Spring ephemerals represent the transition from winter months with the promise of their early spring blossoms.
This group of flowering plants is the first to inhabit forest floors. Their apt name comes from the Greek word ephēmeros, meaning "lasting a day". Spring ephemeral plants emerge at the beginning of spring, before the trees have had a chance to spread their leaves, capitalize on the uninhibited sunlight, and promptly return underground before the summer heat takes hold.
Their waning presence is a reminder of the specialized life cycles of plants and the importance small windows between seasons play in ecological processes. This group is on a schedule, carefully timing life events- in other words their phenology is important!
If you’re in the Southern AT or Mid-Atlantic you might be seeing bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis), Dutchman's breeches (Dicentra cucullaria), yellow trout lily (Erythronium americanum), and Carolina spring-beauty ...more ↓
Spring ephemerals represent the transition from winter months with the promise of their early spring blossoms.
This group of flowering plants is the first to inhabit forest floors. Their apt name comes from the Greek word ephēmeros, meaning "lasting a day". Spring ephemeral plants emerge at the beginning of spring, before the trees have had a chance to spread their leaves, capitalize on the uninhibited sunlight, and promptly return underground before the summer heat takes hold.
Their waning presence is a reminder of the specialized life cycles of plants and the importance small windows between seasons play in ecological processes. This group is on a schedule, carefully timing life events- in other words their phenology is important!
If you’re in the Southern AT or Mid-Atlantic you might be seeing bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis), Dutchman's breeches (Dicentra cucullaria), yellow trout lily (Erythronium americanum), and Carolina spring-beauty (Claytonia caroliniana).
From left to right: Bloodroot (photo: becjwil1013), yellow trout lily (photo: Rich Holschuh), Dutchman's Breeches (photo: Charlotte Bill), and Carolina spring-beauty (photo: Manuel Morales)
Get out and observe these species’ intricate blooms before it's too late: haste is your friend!
If seeing nature in action is only half the motivation you need, go here (https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/browse?contentId=25536) to find a poem about bloodroot, and let poetry persuade you.
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Flowers and Fauna along the Appalachian Trail Corridor
