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Purple Trillium
Purple Trillium botanical plate
Field guide plate · click to zoom

Purple Trillium

Trillium erectum
In the United States: Native · also called Red Trillium, Wake-robin, Stinking Benjamin, Birthroot

Trillium erectum provides minimal nectar to honeybees, with foraging primarily for pollen during its brief spring bloom, though it mainly attracts flies via a fetid odor. Peak bloom aligns with early woodland emergence in temperate climates, offering short-term support to early-season foragers. As a slow-growing rhizomatous perennial, it requires moist, humus-rich soil and is vulnerable to deer browsing, necessitating protective measures in cultivated settings.

Nectarlow
Pollenlow
Bloom (US) April–May
TypePerennial
Sunshade
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