Trillium 2009

[Rodger Whitlock]

Found quietly flowering under a labiate, T.pusillum......?

AFAIK, there are only 4 really dwarf species of trillium: Tt. nivale, rivale, pusillum, and "hibbersonii". Each is easily distinguished from the others without resorting to a botanical key. Yours could be either T. pusillum or T. hibbersonii, but it looks much too tall to be T. hibbersonii.

HOWEVER: (there's always a "however") Trilliums vary in size depending on age and conditions and you could have merely a dwarfed T. ovatum or T. grandiflorum.

Footnote: "Hibbersonii" in quotes because the only valid publication of the name is as a forma of T. ovatum. Geraldine Allen, a biology professor at the University of Victoria who is *the* expert on Erythronium (and has named a couple of species), once told me that she'd seen T. ovatum in the Selkirk Mountains of BC that were comparable in size to T. "hibbersonii",which lends support to the idea that it's a form of T. ovatum. This statement aroused the ire of a local trillium lover who claimed dogmatically that T. ovatum doesn't occur in the Selkirks, leading to a rather pitched argument, but I think a first hand account of a professional biologist has to trump mere opinion.

[annew]

Ouch, Rodger! The 'mere opinion' was from a trillium lover who is maybe more familiar with the local trilliums than an erythronium specialist who happens to be a professional biologist. As one of the latter I can say that it is always wise to take local knowledge into account.

[Anthony Darby]

Speaking of varying in....? Here are some that have troubled me over the years. Firstly two labelled "not vaseyi" that were sent together as two vaseyi 'seedlings' (note the mould on the first pic); next sulcatum I think, showing frost damage to leaves? Then one sent as erectum and finally the real vaseyi.

[Guff]

Hristo, this is what I have Trillium Pusillum "Roadrunner".

[Robin Callens]

Hi all,

Here are some pics of the last Trilliums to flower in our garden:

1) T. flexipes
2) T. rugelii
3) T. discolor
4) T. luteum
5) T. vaseyi

Robin

[Paul T]

Very nice, Robin.  I love that rugelli and the wonderful yellow luteum.  So nice!!  Thanks for sharing the pics.

[gote]

Trillium naming is a real problem This one I got as grandiflorum 'Snow Bunting' I think it is correct
Cheers
Göte

[Paul T]

Oh Göte, isn't it just so perfect.  I so hope to see one of these in real life one day..... they look so perfect in pictures.

[annew]

From the sublime to the ridiculous - any ideas what it wrong with these T. grandiflorum? Quite a few of my seedlings are showing the same problem. They were all potted up last year.

[Paul T]

Anne,

Usually, green veinings with necrosis between indicates iron deficiency, often a symptom of overfertilising (which lowers the pH and locks away the iron from availability to the plant).  But I think there are likely other less common reasons for you Trillium symptoms as well?

[Lesley Cox]

Your 'Snow Bunting' IS correct Gote. Quite distinctive with one flower superimposed on the next, then the next, etc. I've rarely seen a better example illustrating this point.

[gote]

Your 'Snow Bunting' IS correct Gote. Quite distinctive with one flower superimposed on the next, then the next, etc. I've rarely seen a better example illustrating this point.

Thank you Lesley. A confirmation is always very welcome.
Göte
PS
The supplier has sold me a few wrongly named items during the years 

[gote]

Anne,

Usually, green veinings with necrosis between indicates iron deficiency, often a symptom of overfertilising (which lowers the pH and locks away the iron from availability to the plant).  But I think there are likely other less common reasons for you Trillium symptoms as well?

You mean higher pH do you not??
Göte

[annew]

It will be interesting to see if they are normal next season then. Thanks, Paul.

[Paul T]

Göte,

I mean that the soil becomes more acid with high fertilising, so the pH number drops lower (Neutral is around 7, I think from memory the iron starts getting locked away around about 5 or so?  Not entirely sure without looking it up).  I have always thought of that as lowering the pH, but maybe it is different for different countries in their colloquial usage?