Tri•li•sa (tre • li• suh) A native Alabama wildflower, the Trilisa plant grows wild in dry to wet coastal plain pinelands, blooming from August to October. The flowers are purple, embedded in flat-topped terminal clusters on a narrow plant, growing to around six feet tall. A common name for this wildflower is the Vanilla plant (Trilisa Odoratissima) of the Asteraceae family. Also known as the Deer Tongue, Hound's-tongue, and Carolina Vanilla, the air where they grow wild, is heavy with the scent of vanilla, hence the name, Vanilla Plant. Bales of these leaves are gathered each year for the fragrant courmarin that is used in flavoring, perfumes, and formerly in tobacco.