Catesby's trillium is an herbaceous perennial wildflower in the trillium family (Melanthiaceae) native to the Southeastern USA, including North Carolina. In nature, it can be commonly found in bottomland forests, mesic slopes, and cove forests and is common in the NC Piedmont, and rarer in the mountains and coastal areas. The species epithet honors Mark Catesby, the English naturalist who published Natural History of Carolina, Florida and the Bahama Islands in the first half of the 18th century. This trillium tolerates drier, warmer conditions than other trilliums and is found in acidic soils, often with rhododendrons. Plant in humus-rich well-drained soils in part shade to full shade. The Catesby's Trillium flowers face downward on a curved stem with 3 pink to purple or white recurved petals and 3 green bracts. It is the larval host plant the black-patched clepsis moth ( Clepsis melaleucanus ) and American angle shades moth ( Euplexia benesimilis ). Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No serious problems. Slugs and snails are occasional pests and leaf spot, rust and smut are occasional disease problems. It does not transplant well. More information on Trillium .
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
High Organic Matter
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist
Available space
Less than 12 inches
NC region
Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 0 ft. 8 in. - 1 ft. 6 in. | Width: 0 ft. 6 in. - 1 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Slow
Maintenance
Medium
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous (1-3 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Prostrate
Texture
Medium
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Whorled
Leaf shape
Elliptical
Leaf margin
Entire
Leaf value
Showy
Leaf size
1-3 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
A whorl of three 1.5 to 3 in. elliptical leaves that are actually bracts of the flower on a green to purple stem. The tips are abruptly tapering.
Flower color
Pink; White
Flower value
Showy
Flower form
Solitary
Flower shape
Star
Flower size
1-3 inches
Flower detail
1.5 in. solitary, erect, nodding flower; three white to pale pink to deep rose-colored, sickle-shaped petals and three sepals. In North Carolina, flowers are available from March to June. Pink with a white ovary.
Bloom time
Spring; Summer
Fruit color
Red/Burgundy
Fruit type
Berry; Capsule
Fruit detail
Six sectioned reddish berry-like capsule up to 1.25 inches with small brown seeds each with a protein-rich fleshy elaiosome attached to attract ants to disperse the seed.
Stem color
Green; Purple/Lavender
Stem detail
Green to purple stem
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Native
Origin
Southeastern United States
Distribution
Dry oak and oak-pine forests of Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee.
Wildlife value
Moths use this plant as a larval host. Small mammals enjoy the fruits as a food source. Deer will browse the plant
EDIBLE PARTS: Young, unfolding leaves HARVEST TIME: Only collect leaves from areas you know have NOT been treated with pesticides. SAFE HANDLING PROCEDURES: Wash leaves in warm water to remove dirt and debris. Do not use dish detergent or any type of sanitizer. These products can leave a residue. Cook in boiling, salted water for ten minutes and serve like greens. SOURCE: Crowhurst, A. 1972. The Weed Cookbook. Lancer Books, Inc. New York, 190 pp.