Rooted Ramblings: Beautiful spring ephemerals

This is the time of year when you walk through your yard or through the woods and spot those lovely plants that show their beautiful blooms for just a brief time in the spring. You can’t help but smile when you see these ephemerals popping through the leaves.

One of the very first plants to appear is skunk cabbage. And, yes, it does smell like a skunk. This is a beautiful early bloomer that appears in early February, right through the snow. It has beautiful maroon speckled flowers and can be found on the edges of bogs and streams. And some early pollinators are attracted to the carrion-link scent. If you find this early plant, you will notice that the snow right around it has turned to water. This is a thermogenic plant that creates its own heat.

In Northeast Ohio it seems to take a long time for winter to let go and for spring to assert itself. But once the ephemerals appear, you know spring is here. These blooms are very short-lived. They pop through your yard or the forest floor while the soil is still too cool for other plants. They take advantage of the sun’s warming rays before the trees begin to leaf out and their canopies filter the sun.

These little bloomers are important because they are an early nectar and pollen source for native bees and other early emerging pollinators. They will begin to appear in April and peak in May, lasting 6-8 weeks. Once they set seed they retreat underground, enriching the soil and awaiting the next spring to make their reappearance.

One of the first ephemerals to appear is the snowdrop, which does thrive in the snow. These make us smile because we find hope that winter may be about over. Blooming right after the snow melt are Glory of the Snow, followed by Siberian Squill, both a beautiful blue color.

Around the time of Easter, you will begin to see hellebores, also known as Lenten Rose. These are not true ephemerals because their foliage remains after the blooms, but they do warm our hearts when they burst into bloom.

Spring beauties provide a beautiful ground cover in our forests. They are delicate pink with white stripes. They come and go in about 3 weeks. A favorite of everyone is the trillium. They typically have three leaves and three petals and can be white, red, pink, or yellow. This is the official wildflower of Ohio. However, due to several environmental factors, including loss of habitat, trillium are becoming somewhat rare.

Other common early wildflowers include bloodroot, which only blooms for a few days, Virginia bluebells which attract diverse pollinators, the beautiful trout lily with yellow-speckled leaves, violets, anemones, and an all-time favorite, Dutchman’s breeches which look like tiny trousers hanging on a clothesline.

For homeowners who love growing ephemerals here are some tips:

• Choose the right spot. They like a woods-like environment with rich, well-drained soil. Typically, they will do well in part to full shade.
  
• Plant in clusters. They like to be a family.
  
• Once planted, do not disturb the roots. They will need enough time to get established. For example, trillium can take years to bloom from seed.

I encourage you to take a couple of hours from your busy day and visit one of our many
amazing Portage Parks and enjoy the ephemerals. They won’t last long!

Further reading: Spring Ephemerals Sing the Blues, Spring Ephemerals

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Again, please contact us with your questions.
Written by Debbie Barber, Portage County Master Gardener Volunteer
Ohio State University Extension Portage County Master Gardener Volunteer program. Questions/comments/suggestions/want to find out more/become a PCMGV: 330-296-6432 • OSU PCMGV web • portco.mgv.oh@gmail.com • FB PCMGV • PCMGV Speaker’s Bureau