Trillium tschonoskii

Maxim.

Yan ling cao

Melanthiaceae Edible: Fruit 182 iNaturalist observations

iNaturalist· cc-by

iNaturalist· cc-by-sa

iNaturalist· cc-by-nc

Summary

Trillium tschonoskii is a diminutive perennial reaching just 0.2 m in height, hardy to UK zone 5. It produces hermaphrodite flowers from April to June that are pollinated by insects. The plant grows in full shade to open sun and tolerates light sandy, medium loamy, and heavy clay soils with good drainage. It prefers mildly acidic to basic soils and thrives in consistently moist conditions.

Description

A bulb plant. It grows 15-50 cm high. It has a stout rhizome or underground stem which is short. The stems are in clumps. The leaves do not have leaf stalks. They are round and 6-15 cm long by 5-15 cm wide. The flower stalk is 1-4 cm long. The flowers are 3-4 cm wide. The flowers are green and pale purple or white. The fruit is a black purple round berry. It is 1.5-1.8 cm across. It has many seeds.

Edible Uses

The fruit is edible, though no further details are recorded.

Medicinal Uses

The root contains steroidal saponins that have hormonal effects on the body and are being used in gynaecological and obstetric medicine.

Distribution

It is a temperate plant. It grows in forests in moist places which are shady and often near rocks. In China it grows between 1000-3200 m altitude. It suits hardiness zones 5-9.

Where It Grows

Asia, Australia, Bhutan, China, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Japan, Korea, Myanmar, Northeastern India, SE Asia, Sikkim, Taiwan,

Cultivation

Prefers a deep well-drained woodland or humus-rich soil in a somewhat shady position that remains moist in the summer. Prefers a neutral to slightly acid soil. Grows well in open woodland. Succeeds in deep shade. Succeeds in a sunny position if the soil does not dry out. This species is closely related to T. kamtschaticum. Any transplanting is best done whilst the plants are in flower. Plants can flower in two years from seed. Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer or rabbits, though slugs are very fond of the leaves.

Propagation

Seed is best sown in a shaded cold frame as soon as it is ripe. Stored seed should be sown in late winter or early spring. Germination typically occurs within 1–3 months at 15°c, though one account notes that seeds produce a root after the first cold stratification but no shoot until after a second winter, and another reports germination can take up to 3 years. Seedlings are prone to damping off and must be watered carefully with plenty of fresh air. Overwinter young plants in a cold frame for their first year, then plant out in late spring. Pots must not become too dry or too wet. Divide carefully when plants die down after flowering. Larger divisions can go directly into permanent positions; smaller divisions are best potted up and grown on in light shade in a greenhouse or cold frame until well established, then planted out the following spring.

Other Uses

Miscellany None known Special Uses

Notes

There are about 46 Trillium species. Also put in the family Trilliaceae.

Synonyms

Trillium morei HayataTrillium tschomoskii var. himalaicum H.HaraTrillium tschonoskii f. morii (Hayata) YamamotoTrillium schonoskii var. morii (Hayata) Masamune

References (4)

Bull. Acad. Imp. Sci. Saint-Petersbourg 29:218; Meanges Biol. Bull. Phys.-Math. Acad. Imp. Sci. Saint-Petersbourg 11:861. 1883 (Diagn. pl. nov. asiat.)
Chen Xinqi, Liang Songyun, Xu Jiemei, Tamura M.N., Liliaceae. Flora of China. p 24
Cundall, P., (ed.), 2004, Gardening Australia: flora: the gardener's bible. ABC Books. p 1431
Plants for a Future database, The Field, Penpol, Lostwithiel, Cornwall, PL22 0NG, UK. http://www.scs.leeds.ac.uk/pfaf/