Flower profile
Yellow wakerobin
Trillium luteum
Yellow wakerobin is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. In Tennessee it's most often seen in bloom in March–May.
*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.
On our lists for: Tennessee
Quick look
Trillium luteum, the yellow trillium or yellow wakerobin, is a species of flowering plant in the bunchflower family Melanthiaceae. It is a member of the Trillium cuneatum complex, a closely related group of sessile-flowered trilliums. The species is endemic to the southeastern United States, especially in and around the Great Smoky Mountains of eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina.
- 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 9 states. USDA PLANTS
- NatureServe lists it as native to Tennessee. NatureServe
- In Tennessee, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in March–May. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 1,891 research-grade sightings of it in Tennessee, ranking #55 among the 112 flowers on our Tennessee list. iNaturalist
Yellow wakerobin gift ideas
Handmade yellow wakerobin 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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Yellow wakerobin art print
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Yellow wakerobin greeting card
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Yellow wakerobin mug
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Yellow wakerobin earrings
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Yellow wakerobin embroidery pattern
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Yellow wakerobin sticker
When does it bloom?
In Tennessee, most flowering sightings come in March–May.
Conservation status
- Federal (U.S. ESA)
- Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
- NatureServe global
- G4 Apparently secure worldwide. NatureServe
- Tennessee
- Not listed Not on Tennessee endangered plants (Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0400-06-02-.04, Rare Plant Protection and Conservation Act). NatureServe: S2, imperiled in Tennessee. TN rule 0400-06-02-.04
- Rare elsewhere
- Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: NC (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.
Please don't pick or dig this flower: NatureServe ranks it S2 in Tennessee. NatureServe
Can you eat it?
NC State Extension lists it as poisonous to humans (severity: low). Poisonous parts: fruits, roots. They also note: “EDIBLE PARTS: Young, unfolding leaves HARVEST TIME: Only collect leaves from areas you know have NOT been treated with pesticides. SAFE HANDLING PROCEDURES: 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
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 yellow wakerobin in 9 states plus Washington, D.C.
recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded
See the full list of states
Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia; District of Columbia.
Tennessee counties with USDA records: Anderson, Bledsoe, Blount, Campbell, Claiborne, Cocke, Cumberland, Fentress, Grainger, Hamblen, Hamilton, Jackson, Jefferson, Knox, Loudon, McMinn, Meigs, Monroe, Morgan, Overton, Pickett, Polk, Putnam, Rhea, Roane, Scott, Sevier, Union, Van Buren, Warren, Washington.
More Tennessee flowers
Sources
- USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile TRLU3.
- iNaturalist, Trillium luteum: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
- Wikipedia, Trillium luteum (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Tennessee: Tennessee endangered plants (Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0400-06-02-.04, Rare Plant Protection and Conservation Act).
- Tennessee: Tennessee Pest Plant List (Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0080-06-24-.02).
- USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
- NatureServe Explorer, Trillium luteum (global and state ranks).
- Edibility and toxicity: NC State Extension.
- Photo: Will Kuhn via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.