see how well it has multiplied. 
Clearly my conditions are not ideal yet.   However if ever you have seed to spare I'd love to try some.

[GordonT]

Trillium undulatum is also a very difficult one to keep alive.

Herman, Trillium undulatum is a native species here, and to date, I have found it growing under coniferous forests, with deep, humus rich, mossy soil. Companion plants growing in the same area are Cypripedium acaule, Epigaea repens, and Clintonia borealis. The forest floor stays fairly moist and cool in this environment. I now have a densely planted pot of T.undulatum seedlings that I hope to plant in the forested portion of our property.

Oddly I have never been able to successfully germinate seed of Trillium rivale, in spite of several attempts, and have yet to try Trillium hibbersonii. My small collection includes T chloropetalum, T cuneatum, T. erectum, T. grandiflorum, T. luteum, T. ovatum, and T. recurvatum.

[johnw]

GordonT  - My southern land here in Nova Scoitia is covered in T. undulatum.  They are almost impossibles to dig, you dig down sometimes 30cm through moist or dry duff through an entanglement of tree roots and find nothing but a ridiculously long Trillium stem.  The bulb itself is sitting atop wet mud, roots often covering the mud or deep down.  They grow in sun to partial sun due to the wetter climate and the fog belt, not so many in shade.  A stinker to place properly so better to grow by seed and let them do their own thing.

johnw

[Herman Mylemans]

Thank you all for the interesting information.

I think I may conclude:

Trillium hibbersonii in poor gritty sandy soil in shade and no fertilizer. Maybe only some potassium.

Trillium undulatum in very humus acid moist soil in sunny position during flowering time. Never transplanting them.
Compost from coniferous trees.

I will try to find some seeds and see what the future will bring.

[Herman Mylemans]

Trillium sessile, the true form.

[Herman Mylemans]

Trillium kurabayashii from yellow parents. Perhaps the next generation will again give yellow flowers.

[Rick R.]

I am wondering if there are some soil flora associations that come into play with "difficult" trilliums.  For instance, the types of fungi and and other soil organisms (that includes mycorrhizae) are very different in the duff under pines versus arborvitae versus various deciduous trees, etc.

[ashley]

I agree Rick, and suspect that fungal associations are very important, even crucial.

[Claire Cockcroft]

Trillium pusillum is fully open and Pseudotrillium clumps are still going strong.



 

[Claire Cockcroft]

Ipheon uniflorum teamed up with Pseudotrillium rivale and a narcissus.

[Herman Mylemans]

Trillium pusillum is fully open

Claire, your pusillum has beautiful undulate petals. Does all your pusillums have that or is this a special form.

[Claire Cockcroft]

Hi, Herman,
All my Trillium pusillum have wavy petal edges.  While I've never spotted seed pods on this clump, three seedling groups have appeared and all have wavy petal edges.