Flower profile
Little sweet betsy
Trillium cuneatum
Little sweet betsy is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. It's on our flower lists for 3 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in March–April.
*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.
Quick look
Trillium cuneatum, the little sweet betsy, also known as whip-poor-will flower, large toadshade, purple toadshade, and bloody butcher, is a species of flowering plant in the family Melanthiaceae. It is a member of the Trillium cuneatum complex, a subgroup of the sessile-flowered trilliums.
- 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 11 states. USDA PLANTS
- NatureServe lists it as native to Tennessee, Georgia and Alabama. NatureServe
- In Tennessee, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in March–April. iNaturalist
- In Georgia, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in March–April. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 1,808 research-grade sightings of it in Tennessee, ranking #63 among the 112 flowers on our Tennessee list. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 1,320 research-grade sightings of it in Georgia, ranking #64 among the 111 flowers on our Georgia list. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 991 research-grade sightings of it in Alabama, ranking #44 among the 111 flowers on our Alabama list. iNaturalist
Little sweet betsy gift ideas
Handmade little sweet betsy 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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Little sweet betsy art print
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Little sweet betsy greeting card
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Little sweet betsy mug
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Little sweet betsy earrings
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Little sweet betsy embroidery pattern
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Little sweet betsy sticker
When does it bloom?
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
- Tennessee
- Not listed Not on Tennessee endangered plants (Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0400-06-02-.04, Rare Plant Protection and Conservation Act). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Tennessee. TN rule 0400-06-02-.04
- 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
- Alabama
- No list Alabama has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Alabama ranks instead. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Alabama.
- 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?
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
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 little sweet betsy in 11 states.
recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded
See the full list of states
Alabama, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia.
Tennessee counties with USDA records: Anderson, Bedford, Bledsoe, Blount, Campbell, Cannon, Cheatham, Clay, Coffee, Davidson, DeKalb, Dickson, Franklin, Giles, Grundy, Hamilton, Hardin, Hickman, Lawrence, Lewis, Macon, Marion, Maury, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Overton, Perry, Pickett, Polk, Putnam, Robertson, Rutherford, Scott, Smith, Stewart, Sumner, Van Buren, Warren, Wayne, White, Williamson, Wilson.
Georgia counties with USDA records: Baldwin, Bartow, Catoosa, Crisp, Dade, Elbert, Floyd, Forsyth, Gilmer, Gordon, Greene, Habersham, Hall, Hancock, Harris, Jackson, Lumpkin, Murray, Oglethorpe, Pickens, Putnam, Rabun, Stephens, Taylor, Towns, Troup, Union, Walker, Washington, White, Whitfield.
Alabama counties with USDA records: Autauga, Bibb, Blount, Calhoun, Chambers, Chilton, Choctaw, Colbert, Coosa, Cullman, Dallas, DeKalb, Elmore, Etowah, Fayette, Franklin, Hale, Jackson, Jefferson, Lamar, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Lee, Limestone, Lowndes, Madison, Marshall, Morgan, Perry, Pickens, Pike, Shelby, Talladega, Tuscaloosa, Walker, Winston.
More Tennessee flowers
Sources
- USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile TRCU.
- iNaturalist, Trillium cuneatum: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
- Wikipedia, Trillium cuneatum (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Tennessee: Tennessee endangered plants (Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0400-06-02-.04, Rare Plant Protection and Conservation Act).
- Tennessee: Tennessee Pest Plant List (Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0080-06-24-.02).
- Georgia: Georgia protected plants (Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 391-4-10-.09; a 2026 update is proposed).
- Alabama: Alabama noxious weeds (Ala. Admin. Code r. 80-10-14-.04).
- USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
- NatureServe Explorer, Trillium cuneatum (global and state ranks).
- Edibility and toxicity: NC State Extension.
- Photo: Kristály Cravens-Liszak via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.