Plant Encyclopedia

Other Names:  Prairie Wake Robin

Description:

A graceful woodland perennial featuring leaves, petals, and sepals that come in groups of three; brownish-purple flowers emerge above pointed, rounded dark green foliage with light green spots; a great accent plant for naturalized areas or shaded gardens

Ornamental Features

Prairie Trillium features unusual lightly-scented brown star-shaped flowers with red overtones and dark brown veins at the ends of the stems from early to mid spring. Its attractive oval leaves remain forest green in color with distinctive light green spots throughout the season.

Landscape Attributes

Prairie Trillium is an open herbaceous perennial with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other garden plants with less refined foliage.

This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and should not require much pruning, except when necessary, such as to remove dieback. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Prairie Trillium is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• General Garden Use
• Naturalizing And Woodland Gardens

Planting & Growing

Prairie Trillium will grow to be about 16 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 12 inches. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 10 inches apart. Its foliage tends to remain dense right to the ground, not requiring facer plants in front. It grows at a slow rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 10 years. As an herbaceous perennial, this plant will usually die back to the crown each winter, and will regrow from the base each spring. Be careful not to disturb the crown in late winter when it may not be readily seen! As this plant tends to go dormant in summer, it is best interplanted with late-season bloomers to hide the dying foliage.

This plant does best in partial shade to shade. It prefers to grow in average to moist conditions, and shouldn't be allowed to dry out. This plant does not require much in the way of fertilizing once established. It is not particular as to soil pH, but grows best in rich soils. It is quite intolerant of urban pollution, therefore inner city or urban streetside plantings are best avoided, and will benefit from being planted in a relatively sheltered location. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone in both summer and winter to conserve soil moisture and protect it in exposed locations or colder microclimates. This species is native to parts of North America. It can be propagated by division.