When I interned as a horticulture student up at the New England Wild Flower Society in Framingham, Mass, I became very familiar with native plants of the northeastern United States. One genera of plants that I didn't know so well prior to spring of '06 were members of the genus Trillium. From spring into summer I fell in love with these native woodland flowers, perfect in their multiples of three. Above and below is Trillium cuneatum, one of the larger trilliums I remember from that season.
This a red wakerobin, Trillium erectum 'Red', that I found at a local nursery up near Sudbury, MA, for only a few dollars. I think eventually this one got chomped by deer once it was moved to Long Island.
Trillium grandiflorum are called showy trillium and I think this is the species people see most. The flowers are only a couple inches, fading to pink when pollinated, but they are great to discover walking in the woods.
Then there is the double trillium, Trillium grandiflorum f. 'Multiplex'. Before NEWFS I had seen trillium before, but never a double. I thought they were amazing.
Trillium grandiflorum 'Roseum' has a pink blossom the entire time.
Trillium sessile is commonly called toad shade and you might imagine why. "Sessile" can also be a botanical adjective meaning the flower blooms right on top of the foliage, and there is no flower stalk (technically called a pedicel) in between. Trillium sessile and T. cuneatum do look very much alike but have subtle differences to tell them apart. Both are really musky smelling.
Then there is Trillium simile. I loved to see how they would follow the sunlight as it shifted throughout the day.
(All pictures taken in Framingham, MA, at or near New England Wild Flower Society's Garden in the Woods. All photographs by Alex Feleppa, 2006)
No comments:
Post a Comment