Stem: The stem is an above ground portion (a flowering scape) of the underground rhizome. It is smooth, greenish at the top with reddish coloration near the base and grows up to 16 inches high.

Leaves: In the true trilliums the leaf like parts are actually floral bracts just below the flower base. They are of course much larger than the normal small bract usually found on plants, but they are equipped to fulfill the function of a leaf. The stalkless bracts, are a medium green color in a whorl of 3 atop the stem and are at least as wide as they are long, and frequently wider, ovate to rhombic in shape. The main veins are parallel to the margin and distinctively netted between them.

Flowers: The 1-1/2 inch wide flower has a 1/2 to 4 inch long stalk (pedicle), that is held erect above the bracts but the stalk is long enough to cause the flower head to "droop" and face outward rather than upward, but still held above the bracts at an angle unlike Nodding Trillium where it hangs beneath the bracts. The stalk is green initially turning yellowish at maturity. The 3 creamy-white petals are distinctly veined, recurved and ovate to ovate-lanceolate in shape and about equal in length with the 3 green sepals which are lanceolate in shape and slightly recurved, much less than the petals. The flower stamens number six, have white filaments with anthers that are thick, creamy white to yellow and more than 1/4 inch long. Female flower parts are white at first, becoming yellowish at maturity. The ovary consists of 3 united carpels, widest near the base, strongly 6-angled; the style has 3 stigmas that have recurved tips but are closely grouped. Flowers have sometimes been reported to be maroon but that would be quite uncommon in this species.

Fruit: Flowers mature to a rose-red to purplish capsule containing the seeds. The capsule is angled like the ovary, juicy and has an aroma of ripe fruit. Read Eloise Butler's notes at the bottom of this page. Trilliums are tedious to start from seed as they must have a cold moist period, followed by a warm moist period, followed by another cold moist period, each period of at least 60 to 90 days. Planted in soil, they will thus germinate in the 2nd Spring. Then they will take 3 to 5 years before they flower.

 

Habitat: Drooping Trillium grows from a thick rhizome and, if left undisturbed, will spread over time to form a nice clump as shown in the photo below. Like most Trilliums it will grow best in well drained soil in light full shade or dappled sun under the tree canopy. The plant dies back to dormancy by mid summer.

Names: The genus name Trillium, is derived from the Latin trilix, meaning 'triple' and referring to the flowers having parts of three. The species name, flexipes, means 'flexible, and probably refers to the long flower stalk.

The author name for the plant classification - ‘Raf.’ refers to Constantine Samuel Rafinesque, (1783-1840), European polymath who traveled in the United States, lived here many years, collected specimens, and published over 6,700 binomial names for plants including this species published in 1840 in Autikon Botanikon. He applied to be botanist on the Lewis & Clark expedition but Jefferson turned him down in favor of training Lewis to act as botanist and saving the expense on another person.

New Family: There is a movement among botanists to segregate the Trilliums and a few other genera out of the Liliaceae Family and into the Melanthiaceae. The U of M Herbarium has made this change on their Minnesota checklist but Flora of North America has not yet published this.

Comparison: While Drooping Trillium is similar in components to other white flowered Trilliums, the flower is not nearly as large as that of the Large-flowered Trillium, T. grandiflorum, and that flower faces outward and a little more upward. Closest in comparison is Nodding Trillium, T. cernuum where the flower also declines but actually droops below the leaves.