14 March 2026

It was as hot as May at the beginning of the week as leaf and flower buds swelled and opened. Then temperatures returned to normal and it felt cold. Seen this week were ….

The first Amur honeysuckle leaves (above) and Cornelian cherry tree flowers.

Swelling buds on ginkgo trees.

Invasive Callery pear about to bloom.

Viburnum plicatum leaf buds swelling in Frick Park. (This shrub is invasive.)

First flowers on forsythia.

Pale green branches on the willows … tiny leaves.

First goutweed leaves.

And tree pollen allergies if you are susceptible. My husband wondered why his allergies gave him a twinge this week. American elm flowers were blooming. They are wind-pollinated.

All the tender leaves and flowers will be smacked down this coming Tuesday and Wednesday when temperatures drop into the low 20s. I cannot feel bad for half of the plants pictured here. Four of them are invasive aliens.