Giant White Trillium
Trillium albidum
False-Hellebore Family (Melanthiaceae)
Native
Key Identifying Characteristics
Early spring flowering plant with three round-tipped leaves that arise from underground rhizomes, three sepals (subtend the petals of a flower), and three petals.
Flower is sessile (has no stalk or peduncle) and attaches directly to the stem. Tissue between pollen sacs (anthers) is white or pale green, which distinguishes it from Giant Trillium where the tissue is purple.
Similar to
Height / Size
Up to 28 inches tall.
Leaves
Three large, rounded to obtuse (not pointed) leaves attach directly to the stem (sessile) and generally have darker green to greenish-brown spots.
Flower
Each stem produces one flower with 3 petals above 3 green sepals. White petals are spear or lance shaped (lanceolate) and tend to stand straight up or lean inward. Tissue between anthers is white or pale green. Generally sweet smelling.
Bloom Time: February to June.
Fruit / Seed
Fruit is ovoid, 6-angled pulpy capsule that is green or purplish.
Insects such as ants primarily disperse Trillium seeds as they have fleshy structures outside of the seed that are rich in lipids and proteins called elaiosomes. This attracts ants, who carry the seed home, remove the elaiosome, and then throw away the seed itself, planting it. It is thought that mule deer may disperse seeds across greater distances.
Habitat
Generally shady moist slopes and ravine banks. Mixed evergreen forest, redwood forest, coastal scrub, chaparral.
Location / Range
Seen on Plaskon Nature Trail, Old Trout Farm Trail, Brooks Creek Trail, Weiler Ranch Road, and Hazelnut Trail. In California found in the Bay Area, North Coast and Klamath Ranges plus Sierra Nevada foothills and High Sierra.
Lifespan
Lives up to 30 to 40 plus years from rhizomes.
Fascinating / Fun Facts
Trilliums have an interesting life cycle that includes a cotyledon (a seed leaf or embryonic leaf) stage, a one leaf stage, a juvenile three leaf stage, a mature three leaf stage, and sometimes three leaf regressive stage with no flower. It takes a plant a minimum of seven years and up to 18 years to reach the flowering or mature stage. Because it takes so long to mature, it is best to never pick a trillium.
Seed-carrying partnership between plants and ants is called myrmecochory. The Giant White Trillium is also known as Giant White Wakerobin or White Toadshade.
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