Southern red trillium is an herbaceous perennial wildflower in the trillium family (Melanthiaceae) found in moist mountainous woodland areas in the eastern and central U.S.A., including NC. It particularly likes the growing over sedimentary rock of the Appalachian Mountains. The species epithet, Latin for sulcate, describes the keel-like crease in the tips of the sepals and petals. Plant the southern red trillium in partial to full shade in humus-rich acidic to neutral moist soils. The flower is usually maroon but can be purple, white, yellow or bi-colored. The flower is held on a curved stem above the large bracts. The sepals are green but may have maroon streaks. Both the sepals and petals are keeled and boat-shaped. The bloom has a faint, not unpleasant, musty smell, like fresh mushrooms. Small mammals enjoy the fruits as a food source. It is the larval host plant for the black-patched clepsis moth ( Clepsis melaleucanus ) and American angle shades moth ( Euplexia benesimilis ) . This species is suitable for a shady woodland garden or a native plant or pollinator garden. 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; Loam (Silt)
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist
Available space
Less than 12 inches; 12 inches-3 feet
NC region
Mountains
Mature size
Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in. | Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Slow
Maintenance
Medium
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous (1-3 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Clumping; Erect
Texture
Medium
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Whorled
Leaf shape
Obovate
Leaf margin
Entire
Leaf size
> 6 inches long, > 6 inches wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
The green leaves or bracts are sharply pointed at the tip and obovate in shape. They grow in a whorl on the stem. They are up to 8 inches long and wide.
Flower color
Gold/Yellow; Purple/Lavender; Red/Burgundy; Variegated; White
Flower value
Showy
Flower form
Solitary
Flower shape
Cup
Flower detail
White, yellow, purple, bi-colored but usually maroon three-petaled flowers with three green sepals and a purple ovary on a curved stem. In North Carolina, the flowers are available from April to May. Flowers have a fetid odor. Sepals "canoe-tipped'.
Bloom time
Spring
Fruit color
Red/Burgundy
Fruit type
Berry; Capsule
Fruit size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
The 6-parted red-maroon berry-like capsules are available from July to August in North Carolina.
Stem color
Green
Stem detail
Unbranched green stem
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Native
Origin
Eastern and central U.S.A.
Distribution
AL, GA, KY, NC, TN, VA, WV
Wildlife value
Small mammals enjoy the fruits as a food source. Host plant for larvae of black-patched clepsis moth (Clepsis melaleucanus) and American angle shades moth (Euplexia benesimilis).
Attracts
Bees; Moths; Pollinators; Small Mammals; Songbirds