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Spring Wildflowers are On the Way!
Published: 3/12/2024
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With the unusually warm winter we had, spring is getting a head start, and that means some of the earliest blooming wildflowers are out or are almost out. Here, in order of early to late, are some of Michigan’s earliest blooming wildflowers:
• Skunk cabbage – is always the first because it generates it’s own heat. You’ll find it in very wet areas, but not in ponds or lakes (maybe at the edge). First it flowers and later it puts out large green leaves.
• Harbinger of spring – not common, but what a great name, and true to its name it comes out early
• Hepatica – found in oak woods, often near the base of oak trees – blue/lavender flowers and smooth leaves
• Purple Cress – it’s coming out now or soon in a damp woods near you.
• Pennsylvania sedge – it has dark brown, narrow flowerheads emerging above the short, grassy leaves
• Spring beauty – small little pink and white flowers on small strappy leaves. Not a big plant, but puts on a great shown when there are thousands of them on a woodland floor.
• Trout-lily – the leaves are mottled green and brown – there are yellow trout lilies and white trout lilies, with yellow being more common
• Toothwort – the leaves are very segmented and the white flowers rise about 9” above the ground
• Dutchman’s Breeches – white/yellow flowers on a short plant with feathery leaves

These are just some of them, but they’re worth looking up to see their pictures and looking for them in the woods. If you’d like to see a video about Novi wildflowers, go to this link. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6i60CjKudZs&t=66s Spring is an exciting time of year, and we are getting an early dose of it this year. Get out and enjoy it!