Early wildflowers

Celandine Poppies surround Mary Isabelle

At the arboretum today many things had changed since my last visit, wildflowers whose foliage was barely above ground a week or two ago were blooming. It is kind of funny, I guess, the excitement with which I round every bend, wondering whether the hoary puccoon I saw here last year will be back yet, or the shooting stars starting up, or the pussystoes- But it IS exciting! Many of the things we saw today, on March 25, we didn’t see last year until April 10th or 24th, I checked last year’s pictures. The burned prairie areas are greening up and the burn no longer apparent. The young sassafras trees I loved to walk by did die in the burn, but there will be more because their root systems are interdependent so the foliage of nearby living trees will help to generate more young sassafras. Every spring I am amazed anew at how quickly growth progresses.

Tunnel Spider

Beech Tree Leafing

Horsechestnut

Bluebells

Pussytoes

Glade is greening after burn. There were hoary puccoon and Indian Paintbrush and Birds-Foot Violets blooming. Last year we didn’t see them until April. For contrast, here is March 20 of last year (2011):

Hoary Puccoon

The draw, also showing few signs of the burn, also with Hoary Puccoon, Indian Paintbrush, Birds-Foot Violet. The foliage of the Fremont’s Leather Flower was up.