Trillium chloropetalum var. giganteum (Giant Wake Robin)

Native to California, Trillium chloropetalum var. giganteum (Giant Wake Robin) is an incredible beauty with a striking garden presence in spring. Poking from the soil in winter, large buds send up stout stems topped with three broadly ovate, lightly marbled leaves.

Native to California, Trillium chloropetalum var. giganteum (Giant Wake Robin) is an incredible beauty with a striking garden presence in spring. Poking from the soil in winter, large buds send up stout stems topped with three broadly ovate, lightly marbled leaves. Resting in their center in early to mid-spring is a large three-petaled, lustrous purple-brown flower, 2-4 in. long (5-10 cm). Long-lived, spreading slowly, and taking several years to form a significant clump, trilliums are worth the wait! Fabulous as a groundcover, this Giant Wake Robin is ranked by many as the most impressive species within the Trillium genus.

  • Trillium chloropetalum var. giganteum received its Award of Garden Merit (AGM) from the Royal Horticultural Society in 1993
  • This clump-forming perennial grows up to 18-24 in. high and wide (45-60 cm) and will spread slowly if left undisturbed.
  • Performs best in part shade or full shade, in fertile, humusy, moist, well-drained soils. Drought tolerant once established.
  • Excellent when massed in shaded beds and borders, underplanting shrubs or roses. Great as a ground cover too!
  • Generally disease free, this plant requires little maintenance. Watch for slugs and snails.
  • Propagate by seed in pots in a shady cold frame as soon as the seed is ripe; takes 5-7 years to reach flowering size. Propagate rhizomes by division after flowering

Requirements

Hardiness 6
– 9

Heat Zones 6
– 9

Climate Zones 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17
Plant Type Perennials
Plant Family Trillium – Wake Robins
Exposure Partial Sun, Shade
Season of Interest Spring (Early,Mid)
Height 1'
– 2'
(30cm
– 60cm)
Spread 1'
– 2'
(30cm
– 60cm)
Spacing 24″ (60cm)
Water Needs Average
Maintenance Low
Soil Type Chalk, Loam, Sand
Soil pH Acid, Neutral
Soil Drainage Moist but Well-Drained, Well-Drained
Characteristics Plant of Merit, Showy
Native Plants United States, California
Tolerance Drought
Garden Uses Beds and Borders, Ground Covers
Garden Styles Informal and Cottage, Prairie and Meadow