the saddest part of this story is that when I mved into this house, we had a small untended backyard w/several trees. I came in and had most of them cut down. Then the stumps grinded. I felt so much guilt and thats one decision I'll regret for the rest of my life. It started this obsession with natives and a more natural approach to gardening. I guess something good came of it! I've been working so hard to replant other natives and to keep invasives in check to try and restore what that area was before I came in a ruined it. I can't beleive how many things are thriving back there after all the abuse I inflicted on it. I can tell you one thing, i will never tear a tree down or rip anything out unless absolutely necessary!! Now I have to plant a tree to better shelter all these jacks and trilliums b/c i've opened the canopy so much some are in alot of sun.

Fresh seed produce most reliable germination. Old and dried seed may produce some seedlings, but the germination percentage will probably be low or none and takes longer. Trillium seed require a double dormancy, a warm-cold-warm period and a second warm-cold-warm period. If seed are planted and left outdoors, they usually begin germination during the second year. Select a pot or tray large enough to accomodate the quantity of seed you have, without crowding them. If the pot is a reused one, sterilize it by washing in a solution of one part household chlorine bleach and nine parts water. Use a soilless mix, or better, a seed starting mix, which is a finer texture. Moisten the mixture before planting the seed. Be sure the pot or tray has good drainage. Place the seed on the moistened mix, keeping them separated as much as possible. I use tweezers or plastic gloves to avoid contact with the seed, which may contaminate them. Cover the seed with about ½" of moistened potting mix and then ½" or less of washed coarse sand. This prevents moss and algae from growing on the surface. Cover the pot with a fine metal screen mesh to prevent rodent damage. You may plunge the pot in sand or soil, up to just below the rim and cover with leaves or conifer needles during the winter, to conserve moisture. Remove the mulch in the spring. Check frequently during dry periods for soil moisture and do not allow the soil to become dry. When seed begin to germinate, you will see a single leaf-like form (cotyledon) emerge. It usually remains for the first year and true leaves will emerge the following year. Depending upon the species, it will usually require 3-5 years before flowering occurs. Some say much longer. To prevent damping-off, drench the soil with garlic water after planting. (one or two cloves of minced garlic in a pint of water, let steep for a few hours). If you use sterilized soil and pot and good sanitation practice, that is usually unnecessary. After true leaves appear, if you wish to fertilize them, use a slow release general purpose fertilizer, such as 14-14-14, in the spring. I usually wait until they attain a height of several inches before removing them from the pots and transplanting in the garden. Hope other members with experience growing Trillium from seed will chime in with their process. Always helps to have different perspectives. Rb

Cyndy Witzke - 5: I have trillium on my property and would like to transplant some. How and when should I do this? Also, how & when can I collect their seeds? Skip MNZ4: I moved them late in the season after the seed pods had matured and were just starting to burst open. The outside of the pod turns a dark maroonish red. When the seeds are harvested they should be moist with orangey colored sticky material on them. The number of seeds will vary by plant; one pod contained 18 seeds while another contained 78. I planted them immediately after harvest. If you want to start them indoors over winter the seed treatment is cold-damp. I put three seeds in each planting 'hole' with enough soil to just cover the seed.

Re Trillium: Have had several clumps T. grandiflorum and T. erectum (local trilliums) growing in our garden for maybe ten years. I tend to have planted them at the back of the mixed perennial beds, in part, so I won't disturb them. We water the whole garden as required. Looking at the trilliums in the local woodlot; you don't see them in waterlogged areas (e.g. where there are seasonal ponds), but rather on the likely well draining slopes in the dappled sunlight before the woods leaf over. The literature seems to confirm the need for drainage; however, surely ground waterlogged, for a few hours, doesn't matter.