Spring Hopes Perennial
April 26, 2011 by Bob
Filed under Prairie Moon Happenings, Seasonal Reminders, Species and Product Overview, What's blooming?
Spring’s unfolding has been a stop-and-start affair in our valley this year. A brief early warm-up was followed by a cold, rainy stretch and then three inches of snow, a little sun and then more rain and cold.
Plants everywhere continue awakening, though, pushing promisingly above the soil surface, pacing their growth, biding their time until the snow melts for good. Identifying native plants in their early stages is a useful skill to have, one that all of us at Prairie Moon are continually honing. Knowledge of the defining characteristics of seedlings is especially helpful when evaluating the progress of native seed plantings in their beginning years.
The following photos show some of the first harbingers of hope around my house.
Early greeters between a walkway and retaining wall include Tradescantia ohiensis (Ohio Spiderwort), Callirhoe triangulata (Clustered Poppy Mallow) and Campanula rotundifolia (Harebell).
This old cluster of Tradescantia ohiensis, Ohio Spiderwort, begins to green up after appearing brown and withered beneath the snow all winter.
Some of the first flower buds to appear were on this Geum triflorum (Prairie Smoke), beneath shoots of Allium stellatum (Prairie Onion) in a south-facing bed near a house wall.
Transplanted from Prairie Moon stock the previous fall, these Gentiana andrewsii (Bottle Gentian) seedlings shoot up below an older Allium stellatum (Prairie Onion).
More Gentiana andrewsii (Bottle Gentian) appear near some Fragaria virginiana (Wild Strawberry) that creeped down from the adjacent woods.
This hardy volunteer Aquilegia canadensis (Columbine) pushes up each year through heavy landscaping stones.
Tiny seeds of Campanula rotundifolia (Harebell) dropped from a planting at the top of this retaining wall and took root between blocks below. Beautiful plants appear there annually now and have in turn dropped their seeds. Younger plants in the photo below display the characteristic rounded basal leaves that give the species its name.
Eco-Grass, a low-maintenance blend of fine fescues, begins to green up in very cool temperatures. The brown tufts in these two photos are from the previous year's unmowed growth.
Even as it first emerges, its coming purple-blue glory is hinted at by Mertensia virginica (Virginia Bluebells), seen in this and the following two photos.
Polemonium reptans (Jacob's Ladder) provided some of the first green on our prairie hillside.
The only early red hues on our hillside were provided by shoots of Vernonia fasciculata (Common Ironweed), transplanted from Prairie Moon gardens the previous October.
This cluster of Sanguinaria canadensis (Bloodroot) has begun popping up at the end of a raised vegetable bed. They apparently migrated there from nearby woods. The plants in these two photos appear eager to turn their faces to the sun but unwilling yet to unwrap their leaf blankets. Another plant with more southern exposure just a few feet away already had opened its leaves and dropped its petals.
Distinctive leaf markings lend a delicate beauty to young Hydrophyllum virginianum (Virginia Waterleaf) but disappear as the plants mature.
I enjoyed looking at the photos. Winter has lasted way too long this year and I’m antsy for everything to bloom! I have something next to a tree that I think may be the bloodroot plant you have pictured. Is that the first thing to bloom? If so, I’ll have to plant a ton of it for sanity! If the gravatar thingy works, it should appear by my name. If not, it’s here:
http://en.gravatar.com/txbluebonnet09
You’re right, Ramona; that is Sanguinaria canadensis, Bloodroot, in your photo. The season’s first bloomer is really dependent on your locale, resident species and weather. While my Bloodroot blossoms were among the first that I sighted, neighbors already had been enjoying Pasque Flowers, Anemone patens wolfgangiana.
great looking bloodroot! I have been meaning to plant them. Do you have more tips you can give?
I’m sorry to take so long to reply. May was an intensely busy month at the nursery. In Prairie Moon’s cultural guide, we list Sanguinaria canadensis as “difficult from seed.” Since I’ve done nothing but watch and enjoy the plants pictured near my garden, I don’t have any special tips for you. Those plants now (in early June) have large, robust leaves and tapered green seed pods. I’ve always simply let the seeds fall but I may try to distribute them more intentionally this year. The easiest part of our germination instructions for Bloodroot is “sow outdoors and allow one full year for germination.” Transplanting seedlings probably is the easiest route to take. We should have bare roots available for the October shipping season.
Are there tours of Prairie Moon this coming weekend (June 25-26)? If so, at what times?
Thanks.
John Hanlon
Hi John. Yes! Our first tour of the year is this Saturday, June 25th, 1:00. The tours usually last until 3:00 or 4:00. The second (and last) tour is Saturday July 16th – also starting at 1:00.
Here are driving directions if you need them:
http://www.prairiemoon.com/driving-directions/
Hope to see you this Saturday!