Trillium ovatum - Western trillium

Family: Melanthiaceae (Previously in Liliaceae)
Other Names: Wakerobin, Pacific trillium, Oettinger's trillium, Hibberson's trillium.

Var. ovatum is Yellow listed, Var. hibbersonii is Red listed.

Description

Trillium ovatum is a PERENNIAL growing to 0.4 m (1ft 4in) by 0.2 m (0ft 8in).
It is hardy to zone (UK) 5. It is in flower from May to June. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs)
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in full shade (deep woodland) semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.
Origin Status: Native.

Habitat & Range

Habitat: Moist forests in the lowland, steppe and montane zones (var. ovatum), and mossy bluff ledges and river boulders in the lowland zone (var. hibbersonii)

Rich woodlands[165]. Damp woods or boggy areas in partial shade, from low valleys to elevations of 2,000 metres[212].

Range: common in S BC, south of 50degreeN; E to SW AB and S to CO and CA.

Western N. America - Montana to British Columbia, south to California and Colorado.

Ecological Indicator

A shade-tolerant/intolerant, submontane to montane, Western North American forb distributed more in the Pacific than the Cordilleran region. Occurs in maritime to submaritime cool mesothermal climates on fresh to very moist, nitrogen-rich soils; its occurrence decreases with increasing elevation, latitude, and continentality. Scattered on water-receiving sites; usually associated with Achlys triphylla, Galium triflorum, Polystichum munitum, Streptopus amplexifolius, and Tiarella trifoliata. A nitrophytic species characteristic of Moder and Mull humus forms. [1.2]

Uses

Edible Uses

Other Uses

Medicinal Uses


Cultivation: Prefers a deep well-drained woodland or humus-rich soil in a somewhat shady position that remains moist in the summer[1, 42]. Prefers a neutral to slightly acid soil[200]. Grows well in open woodland[1]. Succeeds in deep shade[188]. Succeeds in a sunny position if the soil does not dry out[42]. Any transplanting is best done whilst the plants are in flower[200]. Plants can flower in two years from seed[138]. Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer or rabbits[233], though slugs are very fond of the leaves[238].

Propagation: Seed - best sown in a shaded cold frame as soon as it is ripe[134, 200]. Stored seed should be sown in late winter or early spring. Seed usually germinates within 1 - 3 months at 15°c. Another report says that seeds produce a root after the first cold stratification but no shoot is produced until after a second winter[138], whilst yet another report says that the seed can take 3 years to germinate[238]. The seedlings are prone to damp off and must therefore be watered with care and given plenty of fresh air[138]. The young plants need to be overwintered in a cold frame for the first year and can then be planted out in late spring. It is very important that the pots become neither too dry nor too wet[138]. Division with care when the plants die down after flowering[200]. Larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. We have found that it is best to pot up smaller divisions and grow them on in light shade in a greenhouse or cold frame until they are growing away well. Plant them out in the following spring.

TRILLIUM - WAKEROBIN, TRILLIUM, Bethroot[MMWH]

Dale W. McNeal & Bryan D. Ness

Rhizome short, thick, spreading to erect. Stem: erect, >=1 per rhizome. Leaf: 3, in 1 whorl subtending flower, sessile or subsessile, ± ovate. Inflorescence: flowers 1 per stem, erect to nodding, stalked or sessile. Flower: bisexual; sepals 3, free, persistent, ± green; petals 3, free, withering, white, ± pink, ± yellow, or purple; stamens 6; ovary chambers 3, styles 3. Fruit: capsule, ± berry-like. Seed: many, ovoid.
± 30–40 species: North America, Asia. (Latin: 3, from leaves) [Farmer 2006 Aliso 22:579–592; Freeman 1975 Brittonia 27:1–62] Trillium rivale moved to Pseudotrillium. [Jepson]

Local Species;

  1. Trillium ovatum - western trillium &
    • var ovatum
    • var hibbersonii

Hazards

The root stock of this species is somewhat poisonous.[MPP1]

Trilliums have long been considered poisonous. All species are emetic. Lindley states that the roots have a violent emetic action. The fruit should be regarded with suspicion.[MPP2]

Edible Uses

Greens (emergency food)  

Trillium, or Wake Robin, Trillium grandiflorum. The LargeFlowered Trillium ranges from Quebec to Minnesota, south to North Carolina and Missouri. According to Kephart, this and other Trilliums "make good greens when cooked." This should be used as an emergency food.[EWP]

Medicinal Uses

uterine fibroids  

Wild Geranium root ( Geranium maculatum)Profuse bleeding with fibroids and excessive vaginal discharge. Can be used with beth root ( Trillium spp.).classically used by Eclectic physicians to treat uterine fibroids. [BMWH]

The principal species of the United States are: the wake-robin {T. nivale), which flowers very early in the spring, is from 2-4 inches high and is common northward and eastward; the sessile-flowered wake-robin (T. sessile) which bears sessile dull purple flowers with narrow sepals and petals, and leaves that are often blotched and occurs from eastern Iowa southward ; prairie wakerobin (T. recurvatum) of the west, which has dull purple petals but differs from the preceding in having narrow leaves ; large white-flowered wake-robin (T. grandiflorum) which bears a large white flower raised on a peduncle later recurving from the erect, the flowers becoming purplish, and rounded, ovate, sessile leaves; and birthwort (T. erectum) much like T. grandiflorum except that the flowers are not so large and are unpleasantly scented. Both of the two last named are found in the eastern and central states.[MPP2]

