Biologists delight in finding relocated Trillium in bloom

Written By

On April 13, GAES biologists Meg Hedeen and Laci Pattavina participated in a monitoring effort for Trillium reliquum that were relocated in Oconee National Forest to protect them from a road widening project. 

Biologists Laci Pattavina (USFWS) and Morgan Bettcher (GA DNR) planting Trillium rhizomes.

After being safeguarded by Heather Alley at the State Botanical Garden of Georgia for a year a half, nearly 1,000 rhizomes of Trillium reliquum and cuneatum were planted in 100 meter transects (one rhizome each meter) in December 2021.

Nearly 1,000 rhizomes of Trillium reliquum and cuneatum were safeguarded by Heather Alley at the State Botanical Garden of Georgia and then planted at the National Forest.

April’s monitoring effort showed that we crossed the first hurdle of relocation successfully as most of the planted trillium were up and a number of reliquum (about 1/3 of the planted trillium in total) were in full flower. We will continue to monitor this population for 6 more springs. 

We are very grateful for our partnership, including: Jimmy Rickard, U.S. Forest Service; Heather Alley, State Botanical Garden of Georgia; Bradley Daugherty & Hannah Held, Georgia Department of Transportation; Morgan Bettcher & Gemma Milly, Georgia Department of Natural Resources

Relict Trillium (Trillium reliquum) in flower!

[Back to Home