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Doesn’t it seem like spring? But how do we know for sure? When Bob Ryan says so? Or Punxsutawney Phil? The calendar says spring began March 20, but we all know that late March is the worst time to predict weather in the county.
For it to really be spring most of us need some sign from nature, and plants show some of the earliest signs.
We look for spring ephemerals, herbaceous perennials that typically emerge when trees begin leafing out. These plants flower for a brief time, producing conspicuous blooms that attract whatever pollinators are around. The unpredictable weather means an equally unpredictable supply of pollinators, and it is noteworthy that many of these species are capable of self-pollination. After flowering the plants either disappear entirely -or become an inconspicuous component of the flora.
The species typically referred to as spring ephemerals are among the most beloved of flowering plants, possibly because they are so conspicuous at a time when we are yearning most for any sign that winter is over. Two of our favorites are bloodroot and twinleaf.
Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) is a beautifiil plant with a single leaf enfolding a large white flower that emerges in March from a fleshy, underground rhizome. The rhizome and stem contain a red-orange juice that gives the plant its common name.
We have not yet seen twin
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