Flower profile

Painted trillium

Trillium undulatum

Native in the lower 48

Painted trillium is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. It's on our flower lists for 5 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in April–June.

19states

5of our state lists

19,185U.S. sightings*

*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.

On our lists for: Maine, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Vermont, West Virginia

Quick look

Trillium undulatum, commonly called painted trillium, painted lady, or trille ondulé in French, is a species of flowering plant in the bunchflower family Melanthiaceae. It is also known as smiling wake robin or striped wake-robin. The specific epithet undulatum means "wavy", which refers to the wavy edges of the flower petals.
From Wikipedia's article Trillium undulatum, CC BY-SA 4.0.

It belongs to the Melanthiaceae family. ^iNaturalist
USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) with a perennial life cycle. ^{USDA PLANTS}
USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 19 states. ^{USDA PLANTS}
NatureServe lists it as native to New Hampshire, Vermont, North Carolina, Maine and West Virginia. ^NatureServe
In New Hampshire, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in May–June. ^iNaturalist
In Vermont, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in May–June. ^iNaturalist
iNaturalist has 4,317 research-grade sightings of it in New Hampshire, ranking #7 among the 109 flowers on our New Hampshire list. ^iNaturalist
iNaturalist has 3,226 research-grade sightings of it in Vermont, ranking #10 among the 110 flowers on our Vermont list. ^iNaturalist
iNaturalist has 2,333 research-grade sightings of it in North Carolina, ranking #69 among the 111 flowers on our North Carolina list. ^iNaturalist

Painted trillium gift ideas

Handmade painted trillium gifts from independent makers.

🌱 Sample spot. Handmade gift picks from independent shops will appear here once our shop partnership is approved. These cards are placeholders, not real products.

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When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month across the U.S. (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (6,296 records)

Bloom time in each of our 5 states

State	Type	Peak bloom	Sightings*
New Hampshire	Native	May–June	4,317
Vermont	Native	May–June	3,226
North Carolina	Native	April–May	2,333
Maine	Native	May–June	2,180
West Virginia	Native	April–June	699

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA): Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. ^{USFWS ECOS}
NatureServe global: G5 Secure worldwide. ^NatureServe
New Hampshire: Not listed Not on New Hampshire Official Rare Plants List (Ncr 312, eff. Jan 1, 2020). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in New Hampshire. ^{NH Ncr 312}
Vermont: Not listed Not on Endangered and Threatened Plants of Vermont (10 V.S.A. chap. 123; list of Feb 10, 2022). NatureServe: S4, apparently secure in Vermont. ^{Vermont E&T list}
North Carolina: Not listed Not on North Carolina Protected Plant Species List (02 NCAC 48F .0301). NatureServe: S4, apparently secure in North Carolina. ^{02 NCAC 48F .0301}
Maine: Not listed Not on Maine Rare Plant List (Maine Natural Areas Program, 2021). E and T are Maine's official endangered and threatened plants (12 M.R.S.); SC and PE are tracking categories. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Maine. ^{Maine rare plant list}
West Virginia: No list West Virginia has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants (only federally listed species are protected), so we show NatureServe's West Virginia ranks instead. NatureServe: S4, apparently secure in West Virginia.
Rare elsewhere: Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: KY (S2), MI (S1), NJ (S2), OH (S1), RI (S2), SC (S2). (S1 critically imperiled, S2 imperiled, SH possibly extirpated, SX presumed extirpated.)

Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.

Can you eat it?

For peopleCaution: partly edible, partly poisonous

NC State Extension lists it as poisonous to humans (severity: low). Poisonous parts: fruits, roots. They also note: “Young, unfolding leaves. Only collect leaves from areas you know have NOT been treated with pesticides. Wash leaves in warm water to remove dirt and debris. Do not use dish detergent or any type of sanitizer. These products can leave a residue. Cook in boiling, salted water for ten minutes and serve like greens. SOURCE: Crowhurst, A. 1972. The Weed Cookbook. Lancer Books, Inc. New York, 190 pp.” ^{NC State Extension}

For petsNot well documented

It isn't on the ASPCA plant list, and NC State Extension doesn't flag it for pets.

🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.

Where does it grow?

USDA PLANTS records painted trillium in 19 states.

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recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Connecticut, Georgia, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia.

New Hampshire counties with USDA records: Belknap, Carroll, Cheshire, Coos, Grafton, Hillsborough, Merrimack, Rockingham, Strafford, Sullivan.

Vermont counties with USDA records: Addison, Bennington, Caledonia, Chittenden, Essex, Franklin, Lamoille, Orange, Orleans, Rutland, Washington, Windham, Windsor.

North Carolina counties with USDA records: Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Jackson, Macon, Mitchell, Swain, Transylvania, Watauga, Yancey.

More New Hampshire flowers

Large white trillium

Trillium grandiflorum

★ OH state wildflowerNative

🌼 Blooms: April–May

Red trillium

Trillium erectum

Native

🌼 Blooms in NH: April–June

Green false hellebore

Veratrum viride

Native

🌼 Blooms: May–August

Sources

USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile TRUN.
iNaturalist, Trillium undulatum: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
Wikipedia, Trillium undulatum (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
New Hampshire: New Hampshire Official Rare Plants List (Ncr 312, eff. Jan 1, 2020).
New Hampshire: NH Prohibited Invasive Species List (Agr 3800, Table 3800.1).
Vermont: Endangered and Threatened Plants of Vermont (10 V.S.A. chap. 123; list of Feb 10, 2022).
Vermont: Vermont Quarantine List, Regulated Introduced Plant Species Rule (eff. June 16, 2026).
North Carolina: North Carolina Protected Plant Species List (02 NCAC 48F .0301).
North Carolina: North Carolina Noxious Weed List (02 NCAC 48A .1702) (the list names any non-native Lythrum; we apply it to purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria), which isn't native).
Maine: Maine Rare Plant List (Maine Natural Areas Program, 2021). E and T are Maine's official endangered and threatened plants (12 M.R.S.); SC and PE are tracking categories.
Maine: Maine Do Not Sell invasive plant list (01-001 C.M.R. ch. 273).
West Virginia: West Virginia noxious weeds (W. Va. Code R. § 61-14A-5) (the rule abbreviates some names (e.g. “P. cuspidatum”); we expand them to match).
USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
NatureServe Explorer, Trillium undulatum (global and state ranks).
Edibility and toxicity: NC State Extension.
Photo: Nick Kleinschmidt via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.