Trilliums in the Crum Woods!

I went for a walk during lunch today, and boy am I glad I brought the camera! On a steep, wooded hillside leading down to the Crum Creek I saw an incredible colony of trilliums, all in full bloom. What a sight! The white-blooming Trillium grandiflorum, or large-flowered trillium, covers most of the hillside, while the scarlet-flowered Trillium erectum, or red wake robin, grows along the periphery of the drift. Both species are native to Pennsylvania, but it’s not entirely clear whether this colony is wild, or was planted long ago by a local gardener.

Trilliums are one of the most well-loved woodland wildflowers, and it’s easy to see why. They bloom in early spring, just as the canopy trees of the forest are beginning to leaf out, and their nodding flowers make a walk in the woods feel enchanted. There are 43 species in the genus Trillium, the majority of which are native to the eastern United States. The genus used to be included in the lily family, Liliaceae. Recently, however, geneticists have reclassified trilliums into their own family, Trilliaceae.

If you’re interested in seeing the trilliums at the Scott Arboretum, stop by our office and we’ll direct you. Be prepared for a hike, though – the plants are along one of the trails in the woods!