Yellow Wood Lily

A standout species for the spring garden, Trillium luteum is one of the most reliable and fragrant of the wood lilies in the UK. It features beautiful, sessile (stalkless) flowers that sit directly atop a whorl of three large, mottled, olive-green and silver leaves. The flowers are a striking lemon to golden-yellow and have a wonderful, sweet scent reminiscent of citrus, which is particularly noticeable on warm spring days. Growing to about 30-40cm, it is a clump-forming perennial that slowly expands via rhizomes. It is fully hardy (H5) and thrives in the dappled shade of a deciduous woodland, preferring deep, moist, neutral to acidic soil rich in organic matter. In the UK, it is highly prized for its decorative foliage as much as its flowers. It is best planted in groups where it can form a significant colony over time. Like most trilliums, it should be kept moist during the growing season and benefits from an annual mulch of leaf mould.

Sun: Partial shade.

Soil: Moist, humus-rich, neutral to acid soil.

Hardiness: H5 — down to −15°C.

Flowering: Apr, May.