Hello Alpiner, my experience with Trillium grandiflorum has been getting sprouts from seed (took two years!)
I will have to see how the sprouts did this spring.
That tells me that the seed at least survived my winters.

Thanks for that encouragement. Usually it's the first couple years that are the toughest for marginal plants to survive.Trillium grandiflorum take about 5 years from seed to produce a flower. I've read they are fairly reliable multipliers this way (at least where they are native). It's good to know they are 'on their way' in your area.

When mature it's supposedly a good idea to pot one up and let it drop its seeds in the pot. After the trillium retreats for the season, put in back into the ground and keep the pot's soil to give refuge to the seeds until they sprout.

I can't say, however, I have any personal experience with them beyond growing the ackaged roots. I'll splurge and get a few more packages this week. When in doubt 'get it' when it comes to plants. Even if something doesn't survive or live up to expectation, the rush from anticipation is worth the couple of dollars. I'm sure for a lot of us crazy gardeners, plants are our natural high (not that other type of plant. wink)

alpiner, I hoping my T. grandiflorum makes it, I bought mine 3 years ago, first year, just leaves then it went dormant in the middle of the summer, second year, popped up, but the wind snapped its head off so I didn't have the chance to enjoy the bloom. This spring, I'm hoping for luck.

Just make sure you plant yours in a well-protected area not in a wind tunnel like I have.

2 roots for $4, thatÂs a steal!

Sharon

Thanks for sharing your experience. They go dormant in mid summer as you say.

Sunnyside Garden Center in Calgary has them in the bulb section hanging on the racks in packages along with other hardy plants. Sunnyside always has a large selection of interesting 'stuff' this time of year. Mostly dozens of varieties dahlias, cannas, callas, gladiolas,etc. but also things like Trillium, Bletia orchid, and so on. We always try some of the stranger tender bulbs and have 'hit and miss' results.

Sometimes I wished I still lived in a city to get on with the deals like that!

I wonder if anyone has ventured to try other species of Trilliums? There are so many different species at the FraserÂs Thimbles Farms website but their zone ratings daunt me ;)

Sharon

Here is a link that might be useful: Trilliums

Some of the zones are daunting........but so are the prices on some! $75 for the double white.......ouch!

I'm attempting a few species, though this is their first winter outdoors. We've had an early and continuous deep blanket of snow, so I think all will be fine at least so far. In the autumn, I had noticed several trilliums had poked their dormant growth buds up and out of the soil ... this is not so great, especially if winter would happen to bring -40C and no snow! Trilliums might do best being covered in mulch, though one would have to be very careful removing it in the spring!

Alpiner, I wish I could come across such a deal with Trillium grandiflorum! ... these are very lovely!

Terry

Sharon, I just got a catalogue from Fraser's Thimble Farms. I can't believe the number of plants I grow (without protection) in my Chinook-ravaged zone 3 garden that Fraser's lists as zone 5. I'd double-check the zone ratings with other resources when deciding on purchases. Otherwise, some perfectly hardy plants could be ignored. ;-)

We started trillium in pots years ago and planted them out in the garden where they have taken hold and multiplied. We started our trillium roots, winter aconite corms and snowdrops in pots and then put them out on their own after a year. This isn't essential but it just increases their odds of surviving.

I treat anything zone 5 or lower more or less the same. Some zone 5 plants haven't made it but neither have some zone 2. Proper drainage and mulching makes a big difference for so-called marginal plants. Many plants aren't listed as zone 2 or 3 because there just isn't much experience with them other than anecdotal evidence. A lot of so-called higher zone plants just haven't been given a fighting chance. I like to find out myself rather than shying away because of the literature. Everytime we visit a keen gardener or they visit us there's always at least one 'I din't know that could grow here'. Some of the plant requirement literature just parrots other literature and bad info is perpetuated (not that there isn't also a lot of good literature and info).

Terry, Doris and BJ, what other species of Trilliums besides grandiflorum are your growing or have tried?

I know all about zone pushing ;)

Sharon

Sharon, I've tried (and killed) Trillium grandiflorum, and I'm trying Trillium erectum. T. erectum has survived a couple of years in my garden, so far, but no flowers yet. I'll see what it does this year. The T. grandiflorum was sickly when I put it in the ground, so I may have to try again. I didn't get either one from Fraser's.

Sharon, I also have T. grandiflorum and ovatum, which turns pink with age. Also erectum and the double white from called "Snow bunting".

Terry

Just a heads up. I was in Walmart today and there are packaged white and yellow trillium bulbs. 2 bulbs for $6.99. The white trilliums are less expensive at our local garden center but they don't have yellow trilliums. I lucked out and actually had three yellow bulbs in my package of two yellow trilliums.