Trillium discolor

Common Names

Mottled Wake-Robin, Pale Yellow Trillium, Pale Trillium, Small Yellow Toadshade

Summary

Trillium discolor is a rhizomatous, herbaceous perennial native to the Savannah River drainage in Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina, occurring in rich cove and bluff forests, it features a whorl of three sessile leaves at the stem apex and a single pale yellow flower that sits among leaf-like bracts, with petals pale yellow and maroon or greenish claws, and a spicy clove-like fragrance; blooming occurs in mid-April to early May, under cultivation, it prefers deep shade with moist, well-drained, rich soil and benefits from a leaf litter mulch to conserve moisture and maintain soil acidity (pH 5.0–6.5); it does not transplant well and spreads slowly by underground rhizomes to form colonies; propagation is by division or seed, with seeds potentially dispersed by ants, the mottled leaves can form a dense groundcover in woodland or shaded garden settings, complementing naturalistic plantings.

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

6-12 inches

Spread

1.5-3 inches

Hardiness Zones

Zones 4-9

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally partial shade; tolerates partial sun to full shade.

Soil Type

Humus-rich, moist, well-drained loamy soil

Soil Drainage

Well-drained moist soils

Soil pH

5.0-6.5 (slightly acidic), Neutral pH

Bloom Color

Pale yellow

Bloom Time

Spring (mid-April to early May)

Foliage Color

Mottled green leaves, pale green with scattered dark mottles that may fade to dull unmottled green with age, silver and green mottling

Fall Foliage Color

Dull green

Leaf Lifecycle

Deciduous

Growth Rate

Slow

Seasons of Interest

Spring and Summer

Propagation Methods

Seeds, Rhizomes, Division

Attracts Wildlife

Attracts bees and beetles, attracts pollinators such as gnats, fruits attract birds