New Flowers And Leaves

Saucer magnolia in bloom, Schenley park, 23 April 2018 (photo by Kate St. John)
Saucer magnolia in bloom, Schenley park, 23 April 2018 (photo by Kate St. John)

Spring has finally sprung!  Here are just a few of the new flowers and leaves in western Pennsylvania.

The week began with spectacular saucer magnolia trees, above.  Relentless cold temperatures had kept all the buds closed until they simultaneously burst into an aromatic pink display.  Today the petals coat our sidewalks.

Twinleaf (Jeffersonia diphylla) is an early native wildflower that fades so quickly you have to be on the spot to see it bloom.  Thursday morning at Enlow Fork we found the twin leaves open and the buds closed.

Twinleaf in the morning, Enlow Fork, 26 April 2018 (photo by Kate St. John)
Twinleaf in the morning, Enlow Fork, 26 April 2018 (photo by Kate St. John)
Twinleaf flowers, closed in the morning, Enlow Fork, 26 April 2018 (photo by Kate St. John)
Twinleaf flowers, closed in the morning, Enlow Fork, 26 April 2018 (photo by Kate St. John)

By early afternoon the flowers had been open for several hours.  How soon they will fade!

Twinleaf in the afternoon, Enlow Fork, 26 April 2018 (photo by Kate St. John)
Twinleaf in the afternoon, Enlow Fork, 26 April 2018 (photo by Kate St. John)

Blue-eyed Mary (Collinsia verna) is a later flower with a longer life on the stem.  It’s just started blooming at Enlow Fork.

Blue-eyed Mary, Enlow Fork, 26 Apr 2018 (photo by Kate St. John)
Blue-eyed Mary, Enlow Fork, 26 Apr 2018 (photo by Kate St. John)

The trees are blooming, too.  On Monday redbud (Cercis canadensis) flowers began to appear at Schenley Park …

Redbud in the bud, Schenley Park, 23 April 2018 (photo by Kate St. John)
Redbud in the bud, Schenley Park, 23 April 2018 (photo by Kate St. John)

… hophornbeam (Ostrya virginiana) unfurled its yellow catkins …

Hop hornbeam catkins, Schenley Park, 23 Apr 2018 (photo by Kate St. John)
Hop hornbeam catkins, Schenley Park, 23 Apr 2018 (photo by Kate St. John)

… and the first tuliptree (Liriodendron tulipifera) leaf emerged.

Tulip leaf emerging from bud, 23 Apr 2018 (photo by Kate St. John)
Tulip leaf emerging from bud, 23 Apr 2018 (photo by Kate St. John)

The yellow buckeyes (Aesculus flava) made a big splash of green.

Ohio buckeye leaves, 23 Apr 2018 (photo by Kate St. John)
Yellow buckeye leaves, 23 Apr 2018 (photo by Kate St. John)

The flowers and trees are much further along and the redbuds are in full bloom today.

Get outdoors to see them fast before they go to seed.

(photos by Kate St. John)

One thought on “New Flowers And Leaves

  1. We found Carolina beauties, trout lilies, and bluebells at Wolf Creek Narrows trail by Slippery Rock. (Is there a way to send you photos?)

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