Native Plants
Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?
A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.
Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
rate this answer
Wednesday - April 28, 2010
From: Saugatuck, MI
Region: Midwest
Topic: Rare or Endangered Plants, Planting, Transplants, Herbs/Forbs
Title: Transplanting trilliums
Answered by: Anne Bossart
QUESTION:
What's the best time to transplant white trillium on my property on the shore of Lake Michigan?ANSWER:
When my mother dug up a trillium from the woods and planted it her flowerbed at the front of our home, my teenaged siblings and I all scolded her for her "illegal act". However, like our famous Texas Bluebonnet, Ontario's trillium is protected from picking/digging only by urban myth, not the law.
Trillium grandiflorum (white trillium) is not difficult to propogate by seed but can take a notoriously long time to grow to maturity after germination. So most of the trilliums you find for sale in nurseries are actually collected from the wild.
The mission of the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is to increase the sustainable use and conservation of native wildflowers, plants and landscapes, so I must encourage you to leave the plant where it is and try to propogate it by seed or rhizome division. You can find instructions in William Cullina's book , "Wildflowers: A Guide to Growing and Propogating Native Flowers of North America"
That being said, my mother's trillium blooms happily on in her front garden 30 years later. Be certain you do not damage the plant while digging and transplant it in mid to late summer, just before it goes dormant.
More Rare or Endangered Plants Questions
Propagation of endangered plant Texas trailing phlox from Carrollton TX
December 26, 2013 - 1. How many seeds does the Texas trailing phlox produce per season?
2. Can the seeds be taken from a living plant without hurting it?
Thank You!
view the full question and answer
Non-endangered medicinal plants to Echinacea
November 08, 2006 - A recent issue of the Wildflower Center said that echinacea is endangered and it is best to use a substitute, but did not give a good substitute. (Only oregon grape was listed as a substitute for gold...
view the full question and answer
Conservation status of Lathyrus venosus (Veiny pea)
May 30, 2009 - The Wild Pea (Lathyrus Venosus Muhl)
1) What's being done to preserve them
2) When were they placed on the endangered species list
3) How many are left
view the full question and answer
Problems with transplanted Texas Madrones from Junction TX
May 13, 2014 - We planted 3 little Texas madrones last year 9 - 12 inches high. 2 of them seem to have some kind of black blight along the edges of the leaves that I don't think was the result of our late freezes. ...
view the full question and answer
Information about pink milkwort (Polygala incarnata)
June 07, 2008 - Why is the pink Milkwort (Polygala incarnata) and what is it's niche?
view the full question and answer
| Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |