States
North CarolinaTennesseeGeorgiaSouth CarolinaKentuckyAlabamaFloridaVirginia
Menu

Yellow Trillium

Trillium luteum

Found in moist coves over mafic or calcareous rocks, locally abundant in the vicinity of the Great Smokies. FloraQuest, phone app (app page) What its natural habitat tells you

—
Not native

Not native to Virginia. How scores work Is it native here?

Profile 82%

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

At a glance

Life cycle
Perennial
Bloom
March to April
Fruiting season
Late May to June

Not yet recorded · Leaves

Recorded in 4 Virginia counties.

Natural habitats

Places it grows wild. Not a planting requirement. Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.

Rich cove forests

Cove hardwood forest
Regional / representative. Shown: Great Smoky Mountains National Park, North Carolina and Tennessee; representative habitat composite, not a documented exact viewpoint, a neighboring state.Cove hardwood forest, Hynes, Robert 'Bob', by 2012. Public domain. Source record.

All habitats

Also found with this plant

Wildlife whose habitat models include habitats this plant grows in, in Virginia. Shared habitat, not food. 110 animals.

All wildlife of Virginia

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)
—BeesSoutheastern regional records
—Specialist beesPollen specialists
—BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim

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

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family
Trilliaceae
Hardiness
Zones 4a–8b
Soil pH
Neutral
Flower color
Yellow
Fruit begins
Late May
Fruit ends
June

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

Growing sources and scope
  • Bloom · “Mid March to April” · FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team), phone app (app page) · Carolinas and Georgia
  • Flower color · “Yellow” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center differs)
  • Fruit begins · “Late May” · FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team), phone app (app page) · Carolinas and Georgia
  • Fruit ends · “June” · FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team), phone app (app page) · Carolinas and Georgia
  • Hardiness · “Zones 4a–8b” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
  • Height · “8–18 inches” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Tennessee Smart Yards differs)
  • Life cycle · “Perennial” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
  • Light · “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; Tennessee Smart Yards differs)
  • Soil · “Moist” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Tennessee Smart Yards differs)
  • Soil pH · “Neutral” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
  • Spread · “1–1.5 feet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Also known as

Lemon Scented Trillium; Trillium cuneatum var. luteum

Conservation status

Virginia rankSNA
Global rankG4
VA statusNot verified
Federal statusNot verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

Native alternatives

Find natives for your garden

Sources