Trillium

Within the forest's edge, bursting from the ground almost overnight, the trillium takes advantage of being among the first to venture forth for spring sunlight, before the forest canopy leafs out and blocks the sun's energy.

A member of the lily family, the three green leaves and tri-petaled blossom are among the first flowers forest hikers might see, as the large leaf area powers the flowering parts to form a berry-like elaiosome, which ant and mice love to take back to their lairs to eat, depositing the leftover seeds in their garbage bins, a fertile place for seeds to rest up for next year's effort.