Acquisition of 60 acres of Union Grove marks first protection of the endangered Tennessee Trillium in the state

In May 2023, the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) notified the TennGreen Land Conservancy that a 60-acre tract of land called Union Grove in the woods of Hamblen County in East Tennessee was for sale – and that the land is home to some of the only populations of Tennessee's native wildflower Trillium.

The owner of Union Grove first brought an unusual trillium to the attention of botanists and researchers at the University of Tennessee (UT) in hopes of protecting both the wildflowers and the forests in which they grow. The botanists recognized that the trillium was nothing they or other botanists had ever seen and designated it “new to science” in 2013. Until now, the Tennessee trillium (Trillium tennesseense) has only been found in the Bays Mountain Formation areas in Hamblen and Hawkins counties.

Until this successful collaboration, Trillium tennesseense was only found in private, unprotected areas – including the project landowner's property. When the landowner moved out of Tennessee, he wanted to sell his property to an organization that would value it and protect its incredible habitat. TennGreen Land Conservancy stepped in to quickly acquire the property.

TennGreen then transferred the property to TDEC in June 2024. Now under TDEC's ownership and management, the 60 acres and its population of Tennessee Trillium will be protected for generations of Tennesseans.

This acquisition will create the first protected population of this critically endangered Trillium tennesseense, which is found only in forested slopes above healthy streams. The Union Grove area provides complete, adequate drainage to such forested slopes, allowing the species to thrive in a niche ecosystem. This herbaceous, long-lived, perennial woodland wildflower faces a number of threats, including habitat loss due to development, burrowing by feral hogs, and invasive species.

The flowers of this trefoil bloom from early to late spring. Three distinct, bright yellow petals rise upward while reflective broad leaves on the forest floor soak up sunlight. There is no developed access to this site, but look for guided hikes led by TDEC ecologists to see this amazing flower in full bloom next spring.

All 16 Trillium species in East Tennessee are affected by these threats, and ongoing land conservation efforts by TennGreen Land Conservancy, TDEC and other partners in the region are critical to their survival.