Spring Ephemerals

Sunlight hits the forest floor, and up come mayapples and bloodroot, hepatica and trout lilies, skunk cabbage, ramps, trillium and jack-in-the-pulpit. Rapidly these plants produce leaves, flowers and seeds, and by the time deep shade has covered their habitat, their work for the year is over. Leaves wither and decompose - the plant disappears. But not dead! Only dormant, until early spring comes around again.

Most ephemerals are notoriously difficult to propagate. This year we do have several for sale. Native to our own ecoregion: mayapple, bloodroot and hepatica. Native neighbors from Appalachia: the lovely dwarf larkspur (purple) and the intriguing toadshade (a trillium with large mottled leaves.) Ephemerals offer excitement to wildflower gardeners eager for signs of spring, and provide nectar for early emerging insects like queen bumblebees. Ferns, which fill in after ephemerals have died back for the year, are natural planting companions. Look for the ephemeral table at our spring sale.

Bloodroot

Toadshade (Trillium sessile) just starting to come up

young mayapple leaves

Sunlight hits the forest floor before the trees get their leaves.