Snow Trillium (Trillium nivale)
Photo by Jeff Nesta
Snow trillium (Trillium nivale), a threatened wildflower in Wisconsin, blooms from late March through late April, making it one of the very first spring ephemerals to appear—often while snow is still on the ground. It typically grows to a height of 3 to 6 inches. Its single flower, measuring up to 2 inches across, features three elegant white tepals—structures that combine the characteristics of petals and sepals—alongside three green sepals and six yellow stamens. Below the bloom, three olive green or green leaves are arranged in a whorl, each up to 2 inches long and 1-1/4 inches wide. Snow trillium prefers filtered sunlight during the spring, before the trees leaf out, and light shade during the summer. It also likes loamy or rocky mesic to dry soil enriched with decaying leaf matter. It is commonly found in rich woodlands, thinly wooded bluffs, and upper riverbanks.
Sources:
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources — Snow Trillium species profile
USDA Plants Database — Trillium nivale
Illinois Wildflowers — Snow Trillium overview
Flora of North America — Trillium nivale botanical description
NatureServe Explorer — Conservation status for Trillium nivale
(EW)