Georgia Trillium

Trillium georgianum

The species formerly known as Trillium pusillum was renamed in 2017 to Trillium georgianum. It was recognized for being genetically and physically unique from other similar dwarf trillium and it only occurs in one place in the wild, Georgia’s Whitfield County.

Georgia Trillium is an endangered perennial herb with erect stems and 3 petaled white flowers with wavy edges and it blooms in the spring. It thrives in seasonally wet swamps with calcium-rich, clay soils and takes 5 – 7 years to produce the first flowering stalk. Once mature, it can be very long- lived, perhaps living hundreds of years, since the rhizome continues to lengthen and produce shoots on one end, while the other end decays. But it’s habitat is being destroyed by logging and clearing in floodplain forests. It is also in competition from exotic pest plants for habitat space.

 

 

The State Botanical Garden of Georgia Mimsie Lanier Center for Native Plant Studies is working with this plant and has reintroduced it into new Georgia sites to preserve and grow the population. Find out more about what is happening at the State Botanical Garden of Georgia to Preserve Georgia’s Imperiled Native Species and how you can help.