medicinal herbs
Wakerobin
Trillium ovatum

Herb: Wakerobin

Latin name: Trillium ovatum

Family: Trilliaceae

Medicinal use of Wakerobin:

A decoction of the fresh or dried powdered root is used as a treatment for sore eyes. The fresh root juice can be dripped into an afflicted eye. The juice of the plant can be applied externally as a treatment for boils. A poultice of the root can be used as a treatment for boils. The thick underground root stalks were used by some native North American Indian tribes during childbirth.

Description of the plant:

Plant:

Perennial

Height:

40 cm
(1 foot)

Flowering:

May to
June

Habitat of the herb:

Rich woodlands. Damp woods or boggy areas in partial shade, from low valleys to elevations of 2,000 metres.

Edible parts of Wakerobin:

The leaves are sometimes cooked for greens.

Propagation of the herb:

Seed - best sown in a shaded cold frame as soon as it is ripe. Stored seed should be sown in late winter or early spring. Seed usually germinates within 1 - 3 months at 15°C. Another report says that seeds produce a root after the first cold stratification but no shoot is produced until after a second winter, whilst yet another report says that the seed can take 3 years to germinate. The seedlings are prone to damp off and must therefore be watered with care and given plenty of fresh air. The young plants need to be overwintered in a cold frame for the first year and can then be planted out in late spring. It is very important that the pots become neither too dry nor too wet. Division with care when the plants die down after flowering. Larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. We have found that it is best to pot up smaller divisions and grow them on in light shade in a greenhouse or cold frame until they are growing away well. Plant them out in the following spring.

Cultivation of Wakerobin: