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Trillium luteum (Wood Lily)

Yellow Wood Trillium, Trillium sessile var. luteum, Wood Lily, Yellow Trillium

AGM Award
Trillium Luteum, Yellow Wood Trillium, Trillium sessile var. luteum, Wood Lily, Yellow Trillium, yellow flowers, fragrant flowers, fragrant perennials

Native primarily to the southeastern and midsouth U.S., Trillium luteum (Wood Lily) is a graceful perennial boasting slightly lemon-scented, canary yellow flowers with narrow, upright petals, 2-3 in. long (5-7 cm). Blooming in mid-late spring, they rise atop the center of a three-leaf whorl of lanceolate to rounded, dark green leaves often beautifully mottled with pale silvery-green. Trilliums go dormant in summer and will reappear the following spring.

  • Recipient of the prestigious Award of Garden Merit of the Royal Horticultural Society
  • This clump-forming perennial grows up to 12-18 in. high and wide (30-45 cm) and will spread slowly if left undisturbed.
  • Performs best in part shade or full shade, in rich, humusy, medium moisture, well-drained soils. Needs regular watering
  • Excellent when massed in a shaded woodland garden, naturalized area, or wildflower garden.
  • Because trilliums go dormant by midsummer, pair them with other shade-loving perennials that will look good the rest of the gardening season and share their place until they reappear the following spring.
  • Generally disease free, this plant requires little maintenance. Watch out for slugs and snails.
  • The best time for planting is late summer or early fall as it gives the rhizomes time to establish good root systems before the following growing season.
  • Propagate by seed in pots in a shady cold frame as soon as the seed is ripe; takes 5-7 years to reach flowering size. Propagate rhizomes by division after flowering

Requirements

Hardiness 4 - 8
Heat Zones 1 - 8
Climate Zones 1, 2, 2B, 3, 4, 5, 6
Plant Type Perennials
Plant Family Melanthiaceae
Genus Trillium
Common names Wake Robin, Wood Lily
Exposure Partial Sun, Shade
Season of Interest Spring (Mid, Late)
Height 1' - 2'
(30cm - 60cm)
Spread 1' - 2'
(30cm - 60cm)
Spacing 12" - 18"
(30cm - 50cm)
Maintenance Low
Water Needs Average
Soil Type Chalk, Loam, Sand
Soil pH Acid, Neutral
Soil Drainage Moist but Well-Drained, Well-Drained
Characteristics Fragrant, Plant of Merit, Showy
Native Plants United States, Southeast, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, Kentucky
Tolerance Full Shade
Garden Uses Beds And Borders, Underplanting Roses And Shrubs
Garden Styles Prairie and Meadow, Informal and Cottage
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Alternative Plants to Consider

Trillium ovatum (Western Trillium)
Trillium erectum (Red Trillium)
Trillium grandiflorum (White Trillium)
Trillium grandiflorum f. roseum (Pink Trillium)
Trillium recurvatum (Prairie Trillium)
Trillium sessile (Toadshade)

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Trillium
While every effort has been made to describe these plants accurately, please keep in mind that height, bloom time, and color may differ in various climates. The description of these plants has been written based on numerous outside resources.
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Requirements

Hardiness 4 - 8
Heat Zones 1 - 8
Climate Zones 1, 2, 2B, 3, 4, 5, 6
Plant Type Perennials
Plant Family Melanthiaceae
Genus Trillium
Common names Wake Robin, Wood Lily
Exposure Partial Sun, Shade
Season of Interest Spring (Mid, Late)
Height 1' - 2'
(30cm - 60cm)
Spread 1' - 2'
(30cm - 60cm)
Spacing 12" - 18"
(30cm - 50cm)
Maintenance Low
Water Needs Average
Soil Type Chalk, Loam, Sand
Soil pH Acid, Neutral
Soil Drainage Moist but Well-Drained, Well-Drained
Characteristics Fragrant, Plant of Merit, Showy
Native Plants United States, Southeast, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, Kentucky
Tolerance Full Shade
Garden Uses Beds And Borders, Underplanting Roses And Shrubs
Garden Styles Prairie and Meadow, Informal and Cottage
How Many Plants
Do I Need?
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Compare Now

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