2012 Spring Wildflower Thread

It shouldn't necessarily be, but it's that time THIS year again. Crocuses in my neighborhood are blooming, and with two days in the 70s in early march, the 80's in the forecast, folks who hike the Ossipees, Belknaps and Pawtuckaways should be seeing the hepatica VERY soon!

This thead is a way to record the chronology and phenology of spring wildflowers. It's a place to share your photography of flowers, and flower scenics. It's a place to ask questions, identify species and learn.

Please join us this year, as the history of these threads provides an invaluable resource.

Enjoy the spring season!

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Past year threads:
2011: http://www.vftt.org/forums/showthread.php?39949-2011-spring-wildflower-thread

2010: http://www.vftt.org/forums/showthread.php?35342-The-official-2010-Spring-wildflowers-thread

2009: http://www.vftt.org/forums/showthread.php?29309-Time-for-the-2009-Spring-Summer-Flower-Thread

2008: http://www.vftt.org/forums/showthread.php?21925-spring-08-wildflower-pics

2007: http://www.vftt.org/forums/showthread.php?21925-spring-08-wildflower-pics

LOoking forward to getting some cool shots this year! I have a few spots scoped out.

More evidence of the adaptability of Homo sapiens .........

Not wild, but encouraging:

It's funny, when I saw these Colt's Foot blooming four days ago on my property, I thought about starting the first ever "Winter Wildflower Thread." These are blooming about 20 days ahead of last year.

Yup. Saw coltsfoot on my drive home tonight.

FWIW, Daffodils in the Merrimack/Nashua area with southern exposure are in full bloom. I rode three days this week, and today is the first day I noticed them.

Tim

Went to Pawtuckaway today with Kevin today, and found lots of hepatica in bloom. Earliest I've found it at this location was April 3/4 in 2010. Most years it's been after April 10th.


Pssst...it's still March... by Jim Salge, on Flickr

Found some Colt's foot as well on Reservation road on the way into the park.

Garden flowers, we have daffodil, hyacinth, forsythia and even magnolia. I'm very worried about an late (normal) frost this year. Atleast the fruit trees haven't popped...

Nice pic..what kind of lens did you use?

red maple


red maple


bluet


all taken this afternoon. REALLY?! bluets?? already?

Nice photos everyone! Time to get my butt up to Pawtuckaway asap ....

North of the Snow Free Notches

Not blooming yet but Trout Lily leaves are coming out. This was in Randolph.


A field of feral Snowdrops also in Randolph.


Coltsfoot in Twin Mountain.

wood frog eggs


spring beauty


trout lily


not long now!

Trailing Arbutus

Trailing arbutus is in bloom in Lunenburg, MA. It has a beautiful scent--well worth the effort to get down on the ground to smell it.

Pat T

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.3243886490627.2145739.1070796026&type=1&l=8a08141c14

Wachusett had trailing arbutus and spring beauty blooming on 3/28. The hobblebush buds were well along in protected spots. And we found a stand of cranberries along the way.

spring wildflowers

Last days of march and I saw Bloodroot blooming and trout lillies pushing their way up through the leaf litter here in good old NYC.

Which trail at Wachusett?

Hi, Audrey -- Do you have a trail to recommend at Wachusett? Last fall we found a huge patch of trailing arbutus along the Wachusett Reservoir. We had gone to find cranberries (which we did) and I plan to go back this spring to see the arbutus. Guess I should go soon.

Pat T

trout lilies have begun in eastern MA

Only a couple, and they weren't open very far. I hope I don't miss them again this year.



The toadshades I found last year (probably a garden planting) are on their way too:



And these I'm sure are garden escapes, but I don't know what they're called:

Pat T said:

Hi, Audrey -- Do you have a trail to recommend at Wachusett? Last fall we found a huge patch of trailing arbutus along the Wachusett Reservoir. We had gone to find cranberries (which we did) and I plan to go back this spring to see the arbutus. Guess I should go soon.

Pat T

Click to expand...

Pat, try the upper section of the Semuhenna.

nartreb said:

Only a couple, and they weren't open very far. I hope I don't miss them again this year.


And these I'm sure are garden escapes, but I don't know what they're called:

Click to expand...

Scilla sibirica (Siberian squill)
My yard is full of them...they seed generously.