Bent white trillium is a native, herbaceous perennial wildflower in the trillium family (Melanthiaceae). It is native to a wide area of the middle South, the Midwest, the eastern US and adjacent Canada. It is native to the mountains of North Carolina. The species epithet means “flexible foot” and describes the flexible pedicle that bends under the weight of the flower. Bent white trillium prefers dappled shade and moist, high organic matter, loamy soils with a layer of leaf litter to maintain moisture and temperatures. Most of its growth occurs in early spring before the over-canopy trees leaf out. The pedicellate flowers are up to 2 inches across, white and three-petaled and often nod beneath the large bracts on recurved stems. The flowers attract bees, yellow jackets and other pollinating insects. It is the larval host plant for the black-patched clepsis moth ( Clepsis melaleucanus ) and American angle shades moth ( Euplexia benesimilis ) . Small mammals and ants enjoy the seeds and berries as a food source. It is dormant by mid-summer. In North Carolina, it is treated as a Significantly Rare/Historical species. Plant in woodland or naturalized areas. The plant forms clumps over time. Bent white trillium will not do well in hot summer areas. 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.
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day) | 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; Loam (Silt)
Soil pH
Alkaline (>8.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist
Available space
12 inches-3 feet
NC region
Mountains
Mature size
Height: 1 ft. 6 in. - 2 ft. 0 in. | Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 1 ft. 6 in.
Growth rate
Slow
Maintenance
Medium
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous (1-3 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Clumping
Texture
Medium
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Whorled
Leaf shape
Obovate; Rhomboidal
Leaf margin
Entire
Leaf value
Showy
Leaf size
3-6 inches long, 3-6 inches wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Up to 6 1/2" long green leaves that are actually bracts have entire margins. Three leaves whorled around a stem. The tip is blunt and the base is wedge-shaped with parallel veins.
Flower color
Red/Burgundy; White
Flower value
Showy
Flower form
Solitary
Flower shape
Star
Flower size
1-3 inches
Flower detail
Three petaled 1 1/2" -2" long single flower on a nodding peduncle, 3 green sepals, and 6 stamens. Flowers appear mid-late spring; April in North Carolina. Pedicellate flowers often nod beneath the leaves. Flowers are rarely reddish.
Bloom time
Spring
Fruit color
Red/Burgundy
Fruit type
Berry; Capsule
Fruit size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
6-parted berry-like capsule with seeds dispersed by ants. In North Carolina, the red fruits are available in July.
Stem color
Green
Stem detail
Light green and hairless stems
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Native
Origin
Eastern and central U.S.A., southern Ontario
Distribution
AL , AR , DE , GA , IA , IL , IN , KY , MD , MI , MN , MO , MS , NC , NY , OH , PA , SD , TN , VA , WI , WV Canada: ON
Wildlife value
The flowers attract bees, yellow jackets, and other pollinating insects. Host plant for larvae of black-patched clepsis moth (Clepsis melaleucanus) and American angle shades moth (Euplexia benesimilis). Small mammals and ants enjoy the seeds and fruits as a food source.