April is a great month to celebrate native plants. Recently, Massachusetts joined the growing number of states across the country to declare the first full month of spring “Native Plant Month.” To me, nothing marks the beginning of spring like the fleeting blooms of native spring ephemerals—those wily plants that wake up early, bloom quickly, and go to sleep before the summer temperatures are too much. hot
“Ephemeral” means fleeting, or short-lived. While the term aptly describes the way these plants “disappear” after flowering, it does not capture the long-lived nature of many of these perennials. They return year after year, but spend most of their time as an underground trunk, or rhizome, patiently waiting for the soil to warm. The mayflies start early to absorb all the sunlight they can before the trees die out completely and make the forest floor too dark for photosynthesis.
Native spring ephemera are great garden additions if you want something that will spread. Ephemerals spread vegetatively through the expansion of their rhizomes, which grow little by little every year. Many ephemerals also have unique, symbiotic relationships with ants that aid in seed dispersal. After flowering, many spring ephemerals produce seeds with a small protein-rich appendage called an elaiosome attached. The elaiosome attracts ants who then carry the seed to their colony where the elaiosome is eaten and the seed is left to germinate in its new location. Some of my favorite ephemera for New England gardens rely on ants to spread their seeds.
Virginia Bluebells Virginia bluebells (Mertensia virginica ) are native throughout the eastern United States and Canada, where they grow in the understory of deciduous forests with moist soils. They are one of the first ephemera to emerge in spring, with bright green leaves that resemble lettuce leaves when they first emerge. The tight clusters of pink-purple flowers emerge shortly after the leaves. Its flower stalks eventually reach 12-18″ tall with bell-shaped clusters of light blue flowers. The flowers often turn pink after they are pollinated.
Trillium There are four different species of trillium that occur naturally in New England: white wakerobin (Trillium grandiflorum ), announcing wakerobin (T. cernuum ), red trillium (T. erectum ), and painted trillium (T. undulatum ). One of the most beautiful trilliums, however, is not historically from New England, but from central and southern Appalachia. Like all trilliums, yellow wakerobin (Trillium luteum ) has a distinct growth pattern organized around the number three – three leaves on each stem, three flower petals and three sepals. Wakerobin yellow is a sessile trillium, whose flower seems to sit directly on the top of the leaves, without a peduncle, or flower leg. Its leaves are mottled, with light and dark spots. Its best feature is its beautiful pale yellow flower that smells like lemon chiffon. Yellow wakerobin typically blooms around Mother’s Day in our area. Pairs well with Virginia bluebells for an early spring show of blue and yellow.
Wood poppy wood poppy (Stylophorum diphyllum ) occurs naturally in the western Appalachians, northern Michigan and parts of central Canada. Its bright yellow flowers typically open when the last daffodils in our area are blooming. Like Virginia bluebells and yellow wakerobin, the wood poppy prefers a shady garden, and will thrive in medium to moist garden soils. In my garden, I often find new wood poppy plants in random places where they were clearly taken by an ant, including growing from the bottom of my compost bin.
Dutch breeches dutch pants (Dicentra cucullaria ) is a cousin of the Asian bleeding heart (Lamprocapnos spectabilis ) most gardeners might be familiar with as a perennial garden grape. These adorable spring ephemera feature finely cut leaves that emerge in early spring, followed by tiny sprays of flowers that look like baggy “pantaloons” hanging from a clothesline. Dutchman’s breeches are important forage for emerging bumblebees.
Spring ephemerals are true harbingers of spring that put on fabulous, if short-lived, displays. With a little patience, many of them can spread in your garden giving you something new to look forward to year after year. To learn more about spring ephemera and see their colorful flowering displays, visit a botanical garden or garden center this native plant month and ask where to find them!
Central Garden Mass. is written by the New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill CEO Grace Elton and Director of Horticulture Mark Richardson. Located on 171 acres in Boylston. New England Botanic Garden creates experiences with plants that inspire people and improve the world. Learn more at www.nebg.org. The column is published on the third Sunday of the month.
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