Snow Drops Again on the Snow Drops

This past week we saw more signs of Spring. A few other trees showed interest in starting their spring growth by breaking open their buds, namely the stone fruits, peach and cherry. Hawthorns and dogwoods are also starting to open their buds.

Even though Spring is continuing on its march toward warmer weather, a dip in the jet stream is causing a bit of confusion.

We are in the midst of an historic April snow storm! Folks in the mountainous areas of New York and Pennsylvania are expecting a foot or more of the heavy white stuff.

Elsewhere, in the northeastern U.S. many people should be watching nearby creeks and streams for flooding. This storm is a really big one and has brought a couple inches of rain to quite a few major cities already and it’s only half over.

As the old saying goes, “April showers bring May flowers!”

North of the Catskill Mountains in eastern New York the Spring bulbs are awakening but not yet flowering. Crocuses, daffodils and tulips are coming out of the ground, but now have their greenery hidden under the snow.

Spring here has been rather tumultuous. The Snow Drops (Galanthus nivalis) have now experienced five different snow events. Usually a single snow fall will cover those cute little blooms and this year they are showing themselves to be quite hardy!

Snow drops are very early Spring flowers that can withstand several snow events.
Snow drops are very early Spring flowers that can withstand several snow events.

Yesterday, the hanging blossoms were opened wide after a couple days of snowy weather and now, again, they are closed and tucked under the snow.

Snow in April – and It’s More Than a Dusting

We were greeted this Easter morning with a blanket of fluffy, flakey snow. About 4 inches covered everything but the driveway, where the stones must have held enough heat to melt most of it.

Snowy April morning. Note the pile of snow on top of the bird house!

Snowy April morning. Note the pile of snow on top of the bird house!

As the morning turned into afternoon the snow silently disappeared except for a few patches under the trees.

I was lucky to see a couple of warblers on the grass along the driveway about noontime. A palm warbler – noted by his brown cap and bobbing tail – was shadowed by a yellow warbler as they hopped around in our forest opening. The palm warbler’s breeding grounds are in northern Canada, so it was probably on the way north, migrating up to Canada. But what about the yellow warbler? Was it on the same journey? Or was she a resident of the surrounding woods showing the migrant which way to go? Guess we’ll never know that answer.

Anyway, it’s always fun to see the dog get a kick out of the snow.

Time to frolic!

Time to frolic!

Sprouting Brambles, Wild Roses and Yarrow

My walk through the woods today was rather chilly, but not uncomfortably so as I was prepared by wearing long-johns and an earband.

I was looking for new sprouts and found several. Brambles and wild roses have started poking their leaves out of their winter buds. The plants along the lane are further along than others in more wooded areas. Forsythia and hawthorn have also opened their buds to start their spring growth.

Wild rose leaves catch the early April snow.
Wild rose leaves catch the early April snow.

The star magnolia has opened a couple of its large buds and the elderberry shrubs are continuing their leaf development.

I found my favorite Spring Ephemeral in its earliest stages of bloom. The round-lobed hepatica, Hepatica americana, was sporting a single bloom so far. The evergreen leaves collected the flakey snow, while the bloom hung with her head down as if to say she wasn’t ready to show all.

A single, closed blossom of round-lobed hepatica surrounded by its leaves catching snowflakes.

A single, closed blossom of round-lobed hepatica surrounded by its leaves catching snowflakes.

Columbine has been growing for a couple weeks now. Many small plants are arising from one original plant that was allowed to go to seed. Guess we’ll have to start transplanting as soon as possible!

Columbine greenery starts life as a tight little ball of leaves that gradually open to catch the sun's rays.

Columbine greenery starts life as a tight little ball of leaves that gradually open to catch the sun’s rays.

Spiderwort has come up and multiplied since last growing season and the wild ginger is about ready to break out of the ground. Other garden dwellers that have been revived from winter’s sleep include the mints, chrysanthemums and the false indigo.

A group of yarrow that I spotted last fall coming up in the lawn has begun its growth, too. These plants will be scooped up and placed into a native plants garden. We’ll see if it transplants well.

Yarrow, Achillea millefolium, is noted by its finely dissected leaves that give off a pleasant 'flower arrangement' aroma when touched.
Yarrow, Achillea millefolium, is noted by its finely dissected leaves that give off a pleasant ‘flower arrangement’ aroma when touched.

Just Wait and the Weather Will Change

Trying to take pictures outside today would be an utter waste of time.

The wind is gusting over 20 mph and bringing in with it some mighty cold air – at least compared to the high 70s we had on Tuesday!

A friend in Chicago reports their temperature was 75 degrees one day and 29 the next as a clipper from Canada pushed the warm breezes back to the South.

The warmth of three days in the high 60s to mid-70s nudged a few plants into sprouting. Most notable are the trees as they opened their winter buds to release a burst of color and, unfortunately for some of us, loads of sneeze-producing and eye-watering pollen.

Places far to the south of us, like Georgia and North Carolina, have reported extremely high pollen counts. High enough, in fact, to be record-setting amounts. Guess the conditions were just right, as Goldilocks would say. We hope our entrance into Spring will be a little less dramatic here in Pennsylvania.

So far, here are our mountain top trees that have broken out of their winter buds and whether the buds contained foliage or reproductive structures.

  • red maple with red flowers
  • lilac with light green leaves
  • sweet birch with yellow flowers
  • elderberry with light green leaves
  • star magnolia with white flowers

Snow squalls produced a coating of snow on the ground this morning, which means last night could have been cold enough to harm the more delicate early bloomers. Local tree fruit farmers may have something to worry about tonight, so they will probably be spraying their trees or burning their barrels to minimize the damage.

Our star magnolia just broke her buds three days ago. Yesterday morning three blooms that had begun to open were closed again as if trying to shut out the cold air. More buds have opened by mid-morning today, but the blossoms are not yet out in full. We’ll keep watching and waiting to see when she blooms for real.

Time for Spring Ephemerals to Pop-Up in the Forests!

Early Spring brings with it many blossoms that are not seen at other times of the year. These early Spring bloomers are often referred to as Ephemeral Spring Flowers to describe their fleeting nature. Flowers may persist for a week or a day, so time is of the essence to observe these Spring Beauties!

Get thee to a National Forest or other trail near ya!

A partial list of early Spring blooming flowers in the Northeastern U. S. include the following:

  • trillium
  • hepatica
  • bloodroot
  • rue anemone
  • toothwort
  • spring beauty
  • Virginia bluebells
  • twinleaf
  • Dutchman’s breeches
  • dogtooth violet
  • Jack-in-the-pulpit
  • showy orchis
  • wild geranium
  • columbine
  • wood sorrel

We have three of these listed beauties on our property, but they have not yet been seen this year. Most of the others can be found at the nearby forest trails.

Have a look here to find a hiking trail near you! Try the PA State Parks if you’ll be searching for wildflowers in Pennsylvania.

Another Early Spring Creeping Bloomer – Purple Dead Nettle

Purple Dead Nettle, Lamium purpureum, is another very-low-growing plant that flowers in early Spring.

Characteristics of purple dead nettle include the fact that it is one of the first creeping plants to start growing in Spring. Passing by the plant one can look down and miss the flowers that are tucked under the foliage on erect stems.

Looking down on purple dead nettle you can totally miss the flowers!

Looking down on purple dead nettle you can totally miss the flowers!

The toothed, opposite leaves are somewhat rounded and have a crinkly appearance due to heavy leaf veining. Leaves have longer stalks when found lower on the stem.

Upper leaves hide the lavender flowers that sprout from leaf axils.

Upper leaves hide the lavender flowers that sprout from leaf axils.

Flowers of purple dead nettle are irregular in shape with two lobes on the lower lip. Light lavender or lilac-colored blossoms have spots or lines of purple.

Irregular in shape the purple dead nettle flowers are lilac in color.

Irregular in shape the purple dead nettle flowers are lilac in color.

Speaking of lilacs, the lilac trees have broken out their winter buds.

You can see how the lilac bud's exterior protected the newly formed greenery.

You can see how the lilac bud’s tough exterior protected the newly formed greenery.

I don’t remember if these lilacs were purple or white-flowered varieties. Since being transplanted a couple of years ago neither has bloomed, so I hope this year that one of the lilacs will surprise us.

Winter lilac buds are open now to let the foliage grow.
Winter lilac buds are open now to let the foliage grow.

Beginnings of Spring in Pennsylvania

Spring at last! Here in the Northeastern United States the outdoor temperature is starting to agree with the calendar.

A last hurray by Winter was about 7-8 inches of snow two weeks ago after some very cold temperatures in February. Today is expecting a mix of sun and clouds and high temperatures in the 60s. Time to open the windows and doors for a breath of fresh air!

Tulip greenery is pushing through the composted leaves used as protection against the harsh winter weather. A blast of warm temperatures a couple weeks ago started the tulips on their spring journey, so now the green tops are about 6 inches out of the ground.

Song birds are becoming more active. We watch them chase each other among the trees and wonder how they can twist and turn through the air so quickly. I suppose the males are chasing after the females, but it’s really hard to tell who’s chasing whom. The juncos are still here, but probably not for long before they fly back to Argentina. It’s nice to see bluebirds again!

Next to the house we have lilies sprouting. Notice the light green foliage with one leaf being sheathed by the previous one. Flowers arise on separate stalks.

Day lilies sprouting in very early spring.

Day lilies sprouting in very early spring.

Lamb’s ear rosettes from last year are becoming more noticeable now. Lamb’s ears get their name from the soft, downy leaves of the first year plant. The crowded rosettes will be transplanted to other areas so they will have room to grow into two to three feet tall plants.

Beautiful magenta lamb's ear flowers will brighten the flower gardens this summer.
Beautiful magenta lamb’s ear flowers will brighten the flower gardens this summer.

Common Chickweed is an Early Bloomer

The very earliest blooms are miniscule and usually borne on creeping stems or plants that wind their way through lawns and roadside gravel. Most of us completely ignore these little plants and tiny flowers because they are so small.

Chickweed growing among the gravel on the side of the lane.

Chickweed growing among the gravel on the side of the lane.

Common chickweed (Stellaria media) is found throughout our area – the Northeastern United States and particularly Pennsylvania – and can be found blooming for much of the growing season.

Chickweeds have tiny flowers that are so deeply cut it appears that the blossom has ten petals, when in fact it has five. The little white flowers look like they have pairs of long white petals.

The sepals are longer than the petals in common chickweed and have a fuzzy appearance.

Long, green sepals and an apparent 10 white petals of common chickweed.

Long, green sepals and an apparent 10 white petals of common chickweed.

This particular chickweed is distinguished from other chickweeds by its long leaf stalks, or petioles.

Long-stemmed leaves are an indentifying characteristic of Common Chickweed.

Long-stemmed leaves are an identifying characteristic of Common Chickweed.

As you take a stroll around your neighborhood, look down! You might find a few of these weeds already blooming.