Plant of the Week: Trillium grandiflorum

This plant of the week resembling a swooping bird is known as Trillium grandiflorum! Trillium is a member of a group of plants called the ephemerals. And no, it is not some sort of new rock band, but a group of flowers that appear in late winter and go through a two month cycle. They flower, seed, and die back to dormancy within that cycle. Trillium is an under story plant that has adapted to deciduous forests. When the leaves of the trees are gone this little flower uses the available light to grow. Its flowers bloom white and gradually change to the pink color above as it fades. According to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park website there are ten varieties of trillium in the park! Take a look at the link and read about some other wildflowers in the Smokies.

This is a picture from one of our many visits into the park.