Pronounced: may-an-THEM-um try-FOH-lee-um (botanical Latin guide)
A small wetland perennial with a loose cluster of white star-shaped flowers above a few smooth, upright leaves.
Photograph by Where’s Wildlife. Tap to browse the photos.
Family: Asparagaceae
Bloom: May–June in the Upper Midwest
Height: 4–16 inches
Habitat: Bogs, swamps and wet forests, often among mosses
Other common names: Three-leaf Solomon’s-plume · Three-leaf False Lily of the Valley
Scientific synonyms: Smilacina trifolia
Bloom timing and height vary by location.
01 · White flowers with six tepals in a loose terminal cluster
02 · Usually three alternate leaves with smooth edges and sheathing bases
03 · Small colonies in very wet, often mossy habitat
Bogs, swamps and wet forests, often among mosses. Typical flowering season: May–June in the Upper Midwest.
Frame the loose flower cluster and the full set of leaves in one photograph.
Underground stems allow this plant to form patches in wet ground. Its berries ripen red after flowering.
Six white tepals distinguish these flowers from the four-parted flowers of Canada Mayflower.
Three is typical, but plants can have two or four leaves. Use habitat and flowers along with the leaf count.
Moss, saturated ground and nearby wetland vegetation add context to close-up photographs.
Northern North America, extending into the north-central and northeastern United States; also northern Asia.
Observation maps show reported sightings, not the complete native range. Some recorded populations may be historical.
