The white trillium is a spring wildflower with 3 distinct leaves and petals.  It has been the provincial flower of Ontario since 1937 and is also the logo of the Ontario Government.  It’s white flower is seen as a symbol of peace and hope.

While it is a popular belief that it’s illegal to pick the White Trillium in Ontario, in reality they are only protected in provincial parks and land owned by conservation authorities.  However, if the leaves as well as the flower are picked, the plant could die as it no longer has any means to produce the energy it needs to take it through the winter into another spring.

Sometimes mutant plants with green striped petals are found in White Trilliums.  These plants are diseased — infected with parasitic mycoplasmas that cause the greening. Over time, the mycoplasmas will cause deformity in the petals and eventually the death of the plant. For the Silo, Dixie Greenwood.