by Laura Fawks Lapole
Early spring is a magical time of year when nature seems to “wake up” after its winter rest. We can see changes happening all around us as things begin to grow and animals become active. However, some of this beauty is fleeting and must be quickly appreciated. I am referring to flowering plants known as “spring ephemerals.”
Spring ephemerals are the first wildflowers to appear in the springtime. They are typically small, delicate flowers that may easily be overlooked. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, “ephemeral” means “lasting a very short time,” denoting that these flowers only bloom for a few weeks before they’re gone. However, just because we don’t see them doesn’t mean they aren’t there, waiting until next year to start the process again.
Why do they bother coming out so early for such a short time? Competition. These plants take advantage of the fact that there are few other species growing yet, so they have first claim to fresh nutrients in the soil. Although they may look delicate and sensitive, they are tough little plants that can handle colder temperatures and harsher conditions than many other later spring plants. They can also soak up as much sunlight as possible since there are no leaves on the trees yet to shade them. Once those leaves come out and block out the sunlight, these wildflowers die off.
One complication they encounter is that few insects are up and about so early in the year. Like most flowers, they rely on pollination to reproduce. Pollination occurs when an insect, bird or mammal transfers pollen from one plant to another. Pollination may also occur via the wind, as is common in several crop species like corn, wheat, rice and oats, as well as many different species of trees, including conifers and deciduous trees such as cottonwoods, oaks, maples and ashes. Thankfully, many have adapted to attracting ants, flies and beetles to pollinate them, as they tend to emerge before most of the other pollinators we are familiar with, such as bees and butterflies. However, some do rely on bees and butterflies and are a necessary early form of food for these insects. Which pollinators are being attracted explains why they may have a particular shape, a specific color or smell a certain way.
You can find spring ephemerals in healthy, undisturbed woodlands. You may see them peeking up from under the leaf litter before they come into full bloom. They like nutrient-rich, moist soils that get plenty of sunlight. Each species of course has its own likes and dislikes and can be found in different areas.
Here in Maryland, we have quite a few spring ephemerals, several of which can be found in our own Hayes Forest Preserve. You can spot springbeauties, bloodroot, Solomon’s seal, false Solomon’s seal, mayapples, trout lilies, Jack-in-the-pulpit, and many others. Let’s focus on the three you are most likely to see around Croydon Creek right now and very soon.
The Virginia springbeauty is gorgeous little flower that is blooming right now! The flowers themselves are in little clusters, with five pink-white petals lined with dark-pink stripes. Their leaves look a lot like grass in both shape and color. Although these pea-sized flowers are easy to miss when they grow alone, when they grow in patches, it is a sight to behold! These little plants are perennials, meaning they come back year after year, growing from a little tuber that looks like a tiny potato. Flies and bees are the main insects that utilize this flower, especially the bee, andrena erigeniae, which only pollinates springbeauties. Mice, chipmunks and deer are also known to munch on various parts of the plant as well.
Mayapples are a common sighting in woodlands of Maryland. The plants, which grow from a rhizome, tend to form large colonies that take over an area and form a dense mat on the forest floor. The leaves look like a 6-8-inch green umbrella, two of which are on every plant. If you peek under those leaves in May, you may see one large, white, 6-9 inch petaled flower. After the flower has been pollinated, it becomes a large, fleshy yellow berry. Bumblebees and other long-tongued bees are the main pollinators, while sawflies chew on the leaves. Most other animals avoid eating this plant, as the leaves, seeds, roots and berry (when unripe) are poisonous. However, once the berry has ripened, box turtles, skunks, opossums and racoons gorge on the fruit.
Jack-in-the-pulpit is another spring ephemeral that has a unique appearance. This tall plant has two leaves that each support three leaflets. The flower grows from a separate stalk but tends to hide under the leaves. The “flower” itself is rather complicated and composed of two sections: the spathe and spadix. The cylindrical spathe has a hood that folds over the top. It’s green in color with brown, burgundy or white stripes on the inside. If you lift the hood, you can see the spadix, or a spike-like inflorescence (a group of flowers) that holds many individual flowers. This spadix gives the plant its name, as that is Jack, and the cylindrical flower is the pulpit. Although you may continue to see the spathe and spadix throughout the summer, the flowers only bloom inside for a short time. Red berries form from the flowers at the end of the summer if the plant was pollinated. Unlike many other flowers, which utilize bees and butterflies for pollination, this plant uses fungus gnats and thrips (both very small insects). The leaves and roots contain a harmful substance that most animals avoid, though some gamebirds may nibble at them. Only a few birds, such as the wild turkey, eat the red berries in the late summer.
I hope this article has inspired you to get outside and hunt for these evanescent spring ephemerals! They are not only beautiful, but extremely beneficial for early pollinators, which rely on them for nectar and pollen before the other flowers bloom. Just remember, although you may be tempted to pick and appreciate these short-lived flowers, please leave them in place for others and wildlife to enjoy.
Information on the spring ephemerals mentioned here as well as other flowers can be found at:
- Illinois Wildflowers, Wildflowers of Illinois in Woodlands.
- Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Plant Database.