Bloomipedia
Little sweet betsy (Trillium cuneatum)
Photo: Kristály Cravens-Liszak via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized

Flower profile

Little sweet betsy

Trillium cuneatum

Little sweet betsy (Trillium cuneatum) is a flowering plant in the Melanthiaceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly March–April across the U.S.

Native in the lower 48

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.

11states where USDA records it
3Bloomipedia state lists include it
7,897U.S. sightings*

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

On our lists for: Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee

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 #64 among the 182 flowers on our Tennessee list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 1,320 research-grade sightings of it in Georgia, ranking #66 among the 183 flowers on our Georgia list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 991 research-grade sightings of it in Alabama, ranking #48 among the 167 flowers on our Alabama list. iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month across the U.S. (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (2,899 records)
Bloom time in the 3 states whose Bloomipedia list includes it
StateTypePeak bloomSightings*
TennesseeNativeMarch–April1,808
GeorgiaNativeMarch–April1,320
AlabamaNativeMarch–April991

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?

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 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.

Names, range and relatives

Other scientific names (synonyms in USDA PLANTS): Trillium hugeri.

County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 186 counties across 9 states; the most are in Tennessee (43), Alabama (36), Georgia (31).

Other Trillium on Bloomipedia (12): Pacific trillium, Large white trillium, Red trillium, Painted trillium, Prairie trillium, Toadshade, Bashful wakerobin, Nodding trillium, Giant white wakerobin, Yellow wakerobin.

More from the Melanthiaceae family (18 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Green false hellebore, Corn lily, Fremont's death camas, Common beargrass, Mountain deathcamas, Meadow deathcamas.

More Tennessee flowers

Yellow wakerobin (Trillium luteum)

Yellow wakerobin

Trillium luteum

Native

🌼 Blooms in TN: March–May
Large white trillium (Trillium grandiflorum)

Large white trillium

Trillium grandiflorum

★ OH state wildflowerNative

🌼 Blooms in TN: March–April
American pokeweed (Phytolacca americana)

American pokeweed

Phytolacca americana

Native

🌼 Blooms in TN: June–September

Sources