Western trillium (Trillium ovatum var. ovatum)
A true fan-favorite, the Pacific Trillium (Trillium ovatum var. ovatum) is a quintessential harbinger of spring in the PNW. Trillium has a white bloom (though it may fade to pink as the flower ages), standing out in stark contrast with its shady forest habitat.
This plant is incredibly common, growing on both sides of the Cascade crest, and has a flowering period from March to June depending on elevation.
Trillium is a member of the lily order, its monocot identity demonstrated through its parallel leaf venation. It also exhibits beautiful radial symmetry, with its three petals framed against three sepals and a whorl of (typically) three leaves. Can you guess how it got its Latin name?.
References
Gerald B. Stanley, Trillium ovatum var. ovatum (Seattle: Washington Native Plant Society, 2023).
Mark Turner and Phyllis Gustafson, Wildflowers of the Pacific Northwest (Portland: Timber Press, 2006), 68.
