Spring Wildflowers and our State Nature Preserves

Not only are most native plants pushing their way up, the spring ephemerals are starting to bloom! Every Friday from March through mid-May, ODNR publishes the Wildflower Bloom Report. The report is an open invitation to visit a state nature preserve and see some of these fleeting blooms in their forest homes. While the trees have not yet leafed out, the forest floor receives the sunlight that these plants need to grow, bloom and set seed. Then as the tree canopy closes overhead, many of these plants which carpet the ground now, will die back completely. Thus the term, spring ephemerals. As spring unfurls from south to north, the Wildflower Bloom Report highlights native plants as they first appear in the southern part of the state, and then as they begin blooming here in central Ohio, and finally, as they begin their display in the northern part of the state. Whether you can carve out time for a trip to a state nature preserve near you, or you can make a day out of exploring another part of the state, use the report to familiarize yourself with the plants and anticipate the show.

The March 6 wildflower bloom report includes photos and descriptions of skunk cabbage, sharp-lobed hepatica, scarlet cup, spring beauty, harbinger-of-spring, white trout-lily, snow trillium and Virginia bluebells. (It’s hard to believe that Virginia bluebells are already blooming in the state!) Snow trillium is the earliest trillium to bloom and the report says it was spotted at Clifton Gorge State Nature Preserve. When we visited a couple of years ago, most of the snow trillium we saw were down near the river. What a treat to see this diminutive plant in its native habitat.

Snow trillium at Clifton Gorge State Nature Preserve (Randy Litchfield)

Here are some top picks from Delaware County Master Gardeners for spring wildflower viewing at state nature preserves. Thanks to Carol Champa and Charlotte Niceswanger for these write-ups: