Painted Trillium

Trillium undulatum

Ecology & Conservation

Proximity Score: 0
Native Status: ✅ Outaouais ✅ Ottawa ✅ QC ✅ ON
Closest Direction: Local
CEC Eco-Regions: 5 – Northern Forests, 5.2 – Mixed Wood Shield, 5.2.3 – Algonquin/Southern Laurentians
Rarity Notes: Globally secure (G5, IUCN Least Concern). Secure in Quebec (S5) with 751 preserved specimens and broad distribution across the Canadian Shield. Apparently Secure in Ontario (S4) with 183 specimens. Not SARA-listed. Uncommon in the Ottawa region and rare west of the Rideau River where calcareous soils dominate.
S22 G5, IUCN LC, S4 ON, S5 QC; S26 not SARA-listed; S62 uncommon in Ottawa; S48 specimen counts
Rarity Ranks: QC S5 – Secure, ON S4 – Apparently Secure
Migration: Stable
Ecological Context: Obligate calcifuge of deep acidic forest humus. Occurs under hemlock, spruce, pine, and mixed deciduous-coniferous canopies on strongly acid, sandy or humic substrates. In the Outaouais, found in Canadian Shield forests on well-drained glacial deposits with Acer rubrum, Quercus rubra, Tsuga canadensis, and Abies balsamea. Uncommon on the Ottawa River Valley floor where calcareous soils predominate; becomes rare west of the Rideau River.
S6 deep acid humus of coniferous/mixed woods; S48 L'Ange-Gardien specimen habitat; S62 rare W of Rideau River; S7 strongly acid soils

Category: Gynecological Aid, Oxytocic
S28 Moerman Drug=Gynecological Aid; S29 Oxytoxic
Notes: Algonquin (Tete-de-Boule) traditional use: flowers, sepals and leaves eaten to accelerate delivery during childbirth. Documented by Raymond (1945) in ethnobotanical notes on the Tete-de-Boule of Manouan. PFAF medicinal rating 1 of 5.
S28 Moerman; S29 PFAF medicinal

❌ Not Edible

Foraging Notes: Young unfolding leaves can be cooked as a potherb. Berries and roots reported as low toxicity if eaten. Not commonly gathered due to the plant's rarity and slow growth.
S4 young leaves cooked in boiling salted water; S29 edibility rating 1/5; S4 berries/roots low toxicity