Two different sized cuneatum behind two Trillium decumbens.
Some have very dark petals.
Some are lighter.
A few are really light.
Even fewer are mostly green.
Close-up green.
Some can't seem to decide.
Petal shape can vary too. Tall and skinny...
...to practically pudgy.
They can be tall...
Or very small. (One this small is unusual - probably due to growing conditions.)
And leaf patterns can vary even more.
Three shades.
And I didn't even get into how some of the leaves are droopy, and some are held high... Or leaf shape... But you can see some of those differences in the pictures too. Can you tell that I'm obsessed with trilliums?!
12 comments:
Let me just try that again...ahem...
You are a true trillium tracker.
Seems to me, around here at least, that Smilax vines are also wishy-washy about their color scheme and leaf shape.
Can you tell that I'm obsessed with trilliums?!
Yes, and I love your obsession. Great comparative photos.
what about them is not to love. they are diverse and those petals...like little praying hands.
Fabulous. Makes me want some, too.
We have six species of Trillium in Ontario. Two are very common in our area. Right now they are still underground. I was intrigued to see that neither of the two trillium species that you photographed is listed for Ontario.
Beautiful leaves... the pattern is hypnotic. Love the crisp photography.
Thanks y'all. Trilliums are my favorite wildflower, as you may have guessed. :)
I'm delighted with our T. cuneatums, but this is an exemplar of a post on variation. Variation fascinates me, and I hadn't observed that with the trilliums, but I'll look more carefully.
FC - I have to look more closely at our Smilaxes, but I think you're right about that.
By the way, Charles Darwin wrote a "little" book called THE DIFFERENT FORMS OF FLOWERS IN PLANTS OF THE SAME SPECIES. Besides his incredible array of interests, it should come as no surprise that he was as fascinated by these things as we are.
Wow!
I always learn something from your blog. :)
I don't think I have ever seen a trillium in person but after viewing your pictures I am now sure I could regonize one. Great pics.
I found several cuneatum trillium's about 10 years ago in central N. C.
Dug them and brought home for planting in a large hosta bed.
Now years later we have about 40+ of these beautiful plants in early spring each year. One of the first bloomers in our garden.
We have several other trilliums of various types but these all bloom later than the cuneatum trillium.
They come early and bloom for almost a month. A real asset to our garden and one of my favorites in the garden.
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