Yan ling cao
Trillium tschonoskii

Family: Melanthiaceae

What it is like

A bulb plant. It grows 15-50 cm high. It has a stout rhizome or underground stem which is short. The stems are in clumps. The leaves do not have leaf stalks. They are round and 6-15 cm long by 5-15 cm wide. The flower stalk is 1-4 cm long. The flowers are 3-4 cm wide. The flowers are green and pale purple or white. The fruit is a black purple round berry. It is 1.5-1.8 cm across. It has many seeds.

There are about 46 Trillium species. Also put in the family Trilliaceae.

Where it is found

It is a temperate plant. It grows in forests in moist places which are shady and often near rocks. In China it grows between 1000-3200 m altitude. It suits hardiness zones 5-9.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Australia, Bhutan, China, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Japan, Korea, Myanmar, Northeastern India, SE Asia, Sikkim, Taiwan

How it is used for food

Edible parts

Fruit

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

Trillium morei Hayata; Trillium tschomoskii var. himalaicum H.Hara; Trillium tschonoskii f. morii (Hayata) Yamamoto; Trillium schonoskii var. morii (Hayata) Masamune;