Ontario Wildflowers website

White Trillium
Trillium grandiflorum

White Trillium (Trillium grandiflorum) Other common names: Large-flowered Trillium

Other scientific names: Trillium rhomboideum grandiflorum

French names: Trille grandiflore

Family: Bunch flower Family (Melanthiaceae), (Lily Family (Liliaceae), Trillium Family (Trilliaceae))

Group: Trilliums

Distinctive features: Large white three-petalled flower above a whorl of 3 leaves.

Similar species:
  •   Nodding Trillium (Trillium cernuum) - Flowers hanging down below the leaves.

  •   Painted Trillium (Trillium undulatum) - Center of flower is "painted" pink.


Flowers: Spring;  White, Red/Pink;  3 parts (petals)

Leaves: Opposite/Whorled, Simple, Entire

Height: 20-50 cm (7-19 in)

Habitat: Forests

Grows in Sun/Shade: Shade

Lifespan: Perennial.  

Books: Newcomb's Wildflower Guide: 124    Peterson's Field Guide to Wildflowers: 10, 240   

Native/Non-native: Native

Status: Common in Ontario.

Notes: White Trillium is the provincial flower of Ontario. Unfortunately, in the latest vesion of the offical logo, the White Trillium looks like it has been run over by a truck!   Contrary to popular belief it is not illegal to pick White Trilliums in Ontario. However, if the leaves as well as the flower are picked, the plant could die as it no longer has any means to produce the energy it needs to take it through the winter into another spring.

Origin and Meaning of Names:
 Scientific Name: grandiflorum: large-flowered


Photographs: 645 photographs available, of which 12 are featured on this page. SCROLL DOWN FOR PHOTOGRAPHS.

Range Map is at the bottom of the page

White Trillium (Trillium grandiflorum)

White Trillium flower.

White Trillium (Trillium grandiflorum)

The flowers are quite spectacular.

White Trillium (Trillium grandiflorum)

White Trillium (Trillium grandiflorum)

Photo of an entire plant.

White Trillium (Trillium grandiflorum)

Flower bud just opening.

White Trillium (Trillium grandiflorum)

White Trillium (Trillium grandiflorum)

White Trilliums often fill an entire area of the woods in the spring.

White Trillium (Trillium grandiflorum)

As the White Trillium flower ages, it turns pink. Many people mistake this for being an entirely different species of Trillium.

White Trillium (Trillium grandiflorum)

You may even come across a rare 4-petalled flower! This is a real specimen - it's not a joke photo! Feeling lucky?

White Trillium (Trillium grandiflorum)

Sometimes green stripes are found on White Trillium flower petals. This is caused by a virus.

White Trillium (Trillium grandiflorum)

Wider green stripes.

White Trillium (Trillium grandiflorum)

Eventually the virus causes the plant to become unable to produce proper flowers and thus seeds.


Range map for White Trillium (Trillium grandiflorum)

PLEASE NOTE: A coloured Province or State means this species occurs somewhere in that Province/State.
The entire Province/State is coloured, regardless of where in that Province/State it occurs.

(Range map provided courtesy of the USDA website and is displayed here in accordance with their Policies)