Please never pick or disturb this important spring wildflower
By Bob Confer,
“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose, by any other word would smell as sweet.”
That line from William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet implies that people and things are who and what they are no matter the name given them.
There’s a rose-colored wildflower of Allgeany County’s May woodlands that certainly fits the bill with that sentiment. Most accurately known at the red trillium, it has quite the collection of other names.
This flower is called “wake robin” by some. This name was given to it because the red hue of the flower was said to mirror both in appearance and timing the red breast of the American robin, as well as that of the European robin, a bird quite familiar to the early colonists. While the trillium is a true sign of spring, the robins are a perceived sign of spring. In their respective continents those species certainly show more in northern climes during the spring and summer, alluding to that harbinger-of-spring status. But, in both cases, those robins can be found, in much smaller numbers, during the winter months.
It’s also called “beth root”, which is a takeoff of “birth root”. Its roots (or more accurately, rhizomes) had been used by Native Americans to make a tea that calmed menstrual cramps, increased menstrual flow, induced childbirth, and aided in labor.
The red trillium’s most commonly-used secondary name is “stinking Benjamin”. The name has nothing to do with Benjamin Franklin or any other Bens you may know. It’s a variation of benjoin or benzoin which comes from Asian trees and is used to make perfume and incense. There’s nothing pleasantly aromatic about these flowers, hence the moniker “stinking.” It’s an apt description, as some say its faint smell is like that of wet dogs or rotting meat. That’s necessary for keeping the species going – since the red trillium does not produce nectar, it doesn’t get pollinated by butterflies; instead, it’s pollinated by flies, carrion beetles, and other insects that prefer things that stink.
Like its cousins — the painted trillium and the white trillium — the red trillium is considered to be exploitably vulnerable in New York State and should be left alone. Don’t pick the flowers. Don’t dig up the plants. It’s a beautiful flower meant to be appreciated with just a glance – no matter its name.
Bob Confer is a Niagara County writer, columnist, TV show host, and the author of thousands of columns since 2005. You can contact him anytime, Bob@ConferPlastics.com
