This giant trillium loves to spread. Sponsored by Dramm.
SEATTLE — Master Gardener Ciscoe Morris has a plant of the month for May that’s endemic to California, but thrives here in Washington.
“So, do you believe this is a trillium? It’s called Trillium Chloropetalum. Sometimes people call it giant trillium and it does get pretty gigantic,” he said. “I planted this year four or five years ago, and look at these red flowers. I see all kinds of pollinators going through these all the time!”
Ciscoe says there are a couple of things you need to know about these plants. Never fertilize any trillium, they don’t like it. Use leaf mulch on the ground, and when you plant it, add some compost in the soil. One other thing you need to know: these plants don’t like to be crowded. And they love morning sun and afternoon shade.
“Now I’ve got a surprise,” he said. “This is a new garden I put in a couple of years ago, and I got the surprise of my life. There is another Trillium Chloropetalum that came up for the seed. It’s way far from those other ones, but somehow something moved that seed over there.”
Ciscoe added that he’s heard ants like trillium seeds, and spread them around the garden, making new trillium patches pop up spontaneously.
So, thanks to letting some plants go to seed, and some industrious ants “I’ve got a new, spectacular Trillium Chloropetalum comin’ up – Oh la la!”
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