Too Early Spring

Bloodroot gone to seed, Cedar Creek Park, 27 March 2016 (photo by Kate St. John)
Bloodroot gone to seed, Cedar Creek Park, 27 March 2016 (photo by Kate St. John)

30 March 2016

Spring is coming in fits and starts but mostly it’s coming too soon in southwestern Pennsylvania.

On Easter Day, 27 March 2016, I took a walk at Cedar Creek Park in Westmoreland County and found native plants blooming two to three weeks ahead of schedule.  No wonder! It was 75 degrees F.

At top, bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) was already blooming. Some had gone to seed.

Spring beauties were everywhere. This Carolina spring beauty (Claytonia caroliniana) is identifiable by its wide leaves.

Spring beauty, Cedar Creek Park, 27 March 2016 (photo by Kate St. John)
Spring beauty, Cedar Creek Park, 27 March 2016 (photo by Kate St. John)

The steep hillside known for snow trillium (Trillium nivale) …

Snow trillium, Cedar Creek Park, 27 March 2016 (photo by Kate St. John)
Snow trillium, Cedar Creek Park, 27 March 2016 (photo by Kate St. John)

… was also hosting sharp-lobed hepatica (Hepatica nobilis var. acuta), some of which were past their prime.

Sharp-lobed hepatica, Cedar Creek Park, 27 March 2016 (photo by Kate St. John)
Sharp-lobed hepatica, Cedar Creek Park, 27 March 2016 (photo by Kate St. John)

Get outdoors as soon as you can.  Spring could pass you by.

p.s. The Botanical Society of Western Pennsylvania is already alert to this early growing season.  They moved their snow trillium outing from April 2 to March 20.

(photos by Kate St. John)

2 thoughts on “Too Early Spring

  1. Thank you for this post! I’m a wildflower enthusiast…ahem…madwoman, and this is my first spring in Pittsburgh, and I just.can’t.wait to see wildflowers! I read that snow trilliums were to be found at Cedar Creek but wouldn’t have known when to look without your post. We went on Monday 3/19/18 and found them. Joy!

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