PlantFiles: Wakerobin, Stinking Benjamin
Trillium erectum

For those of us who live in alkaline or neutral regions, this species, Trillium erectum, which is often sold second only to Trillium grandiflorum in volume of trillium sold, is much more difficult to grow as T. erectum loves acidic soil. My grandma which have clay soil near a big old crabapple (now sadly dying) have a good size patch of it while in my yard many attempts to introduce them, includes even under evergreen trees had failed - the last planting have a few plants surived - they were almost unnoticed because they have white petals but a closer look last year confirms them to be T. erectum due to their smaller petals and darker flower center. I have never found a red one yet.

Edited Late May 2008: I have three huge trillium that after they opened their buds (I thought they were nodding trillum because of their leaf shapes) opened to reveal that they are red trillium! The smell of the flowers is just interesting not unpleasured - more like some kind of wine mixed with some kind of fermented fruit.

The flowers and the size of the plant vary over a large range as some of the pictures to the left had already shown - Author Case said that the longer petal forms tend to be part of its northern range while the smaller petals are the southern part of its range. They are not native to Minnesota. I also have the creamy white form which almost look like a separate species from the maroon form - the leaves are narrower and the petals are longer than the maroon form.

Very common to find this plant in the woods near my house in Vermont. Lovely flower but relatively brief bloom time in spring.

A true plant for the shade woodland garden. It will self-sow very slowly because it takes 7 years from seed germination to a mature flowering plant, loves rich, acid soil.

This is wild in my mother-in-law's back yard. It's intermingled with the myrtle and a few plants pop up every year.

I have found this in my shady back yard in Redford, MI

This is one of the most common trillium species on the eastern coast and can be found growing wild in moist, rich woods. The common name "Stinking Benjamin" refers to the foul odor of the flower which attracts carrion flies for pollination. Seeds develop inside a red, oval berry in late summer and early fall.