On a recent walk around Heart Lake and the Adirondack Loj I found myself admiring the beautiful Trillium flowers that appeared to be popping up everywhere. As it is one of the few plants I think I can accurately identify, the flowers immediately caught my attention. Upon further research I discovered that these flowers have traditionally been used to treat a wide range of maladies from coughs to menstrual disorders. However, these should not be put to the test considering that some varieties of Trillium are endangered, threatened or vulnerable. Trying to pick or transplant them can severely damage the plants. So, it’s best to leave them where you find them, where they’ll continue to thrive in our north country landscape.

Sources:
http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/plant-of-the-week/trillium_erectum.sht…
http://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=TRER3
http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=133668