BETHROOT (Trillium erectum L.) +

Most early authors treated the species as interchangeable medicinally, so this account is rather generic.
Activities (Bethroot) — Antiseptic (f; GMH); Antispasmodic (f; HHB); Astringent (1; FAD; PHR; PH2); Aphrodisiac (f; FAD); Emetic (f; PHR; PH2); Emmenagogue (f; PHR; PH2); Expectorant (1; PHR; PH2; PNC); Hemostat (f; PHR; PH2; PNC); Irritant (1; PHR; PH2); Lacrimatory (f; CEB); Sialagogue (f; CEB); Tonic (f; GMH); Uterotonic (f; MAD).
Indications (Bethroot) — Acne (f; DEM); Adenopathy (f; JLH); Amenorrhea (f; PHR; PH2); Anthrax (f; FEL); Asthma (f; CEB; DEM; FAD); Backache (f; MAD); Bleeding (1; DEM; FAD; FNF; GMH; PHR; PH2; PNC); Bronchosis (f; FEL); Cancer (f; DEM; JLH); Carbuncle (f; CEB); Catarrh (f; CEB); Childbirth (f; GMH); Climacteric (f; MAD); Colitis (f; FAD); Cough (f; CEB; DEM; FAD); Cramp (f; HHB); Dermatosis (f; FAD; GMH); Diarrhea (1; FAD; GMH; PHR); Dysentery (f; GMH; MAD); Dysmenorrhea (f; DEM; FAD; PH2); Dyspnea (f; FAD; FEL); Enterosis (f; FAD); Epistaxis (f; FEL); Fever (f; CEB); Gangrene (f; GMH); Glandular Tumor (f; JLH); Hematoma (f; PHR; PH2); Hematuria (f; PNC); Hemoptysis (f; FEL); Hemorrhoid (1; FNF; PHR; PH2); Hysteria (f; CEB); Impotence (f; FAD); Inflammation (f; DEM; FAD); Leukorrhea (f; CEB; FEL; PNC); Menopause (f; DEM; FAD); Menorrhagia (f; PNC); Mucososis (f; FEL; PHR; PNC); Neurosis (f; MAD); Night Sweats (f; CEB); Odontosis (f; MAD); Pain (f; PHR); Parturition (f; FAD); Proctosis (f; PH2); Prolapse (f; MAD); Pulmonosis (f; FAD); Respirosis (f; FEL); Scrofula (f; HHB); Sore (f; DEM; PHR; PH2); Sting (f; FEL); Sunburn (f; DEM); Syncope (f; MAD); Tuberculosis (f; FEL); Tumor (f; FAD); Uterosis (f; FEL); Varicosis (f; PHR; PH2). Dosages (Bethroot) — 2–4 g root (HHB; PH2); 0.5–1 g powdered root (PNC); 4–8 ml liquid extract (PNC).
Contraindications, Interactions, and Side Effects (Bethroot) — Class 2b (AHP). As an emmenagogue/uterotonic, should not be used by pregnant mothers (AHP). “Hazards and/or side effects not known for proper therapeutic dosages” (PH2). In high doses emetic, emmenagogue, even promoting labor (PHR).

Trillium erectum L. Lily-of-the-valley family (Convallariaceae).
Wake-robin; ill-scented bethroot; birthroot; squawflower. Stout, native perennial, 8 to 16 inches high, growing in rich soil in damp, shady woods from Canada south to Tennessee and Missouri.
Part used. — Rhizome of this and of several other species of Trillium (nonofficial).[WMPUS Henkel]

TRILLIUM - Trillium pendulum

Synonym—Bethroot.
CONSTITUENTS— An acrid principle, a resin, tannic acid.
Therapy—Trillium influences mildly the nerve supply of the organs of the thorax. It assists heart remedies in relieving ample functional irritation. It cures catarrhal bronchitis when there is very profuse expectoration. It soothes the cough of incipient phthisis, especially where there is a tendency to hemorrhage, over which it has a marked controlling influence. It restrains excessive action of the kidneys. At one time it had an excellent reputation in the control of diabetes insipidus.
It controls uterine hemorrhage of a passive character to an excellent advantage, especially menorrhagia and menorrhagia. Excessive vaginal catarrh is restrained by it.[Ellingwood]

Phytochemicals

Steroidal saponins have similar biological properties to the triterpenoid saponins, e.g. surfactant and haemolytic activities (see page 242), but are less widely distributed in nature. They are found in many monocot families, especially the Dioscoreaceae (e.g. Dioscorea), the Agavaceae (e.g. Agave, Yucca) and the Liliaceae (e.g. Smilax, Trillium).[MNP Dewick]

References

Trillium ovatum, http://linnet.geog.ubc.ca/Atlas/Atlas.aspx?sciname=Trillium ovatum&redblue=Both&lifeform=7, In Klinkenberg, Brian. (Editor) 2013. E-Flora BC: Electronic Atlas of the Plants of British Columbia [eflora.bc.ca]. Lab for Advanced Spatial Analysis, Department of Geography, University of British Columbia, Vancouver. [Accessed: October 7, 2014]

Trillium ovatum Plants for a future, Accessed October 7, 2014

[Jepson] 2013. Trillium, in Jepson Flora Project (eds.) Jepson eFlora, http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_IJM.pl?tid=9561, accessed on Jan 31 2015
[UMD-Eth] Accessed Jan 31, 2015