Spring Wildflower Slideshow

Hello to all and rest assured I am alive and well!  I have received a number of emails from concerned followers and readers the past couple months curious where I've been and what's caused my continued absence from this blog but no need to worry.  I had decided to take a step back and focus on other things for a while and come back to this blog when the energy and drive returned on its own volition and I'm happy to say it has!  I have a lot to catch up on and hope to bring you as much of the spring season as I can before it quickly sets into summer; something that will happen sooner than later this year.  It seems I chose an unintentionally terrible time for my hiatus as this spring has rocketed out of the gate at a record pace!

A warm and mild winter transitioned into an early spring with the first true ephemerals showing their faces in mid to late February before the floodgates fully opened in March.  Nearly constant temperatures in the 70's and even 80's throughout March led to many species breaking bud and blooming weeks ahead of schedule.  I've seen some interesting species combinations that normally aren't seen due to such different blooming schedules but all that has gone out the window this year.  If someone were to keep me locked away for an undisclosed amount of time and upon release was told to guess the date based on the progression of the flora I would have confidently surmised late April in mid-March.  In fact, this past March was the warmest on record for the entire United States.  I certainly don't doubt it looking back on days spent in sweat-drenched shirts and a sunburned face.  I can't recall ever feeling sticky and steamy a la July in March.  Bleh.

Luckily I found some time to head outside and catch the spring wildflower show as it progressed at a record rate the past month and a half.  At this time last year my species list had barely cracked 100 plants while I have already surpassed 200 this season.  Who knows what the rest of this year holds but if it's anything like this spring I'd better buckle up because it's going to be a fast ride!  To make up for the lost time here are a number of wildflower species that no Ohio spring would be complete without.  Hope you enjoy and look back often for a revived and more frequent posting schedule!

Snow Trillium (Trillium nivale)  Liliaceae: Lily family

Harbinger-of-Spring (Erigenia bulbosa)  Apiaceae: Carrot family

Yellow Trout-lily (Erythronium americanum)  Liliaceae: Lily family

Twinleaf (Jeffersonia diphylla)  Berberidaceae: Barberry family

Jacob's Ladder (Polemonium reptans)  Polemoniaceae: Phlox family

Moss Phlox (Phlox subulata)  Polemoniaceae: Phlox family

Large-flowered Trillium (Trillium grandiflorum)  Liliaceae: Lily family

Long-spurred Violet (Viola rostrata)  Violaceae: Violet family

Azure Bluet (Houstonia caerulea)  Rubiaceae: Madder family

Broad-leaf Toothwort (Cardamine diphylla)  Brassicaceae: Mustard family

Foamflower (Tiarella cordifolia)  Saxifragaceae: Saxifrage family

Blue-eyed Mary (Collinsia verna)  Plantaginaceae: Plantain family