Flower profile

Bashful wakerobin

Trillium catesbaei

Native in the lower 48

Bashful wakerobin is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. It's on our flower lists for 2 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in April–May.

6states

2of our state lists

5,429U.S. sightings*

*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.

On our lists for: Georgia, South Carolina

Quick look

Trillium catesbaei, also known as bashful wakerobin or rosy wake-robin, is a spring flowering perennial plant found in the southeastern United States.
From Wikipedia's article Trillium catesbaei, CC BY-SA 4.0.

It belongs to the Melanthiaceae family. ^iNaturalist
USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) with a perennial life cycle. ^{USDA PLANTS}
USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 6 states. ^{USDA PLANTS}
NatureServe lists it as native to Georgia and South Carolina. ^NatureServe
In Georgia, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in April–May. ^iNaturalist
In South Carolina, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in March–May. ^iNaturalist
iNaturalist has 1,997 research-grade sightings of it in Georgia, ranking #27 among the 111 flowers on our Georgia list. ^iNaturalist
iNaturalist has 519 research-grade sightings of it in South Carolina, ranking #68 among the 111 flowers on our South Carolina list. ^iNaturalist

Bashful wakerobin gift ideas

Handmade bashful wakerobin gifts from independent makers.

🌱 Sample spot. Handmade gift picks from independent shops will appear here once our shop partnership is approved. These cards are placeholders, not real products.

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Bashful wakerobin art print
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Bashful wakerobin greeting card
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Bashful wakerobin mug
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Bashful wakerobin earrings
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Bashful wakerobin embroidery pattern
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Bashful wakerobin sticker
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When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month across the U.S. (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (2,114 records)

Bloom time in each of our 2 states

State	Type	Peak bloom	Sightings*
Georgia	Native	April–May	1,997
South Carolina	Native	March–May	519

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA): Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. ^{USFWS ECOS}
NatureServe global: G4 Apparently secure worldwide. ^NatureServe
Georgia: Not listed Not on Georgia protected plants (Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 391-4-10-.09; a 2026 update is proposed). NatureServe: S5, secure in Georgia. ^{Ga. R. 391-4-10-.09}
South Carolina: No list South Carolina has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's South Carolina ranks instead. NatureServe: S5, secure in South Carolina.
Rare elsewhere: No other U.S. state ranks it S1, S2, SH or SX.

Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.

Can you eat it?

For peopleCaution: partly edible, partly poisonous

NC State Extension lists it as poisonous to humans (severity: low). Poisonous parts: fruits, roots. They also note: “EDIBLE PARTS: Young, unfolding leaves HARVEST TIME: Only collect leaves from areas you know have NOT been treated with pesticides. SAFE HANDLING PROCEDURES: Wash leaves in warm water to remove dirt and debris. Do not use dish detergent or any type of sanitizer. These products can leave a residue. Cook in boiling, salted water for ten minutes and serve like greens. SOURCE: Crowhurst, A. 1972. The Weed Cookbook. Lancer Books, Inc. New York, 190 pp.” ^{NC State Extension}

For petsNot well documented

It isn't on the ASPCA plant list, and NC State Extension doesn't flag it for pets.

🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.

Where does it grow?

USDA PLANTS records bashful wakerobin in 6 states.

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recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Alabama, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee.

Georgia counties with USDA records: Bartow, Burke, Carroll, Cherokee, Clarke, Clay, Clayton, Cobb, Coweta, Dawson, DeKalb, Early, Elbert, Floyd, Fulton, Gilmer, Hall, Hancock, Harris, Hart, Henry, Houston, Jackson, Lumpkin, Madison, Morgan, Murray, Muscogee, Oconee, Oglethorpe, Polk, Putnam, Rabun, Stephens, Sumter, Talbot, Towns, Union, Upson, Webster, White, Wilkes.

South Carolina counties with USDA records: Aiken, Calhoun, Cherokee, Chester, Edgefield, Fairfield, Lancaster, Laurens, Lexington, McCormick, Newberry, Oconee, Pickens, Richland, Spartanburg, Union, York.

More Georgia flowers

Little sweet betsy

Trillium cuneatum

Native

🌼 Blooms in GA: March–April

American pokeweed

Phytolacca americana

Native

🌼 Blooms in GA: May–September

American beautyberry

Callicarpa americana

Native

🌼 Blooms in GA: May–July

Sources

USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile TRCA11.
iNaturalist, Trillium catesbaei: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
Wikipedia, Trillium catesbaei (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
Georgia: Georgia protected plants (Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 391-4-10-.09; a 2026 update is proposed).
South Carolina: South Carolina State Plant Pest List, plants (S.C. Code Regs. 27-135; Clemson Dept. of Plant Industry).
USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
NatureServe Explorer, Trillium catesbaei (global and state ranks).
Edibility and toxicity: NC State Extension.
Photo: Anthony A Simmons via iNaturalist · CC0 · resized.