Identifying Spring Wildflowers - P1/2

Steve Blight | Apr 20, 2011

By Steve Blight

Spring has sprung, and for woodland wildflowers, spring is by far the peak of the flowering season. There is an explosion of life under the canopy of the tall trees once the snow has melted and the forest soils begin to warm up. Many early flowering woodland plants have made a remarkable adaptation to their normally shady environment. Known as spring ephemerals, their strategy is to make as much use as possible of the direct sunlight streaming through leafless deciduous trees in early spring to do all of their flowering, seed production and growth for the year.

Once the trees have completely leafed out by mid-May and have begun starving them of light, they wither and return to their dormant stage underground, waiting for the warmth of the following spring to go through the cycle again – much like tulips.

This week’s column is intended to help readers identify several showy woodland wildflowers that bloom in early spring in area forests. The next column will highlight another group of pretty flowers that bloom a little later in spring. Please remember that woodland wildflowers very rarely transplant to gardens successfully and many don’t survive being picked. The best way to make sure they are there year after year is to enjoy them where they are growing.

HEPATICAS:

Round-lobed Hepatica, showing previous year’s leaves, Photo: William S. Justice @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database

Among the first flowers to bloom are the hepaticas. There are two species of hepaticas in our area – sharp-lobed and round-lobed. The round-lobed tends to grow in acidic soils, for example soils found on granite under oaks and pines, whereas the sharp-lobed is more likely found in alkaline soils (i.e. soils with more calcium from limestone or marble) under maples and other shade-tolerant hardwoods. Hepatica flowers are blue-lavender, pink or white, about ½ -1 inch wide (1.5-2.5 cm) with 6 petals, and flower in mid to late April before the new leaves unfold. New leaves persist throughout the growing season and stay green through the following winter.

BLOODROOT

Bloodroot flower and fully opened leaves

is a low-growing member of the poppy family that has a single daisy-like white flower with a yellow central disk. The flowers first appear above the unopened, clasping leaves in late April or early May. They are found growing in moist to dry woods and thickets, often on flood plains and near shores or streams, on slopes and are rarely found in disturbed sites. Once the flowers have finished, the leaves can persist well into the growing season.

VIRGINIA SPRING BEAUTY

Virginia Spring Beauty showing slender grass-like leaves. Photo Jennifer Anderson @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database

is a delicate woodland ephemeral native to eastern North America. It is a low growing, trailing plant with slender, lance-shaped leaves. The candy-striped white or pale pink flowers are about ½ inch (1.5 cm) in diameter, with five petals, appearing in late April and early May. A true ephemeral, spring beauty completely disappears by about the end of May.

DUTCHMAN’S BREECHES

Dutchman’s Breeches flowers and leaves

is an interesting little woodland ephemeral whose common name derives from their white flowers that look like tiny white pantaloons. The flowers are about ½ inch (1.5 cm) long, and are borne in late April on flower stalks 5-10 inches (12-25 cm) long. Their delicate leaves are finely divided, giving them a feathery look.

TROUT LILIES (or dog-toothed violets)

Trout Lily flower showing its mottled leaves

are spring ephemerals with mottled green and maroon leaves and a nodding, backward curved yellow flower with 6 petals and dark brown anthers. Trout lilies are a colonial member of the lily family that can sometimes be found in huge patches, with often only a few plants flowering.

In the next column we’ll take a closer look at another five showy flowers that bloom a little later, typically beginning at mid-spring

Please feel free to report any observations to Lorraine Julien at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  or Steve Blight at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.