Kendall County (IL) Forest Preserve District
Toad
Trillium
(Toadshade)
Trillium sessile
[C-value
10]
Lily family (Liliaceae)
Blooms Mid-April - Mid-May
The native Toad Trillium is rarely found in our area and is monitored as one of our Plants of Concern. It prefers dappled sunlight to light shade and a moderately-moist rich loamy soil. Habitats include rich slightly moist woodlands, floodplain woodlands' valleys, lower slopes of shady ravines and swamps. This woodland perennial is 5-12" tall, consisting of a single stem and a whorl of 3 variegated spreading leaves at its apex. Individual leaves are 3-4" long and 2-3½" across, ovate or oval-shaped, toothless, and parallel-veined. On a mature plant, a single stalkless flower with 3 arching dark maroon petals develops on top of the whorl of leaves forming a central nesting bud.
Toad Trillium in a Kendall County Forest Preserve May 7, 2014
Toad Trillium in a Kendall County Forest Preserve May 7, 2014
Toad Trillium resembles Red Trillium (Trillium recurvatum) which is more common in our high quality woodlands of Kendall County. It can be distinguished from Red Trillium by its sessile (stalkless) more rounded leaves and widely spreading or ascending sepals held above the leaves.
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