Special to 1812Blockhouse
The calendar may say March 1, but in Ohio, spring has sprung! Unseasonably warm temperatures and ample rain have encouraged our native flora to start peeking above the soil. Reports are already coming in that some of our first bloomers are kicking into gear. Although our weekly Wildflower Bloom Reports don’t officially start until next Friday, we’re too excited to wait—so here’s a sneak peek at what’s growing!
As always, southern Ohio is the place to be when the wildflower fun begins each season. Some species already seen breaking bud include harbinger-of-spring (Erigenia bulbosa), white trout-lily (Erythronium albidum), purple cress (Cardamine douglassii), Virginia bluebells (Mertensia virginica), and the beloved snow trillium (Trillium nivale). Skunk cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus) has been blooming for nearly a month as is usual.
Join us as we ring in SPRING with several months of Wildflower Bloom Reports, beginning Friday, March 8.
Want to keep track of what you see at Ohio’s state nature preserves, parks, wildlife areas and forests? Download our handy spring wildflower checklist.
The Ohio Wildflower Bloom Report is updated weekly from March to the middle of May. We encourage you to take spring wildflower photos and upload them to social media using the hashtag #OhioWildflowers and #OhioHeartOfItAll. Follow @ohioDNR and @ohioDNAP on Instagram and Ohio Department of Natural Resources and Ohio Division of Natural Areas & Preserves on Facebook to learn more about Ohio’s spring wildflower season.
Source, Image: ODNR
