bent trillium

Trillium flexipes (bent trillium) has long-blooming, creamy white flowers on bent pedicels with a single whorl of medium-green leaves. Trilliums are ephemeral woodland plants that are slow to develop and grow from seed but will spread by rhizomes to form colonies. The genus name comes from the Latin word for three because all of the plant parts of trillium occur in triplet. The seeds have a fatty structure attached (elaiosome) that attracts many ant species. They provide a food source for the ants while the ants provide a seed dispersal mechanism for the Trillium. This plant was used by Native Americans for a wide range of medical treatments but may be mildly toxic if ingested. Numerous native trillium species are Exploitably Vulnerable or Endangered in many states so it is important to buy these plants from reputable nurseries rather than collect them from the wild.