Trilliums

Location: Wooded area in High Park
Date photo taken: 12 May 2014

Springtime in High Park means cherry blossoms but there are other treasures to be found at this time of year. If you happen to be walking on any of the wooded trails through the more naturalized parts of the park, keep your eye out for trilliums. Growing singly or in clumps, their brilliant green leaves and glowing white flowers are relatively easy to spot against the brown of last year's leaf cover. The trillium is a perennial and native to the area. It was chosen as Ontario's official flower in 1937. It is slow to grow, taking a minimum of seven years to get to the flowering stage, and if the leaves and flower are picked, the whole plant may die. The plants are now protected by the Ontario Trillium Protection Act, which was introduced in 2009. Anyone guilty of picking, pulling up or otherwise injuring a trillium is liable for a minimum $500 fine.

Fun fact: The trillium also happens to be the official state wildflower of Ohio and since 2008, the Toronto FC and the Columbus Crew, from Columbus, Ohio have competed for the Trillium Cup.