The Thrill of Trillium

One of the most anticipated and highly regarded times of the year has finally arrived; the awakening of the Spring ephemerals!  Even though it's only mid-March there are noticeable changes starting to happen in the woodlands across Ohio, you only need to look a little harder in the right areas.  The word ephemeral means 'brief; only lasting for a short amount of time', which is a very accurate way of describing the life cycle of the flowering plants of Spring.  These plants bloom early to take advantage of the copious amounts of sunlight that stream down through the still naked forest canopy high above their heads.  They break the soil, bloom, are pollinated and die back all by late Spring, leaving little to no evidence of their existence on the forest floor.  One of the first out of the gates this time of the year is the rare and stunning Snow Trillium (Trillium nivale).

Trillium nivale

 Also called Dwarf White Trillium, these diminutive beauties of the Liliaceae family are one of eight species of Trillium indigenous to our state. They are one of the more uncommon Trilliums and certainly the first to poke their heads above the dead and decaying leaves.  This rarity is due in part to the habitat  requirements needed to survive and reproduce successfully.  T. nivale can be found growing along the slopes of streams, rivers and ravines in undisturbed woodlands that are comprised of thin soil layered over limestone or dolomite bedrock.  These specific soil conditions are concentrated in the southwestern quarter of our state which should come as no surprise as the same area that holds our largest Snow Trillium populations.  if interested in seeing this wildflower for yourself this season your best bet is to visit Clifton Gorge state nature preserve in the next few weeks.

Trillium nivale

Trillium nivale

 The Trilliums are one of the easiest wildflowers to identify by even the most inexperienced of wildflower enthusiasts.  The best identification feature for this genus is right in their name, Trillium.  Tri of course means three and almost all parts of the Trillium plants come in multiples of three: three sepals, three petals,  three leaves and six stamens.  Even their style is tripartite in appearance.  The photo below shows the pollen covered yellow stamens and three pronged style in striking detail.  Upon closer inspection, the handsome petals give off a shiny glimmer as if they were dusted with thousands of minuscule diamonds.

Trillium come in parts of 3's

 It's not hard to understand how these plants got their common name of Snow Trillium.  Blooming so early in the season it's not uncommon to find a colony of these dainty plants ensconced in a thin layer of snow, which oddly enough does little to no harm.  Even their scientific latin designation of nivale, which translates to 'of the snow', corroborates this potential occurrence.  A fun fact about this plant is that it was first discovered and described to science from our fine state of Ohio.  I think it's just another source of pride for any botantist or nature appreciator of Ohio origin.

Trillium nivale

Trillium nivale

While rare and local in their occurrence, T. nivale can be quite numerous and form large colonies when found under the right conditions.  Reproducing primarily from their vegetative rhizomes, a single population of plants can potentially all be from the same genetic origin.  Cloning is an important and vital reproductive aspect to many plants when seed counts and germination rates are low, such as with the Snow Trillium.  While all flowers have the chance to differ in their physical appearance it seems that T. nivale and the size of its petals can vary greatly across their Ohio range.  The side-by-side photographs towards the beginning of the post were taken at Clifton Gorge and show more thin petals than the photographs from just above that were taken from a population in Adams County, Ohio.  What causes this could be related to the quality of the soil, the amount and intensity of sunlight they receive daily or perhaps just in their genetic code.  I prefer the plants exhibiting the thicker and wider petals which put on a more striking display.  

Hillside carpeted with Large-flowered Trllium in Adams County

As Spring progresses I plan on doing a post dedicated to a few more species of Trillium native to Ohio; such as the Large-flowered Trillium (Trillium grandiflorum) pictured above.   They are among my favorite Spring wildflowers that brighten our world and could not come any sooner after such a snowy and cold Winter!