Triliums that don't bloom

In our woods we have the most wonderful little 5x5-foot patch of triliums, right next the cute mayapples. While I've seen these triliums for about the last 4 years, I've not ever seen a bloom. Why wouldn't they flower? Is there anything I can do to encourage flowering? I don't want to mess with them too much. After all, they got there by themselves.

I've heard that trilliums can take up to five years to bloom from germination. But I'm no expert!

Guess what? I went out to look at them again and a small number .. maybe 5 or so have buds. So maybe they were just immature. I'll be checking on them everyday waiting to snap a picture when they bloom.

Thanks for the reply!

Yep, I was reading up on them today (we have them) and they don't bloom for the first, I believe, 2-3 years. Pity!

I would imagine that in the natural woods where competition is great, it wouldn't be uncommon for a trillium to be 7 years or more old before it blooms. In fact I was just reading an older ARGS bulletin (circa 1990) with an article written by one of the formost American authorities on trilliums. Fred Case says that some species do take 7 years to bloom from seed.

Wow. Not good for impatient gardeners, huh, lol? Thanks for that info!

Great information. I am allways learning here.
Thanks for sharing.
So glad you are seeing buds!
I saw my first bloom of the year yesterday. Always a delight to see these bloom.
I hope you share pictures of your first flowers.

Yes, it regularly takes seven or more years to bloom, but if there is a clump, that indicates a mature plant with offshoots, depending on the size of the clump, you may want to divide it. The best time to do this is actually late summer or dead of winter. Dividing plants serves many helpful purposes in the wild garden; You affectively put your eggs in different baskets. THat mother clump could get wiped out by deer or fungus in a single year. Most trilliums can survive a season of deer damage or being picked (still a very naughty thing to do), once this happens a few years in a row they can either go dormant for a whole season or totally fold their hand. This could be the case with your patch, it may be coming back from a longer period of dormancy in the last three or four seasons. They will often create larger clumps of plants that appear to be juvenile and seldom flower. I would divide the plant, What species of trillium are we discussing?

There are a trillion trilliums in our woods right now, lol ! Lots and lots of babies--the burgundy colored recurved blooms. I will attempt to move some from the middle of the deer trail to a safer location. And if they can be shipped to someone, when is the best time to do so? It's so hot right now, they'd probably be cooked.

You won't believe it, but from right about now until the leaves die back, try to keep lots of soil with the rhizome and it will be fine. Trilliums are tough little plants, they really can take lots of abuse, contrary to popular belief. A fellow I know is the head horticulturalist at the local Botanical Garden anmd He told me that summer was a great time to transplant, I have personally done this myself this time of year and my plants didn't even skip a beat. I have also moved them at many other times of year as well. One reason that this is a good time to transplant is; Trilliums grow up from the ground, flower, and set seed once they die back in june/july they do not just go dormant. The current years growth starts to die back and then once it is gone the rhizome grows the shoot tip for the next year. In this sense Trilliums are similar to many hardy orchids, which employ a similar strategy. Good luck with your restoration project, sound like a worthy endeavor if you have lots of deer. You could try maintaining more of a presence and spread your scent around. Another thing is a good old Winchester 30/30, just kiding (unless you too like venison) Well I wish you well on your project, I could possibly make you some cool trades for any extras you have, as long as they are not anything under protection of law. In which case the best thing would be to collect the seeds. Slipperman

Thanks for that info!