How to Grow and Care for Birthroots

Sweet Betsy is a sessile plant, which means it has no stalk and the flowers emerge straight from its modified leaves. The genus Trillium cuneatum originates from the Latin word 'tres,' which refers to the overall appearance of the plant - three petals, three bracts, and three sepals. This plant thrives best in moist and well-drained soil.

Taken from the wild and sold commercially, the white trillium has sparked conservation concerns because it is the most widely farmed plant in its genus. The leaves of this plant are cooked and eaten by Native Americans, while the root stalks are utilized as herbal medicine. The white trillium is Ohio's state wildflower and Ontario's official provincial floral emblem.

Pacific trillium is a plant in the lily family found in the Western United States. It was discovered by the Lewis and Clark Expedition of 1806. This plant has egg-shaped leaves and one or two flower blooms per plant. These flowers begin as white and become pink as they age.

Native to eastern North America, the red trillium (*Trillium erectum*) is found on forest floors. Its components surface in groups of three as pointed triple leaves, giving way to three-petalled flowers. Red trillium is mildly toxic to humans. The flowers smell like rotting meat to attract pollinating flies.

Bloody butcher (Trillium recurvatum) is a flowering plant species that may take up to 10 years to mature enough to flower. It flowers quicker when cultivated in homes as a houseplant and is often cultivated as an ornamental species.