Spring has arrived, or maybe summer is here temporarily with an 86 degree day, and with the warm day, three different flowers opened up, including the native wildflower Hepatica which blooms before its leaves sprout up. The fruits of the Hepatica are reported to be a favorite of chipmunks so maybe that is why I have so many of those rodents around.
First Wildflower
The one 60 degree day on Saturday helped to nudge spring a little bit as I noticed a warbler back today as well as the grass starting to green up some after the rain. At noon there was some buds of the Snow Glories and by this evening, one blossom had opened. The first wildflower buds of the Hepatica are ready to open but look a bit weary like they were frozen. It was in the 20s last night and will be again tonight so the flowers probably wished they waited another week before emerging.
Frozen Flower
Well at least Mother Nature didn’t play an April Fools Day joke today with more snow, although the forecast does have some snow for later tonight. But the joke is that there still isn’t hint of any spring flowers yet.
No Wildflowers Joke
I spotted some snow glories this morning, but they are not native flowers. Late this afternoon, I did finally spotted the first native wildflower blooming in my woods. Hepaticas are the first wildflowers to bloom around my area and are always a treat to see in the spring.
First is Found
It looked like winter again this morning with the ground covered by snow. During a walk through the woods on Saturday, I searched for any signs of the hepaticas poking up as they normally one of the first wildflowers to bloom around my place. I found no hint of them yet and it was a good thing since they would have been covered in cold snowflakes today.
No Hepaticas Yet
Today the birds sounded like they were inside my house as it was finally warm enough to open the windows for the first time this year. And the wildflowers seemed to soak up the warmth too with wood violets, bloodroots, and yellow trout lily blossoms finally opened. And the earlier opened hepatica blooms seemed to gain more color on this warm afternoon after the morning rain.
Sunny Hepaticas
The first native wildflowers had poked up a few days ago but the blossoms remained closed, but with the warmer temperatures today, they finally opened up. But they probably will wish they remained under the ground if it snows tomorrow.
Season’s First Wildflower
The old saying “April showers bring May flowers” doesn’t quite work for the showers in March. The March rain does bring more water as the rain melts more of the snow pack. Eventually the spring flowers will return but no hint of them in my woods yet.
No Wildflowers Yet
The day was warmer than yesterday, but it was still below freezing as winter will keep its hold on the season for several more months preventing the early wildflowers, like these hepaticas, from making their appearance.
White Wildflowers Winter Delayed
With snow waist deep this week, it is hard to remember that wildflowers have been found some years in March. It doesn’t look like it will happen this year and it is a guess when the first Hepatica blossoms will be spotted in the woods.
Hepaticas Not Found Yet
