Red Trillium

Sweet Wakerobin
Trillium vaseyi
(TRIL-ee-um) (VAS-ee-eye)
Synonym: Red Trillium, Vasey's Trillium, Stinking Benjamin
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This is one of the most distinguished plants in our woodland garden. It is perennial having returned for about 25 years now. There are all sorts of things that make the Trillium special. The way they reproduce is kind of interesting having their seed spread by ants and mice from the Wikipedia article the process is explained like this:

“At maturity, the base and core of the Trillium ovary turns soft and spongy. Trillium seeds have a fleshy organ called an elaiosome that attracts ants. The ants extract the seeds from the decaying ovary and take them to their nest, where they eat the elaiosomes and put the seeds in their garbage, where they can be protected until they germinate. They also get the added bonus of growing in a medium made richer by the ant garbage.” This process is called myrmecochory and is a good example of mutualism, with both species deriving benefit from the action.

These were shot with a Nikon P6000

Our plant has not popped up anywhere else but we do discourage both ants and mice. You should never pick a Tillium flower as the plant can take a long time to recover. As a matter of fact it is protected against picking and collection in many US states and parts of Canada. The white Trillium, which is a little easier to see than the red, is the official flower of the Canadian province of Ontario and the state flower of Ohio.

I am glad this flower had its head turned up for easy photographing. They are often, as were the others in the group, nod downward because of the weight.