Red Trillium

Trillium erectum

Found in wooded slopes, usually at middle to high elevations. Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Northern Tier edition What its natural habitat tells you

Good

Native to Virginia. How scores work Is it native here?

Profile 100%

Height: 8–18 inches
Spread: 1–1.5 feet
Light: Dappled sunlight, Deep shade, Partial shade
Soil moisture: Usually moist

Space about 1 ft apart from its recorded spread, about 100 per 100 sq ft. Enter your bed size for a count

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Trillium erectum — flower photograph — (c) Evan M. Raskin, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY 4.0 · Original photograph

At a glance

Life cycle: Perennial
Bloom: April and June
Fruiting season: July to August

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Not yet recorded · Leaves

Recorded in 37 Virginia counties.

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

2CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including VA

Genus host records with ranges including VA · Trillium

Clepsis melaleucanusBlack-Patched Clepsis, Trillium Tortrix
Euplexia benesimilisAmerican Angle Shades

Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)

1BeesSoutheastern regional records

Southeastern regional records · Trillium

Individual names are not available yet.

Noori, Seltmann & Orr 2026, A curated and integrated dataset for exploring global bee-plant interactions (GloBI), Zenodo, CC BY 4.0

0Specialist beesPollen specialists

—BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim

3AntsRecorded seed interactions

Formica subsericea
Myrmica punctiventris
Nylanderia parvula

Formica subsericea: Seed dispersal.

Myrmica punctiventris: Seed dispersal.

Nylanderia parvula: Seed dispersal.

No records yet · Beetles · Flies · Adult butterflies / moths · Other wasps · Other insects

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family: Trilliaceae
Hardiness: Zones 4a–7b
Soil pH: Acidic
Flower color: Yellow, green, pink, purple, red or white
Fruit begins: July
Fruit ends: August

Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.

Growing sources and scope

Bloom · “April to early June” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition · Carolinas and Georgia
Flower color · “Yellow, green, pink, purple, red or white” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center differs)
Fruit begins · “July” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition · Carolinas and Georgia
Fruit ends · “August” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition · Carolinas and Georgia
Hardiness · “Zones 4a–7b” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Height · “8–18 inches” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Tennessee Smart Yards, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center differ)
Life cycle · “Perennial” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Light · “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)” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center differs)
Soil · “Moist” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Tennessee Smart Yards differs)
Soil pH · “Acidic” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Spread · “1–1.5 feet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox

Conservation status

Virginia rank	S5
Global rank	G5
VA status	Not verified
Federal status	Not verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

In your garden

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Red Trillium

At a glance

Who uses this plant?

Plant details

Conservation status

Will it fit your yard?

Sources

More Trillium