One of the best parts of spring is seeing the forest floor come alive with wildflowers. These small woodland plants want to get a jumpstart on the towering trees above them. Just like animals fight for survival in the wild, so do plants. There is strong competition for sunlight on the forest floor. Some plants begin blooming as early as March. Others wait for warmer temperatures, but almost all woodland wildflowers break the soil, grow leaves and flower before the leaves of trees mature. These early bloomers are given a special class all their own. They are known as spring ephemerals.
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| Bellwort [Photo by Joshua Mayer] |
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| Dutchman's Breeches |
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| Spring Beauty |
Some of the best woodlands to look for spring wildflowers are at
Thomas Mitchell Park,
Yellow Banks Park,
Brown’s Woods,
Strasser Woods State Forest Preserve, and
Jester Park. Find a hiking trail in any of these parks and be on the lookout for wildflowers growing in the woodlands.
As a reminder, please don’t pick or dig up wildflowers in our parks as they are protected by law. Many of these quiet beauties require very specific habitat conditions and could not withstand transplant to a new location. Flowers are the reproductive parts of the plant and by removing them they can no longer propagate seeds. A great way to capture their beauty is through photography!
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