Bloomipedia
Red trillium (Trillium erectum)
Photo: glenspurlock via iNaturalist · CC0 · resized

Flower profile

Red trillium

Trillium erectum

Red trillium (Trillium erectum) is a flowering plant in the Melanthiaceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly April–May across the U.S.

Native in the lower 48

Three deep-red petals on a woodland floor mean spring has arrived. This early bloomer has some funny nicknames.

23states where USDA records it
10Bloomipedia state lists include it
31,718U.S. sightings*

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

On our lists for: Connecticut, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Vermont, West Virginia

Fun facts

  • It's a spring ephemeral: it comes up, flowers and fades early in the year, in step with the forests where it lives. Wikipedia
  • It's native to the eastern U.S. and eastern Canada, from northern Georgia to Quebec and New Brunswick. Wikipedia
  • It's also called wake robin, purple trillium, bethroot and stinking benjamin. Wikipedia
  • "Wake robin" refers to the red-breasted European robin, a sign of spring. Wikipedia
  • Despite the name, the petals can be dark red-brown, maroon, purple, pale yellow or white. Wikipedia
  • After pollination, it forms a dark red, berry-like capsule about 1–1.5 cm long. Wikipedia
✨ Did you know?

Why "stinking benjamin"? The flower gives off a smell some describe as wet dog, which draws carrion flies and beetles that pollinate it. Wikipedia

When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month across the U.S. (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (12,941 records)
Bloom time in the 10 states whose Bloomipedia list includes it
StateTypePeak bloomSightings*
VermontNativeApril–May5,415
New YorkNativeApril–May5,221
MassachusettsNativeApril–May4,608
PennsylvaniaNativeApril–May3,135
North CarolinaNativeApril–May2,674
New HampshireNativeApril–May2,363
MaineNativeApril–May1,730
ConnecticutNativeApril–May1,441
West VirginiaNativeApril–May825
KentuckyNativeMarch–April692

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA)
Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
NatureServe global
G5 Secure worldwide. NatureServe
State rare plant lists
Not listed Not on the official rare plant list in 8 of our 10 states.
See each state
Vermont
Not listed Not on Endangered and Threatened Plants of Vermont (10 V.S.A. chap. 123; list of Feb 10, 2022). NatureServe: S5, secure in Vermont. Vermont E&T list
Massachusetts
Not listed Not on Massachusetts Endangered Species Act list (321 CMR 10.90). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Massachusetts. MESA list
Pennsylvania
Not listed Not on Pennsylvania classified native plants (17 Pa. Code Ch. 45, Subchapter B, as amended 2023). NatureServe: S5, secure in Pennsylvania. 17 Pa. Code Ch. 45
North Carolina
Not listed Not on North Carolina Protected Plant Species List (02 NCAC 48F .0301). NatureServe: S5, secure in North Carolina. 02 NCAC 48F .0301
New Hampshire
Not listed Not on New Hampshire Official Rare Plants List (Ncr 312, eff. Jan 1, 2020). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in New Hampshire. NH Ncr 312
Maine
Not listed Not on Maine Rare Plant List (Maine Natural Areas Program, 2021). E and T are Maine's official endangered and threatened plants (12 M.R.S.); SC and PE are tracking categories. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Maine. Maine rare plant list
Connecticut
Not listed Not on Connecticut Endangered, Threatened and Special Concern Plants (RCSA 26-306; 2015 list). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Connecticut. CT E/T/SC list
Kentucky
Not listed Not on Kentucky endangered and threatened plant lists (400 KAR 3:040, eff. 2026). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Kentucky. 400 KAR 3:040
New York
Exploitably vulnerable On New York protected native plants (6 NYCRR § 193.3): exploitably vulnerable (protected from picking without the landowner's permission). NatureServe: S5, secure in New York. 6 NYCRR § 193.3
West Virginia
No list West Virginia has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants (only federally listed species are protected), so we show NatureServe's West Virginia ranks instead. NatureServe: S5, secure in West Virginia.
Rare elsewhere
Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: DE (S1), IL (S1), RI (S1), SC (S1). (S1 critically imperiled, S2 imperiled, SH possibly extirpated, SX presumed extirpated.)

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

Please leave it where it grows

Please enjoy trilliums where they grow. NatureServe ranks red trillium critically imperiled in Delaware, Illinois, Rhode Island and South Carolina. Also: it's on New York's rare plant list (exploitably vulnerable). NatureServe 6 NYCRR § 193.3

Can you eat it?

For peopleNot edible: mildly poisonous

NC State Extension lists it as poisonous to humans (low severity). The fruits and roots are the poisonous parts. NC State Extension

For petsNot well documented

We couldn't find a trillium entry in the ASPCA plant database.

🌿 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 red trillium in 23 states.

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia.

Vermont counties with USDA records: Addison, Bennington, Caledonia, Chittenden, Essex, Franklin, Grand Isle, Lamoille, Orange, Orleans, Rutland, Washington, Windham, Windsor.

New York counties with USDA records: Albany, Allegany, Bronx, Broome, Cattaraugus, Cayuga, Chautauqua, Chemung, Chenango, Clinton, Columbia, Cortland, Delaware, Dutchess, Erie, Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Genesee, Greene, Hamilton, Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis, Livingston, Madison, Monroe, Nassau, New York, Niagara, Oneida, Onondaga, Orange, Oswego, Otsego, Putnam, Queens, Rensselaer, Richmond, Rockland, Saratoga, Schenectady, Schoharie, Seneca, St. Lawrence, Steuben, Suffolk, Sullivan, Tioga, Tompkins, Ulster, Warren, Washington, Wayne, Westchester, Wyoming.

Massachusetts counties with USDA records: Berkshire, Bristol, Essex, Franklin, Hampden, Hampshire, Middlesex, Norfolk, Worcester.

Names, range and relatives

Native status by region (USDA PLANTS): Canada: Native; Lower 48 states: Native.

County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 363 counties across 22 states; the most are in New York (56), Pennsylvania (56), West Virginia (45).

Other Trillium on Bloomipedia (12): Pacific trillium, Large white trillium, Painted trillium, Prairie trillium, Toadshade, Little sweet betsy, 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 Vermont flowers

Painted trillium (Trillium undulatum)

Painted trillium

Trillium undulatum

Native

🌼 Blooms in VT: May–June
Large white trillium (Trillium grandiflorum)

Large white trillium

Trillium grandiflorum

★ OH state wildflowerNative

🌼 Blooms in VT: April–May
Green false hellebore (Veratrum viride)

Green false hellebore

Veratrum viride

Native

🌼 Blooms in VT: June–July

Sources