Don't Pick the Flowers!

More spring wildflowers are greeting us with their buds nearly in bloom.  One of our favorites is trillium.  Around the edges of our yard, we've seen mostly dark red flowers, with sometimes a white or yellow one.

We appreciate the beauty of the trillium, especially since we haven't always lived in this mountainous part of the Southeast where they are commonly found.  The three leaves lend themselves to ideas of the sacred.  Since the wild plants take several years to flower and are quite delicate, I understand that it's best not to pick one.  I've also read that the plant may have been used for its medicinal properties in the past.

The most curious fact we've learned about the trillium is its relationship to ants.  Apparently the tiny insects consider trillium seeds a delicacy, and so their feeding habits help spread the flowers in clusters.