April is Ohio Native Plant Month…

… and this serves as an annual reminder of the importance of native plants. Perhaps even more important, April 2024 is National Native Plant Month! This designation allows us to renew our commitment to the removal of non-native invasive plant species, and the planting of beneficial native species. And it provides a platform for the horticulture industry and home gardeners to work together to restore and improve the health of Ohio’s natural ecosystem.

OhioNativePlantMonth.org has good information and resources for those wanting to learn more.

This is a wonderful time of year to explore our gardens and natural areas for native spring blooming flowers. Wild ginger is blooming at the soil level under the beautiful, heart shaped leaves. Twinleaf blooms are spent and seedheads are forming under the full foliage reminiscent of butterfly wings. Wild blue phlox and, dutchman’s breeches, Virginia bluebell, marsh marigold, wood poppy, foam flower, violets, early meadow rue, golden ragwort, golden alexander and heartleaf alexander are some of the plants blooming at Catchfly Commons.

In addition to delighting in these spring blooms, I am appreciating tree flowers and emerging tree leaves. Deciduous trees all produce flowers. Flowers whose pollen disperses on the wind don’t need to be large and showy to attract insect pollinators and their flowers are often unseen, not because they are hard to see, but because most of us aren’t accustomed to observing them.

Favorite early spring sightings for me include the leaves of the overcup oak. They start out so small and come in a range of shapes, often deep purple or burgundy in color. Beech leaves are also interesting to observe as the thin, spear-like bud continues to elongate before unfurling to a near mature size.

Earlier I wrote about winter sowing, how I got a late start and didn’t get the jugs outside until late in January. Then I was worried that the soil mix seemed to be too wet, and not much seemed to be germinating. I needn’t have worried, as most have since been doing well. The lids have been off for a couple of weeks now and with a few sunny days, some are beginning to resemble a miniature version of their full-grown selves. Here are a few of them: