Trilliums at Turkey Creek Nature Preserve

Last Saturday morning I woke up to cloudy and damp conditions with the occasional sprinkle of rain. If I had made the decision to stay indoors according to what I saw out the window, I would have missed out on a perfect day to go out and shoot wildflowers. It’s early April. There is one place I go every year that contains a large population of a rare plant. Since the blooming time for this species is rather short, not going would likely mean missing out on the peak bloom. What is it you might ask? Read on....

Along a roadside right-of-way in Nash County a protected preserved that contains one of the largest populations of Least Trillium or Trillium pusillum var. virginianum.

Least Trillium or Trillium pusillum var. virginianum

When it comes to trilliums, nothing is simple. The Least Trillium isn’t just a single species, but several varieties that, according the source you consult, varies. For those who are interested in the technical aspects I’ve included some botanical geek speak below from several sources including Flora on North America.

Believe it or not, trillium plants produce no true leaves or stems above ground. What?! Yes, actually the above ground plant is technically a flowering scape, and the leaf-like structures are actually bracts subtending the flower. The “stem” is an extension of the horizontal rhizome and produces tiny, scale-like leaves called cataphylls. 

The Trillium pusillum complex consists of five or six morphogeographical taxa distributed within the southeastern United States. Each widely disjunct, regional population have varied characteristics from other, and are quite variable within a single population as well. There are three varieties of T. pusillum that occur in North Carolina:

T. pusillum var. ozarkanum

T. pusillum var. pusillum

T. pusillum var. virginianum

Trillium pusillum var. viginianum flowers spring (Mar to early May). Acidic soils in low, swampy woodlands along streams, red maple (Acer rubrum) swamps, very wet in spring, plants often grouped on hummocks, with sphagnum moss. It is easily distinguished at sight by its “sessile” flower. Listed by the North Carolina Natural Heritage Program as a S1 in the state, Trillium pusillum var. virginianum has been documented in 7 counties.

Habitat for Least Trillium

Turkey Creek Nature Preserve is home to thousands of trilliums that extend from the roadside to several feet into the swampy woods. Singles, doubles, trios, oh my! The variety of petal forms are also quite interesting. From wide to very narrow and the occasional two petal variety.

According to Michigan State University website "[trilliums] can be infected with virus-like mycoplasmas, which are parasitic, subcellular organisms that often result in the normally white petals being streaked with green or pink…"

The trilliums were the highlight of the trip, but there are more botanical treasures to be found here too. Trout Lily or Erythronium umbilicatum blankets the woods with its danity yellow flowers.

Atamasco Lily (Zephyranthes atamasco) were just being to bloom. 

And no field trip would be complete without wild orchids. Southern Twayblade or Listera australis occurs in the swampy pine woods usually near sphaghum mounds. 

Closeup of the flower

In addition to the floral delights, several species of ferns inhabitat the moist woods near Turkey Creek. Fiddleheads just begining to unfurl.

Royal Fern(Osmunda regalis)

Cinnamon Fern (Osmundastrum cinnamomeum)

It was a great day to be outside photographing the native flora at this special roadside, one of many that dot the landscape in the Old North State.

~KT