The Inside Scoop on My "Garden Bed Trillium"

My husband enjoys working with prairie restoration, woodland planting and management, wildlife food plots, etc. on our few acres of land located several minutes' driving time from home.

Anyway, during the early Spring of 2007, I dug a couple of trillium there and brought them to our backyard woodland. (We didn't have any out there!)I found one especially interesting plant and put it in my backyard Center Garden. This mutant trillium sported five leaves and five petals on its flower!

I was determined to watch it grow the next Spring... to see if it remained a five-leafed trillium.

This was taken 4/17/08
Note: Four Leaves!

Already on 4/29/08, the appearance has changed somewhat.

This photo was taken this year (4/19/09)
of the same little plant...
Three Leaves!!

Getting a little taller...
(4/23/09)

And, as before, the appearance changed
as the blossom appeared.
(photo taken 5/04/09)

Oh! How I wish I'd taken a photo of the five-leaved plant! I cannot understand why I didn't. Perhaps I'll yet run across it, but for now - please take my word for it.

And what is your opinion as to whether this plant will remain three-leaved from now on, or follow what seems to be a pattern and return next year with only two leaves??

:-) Could be a "Shady Subject!"