Harbinger of Spring at Hager Park and Grand River Park

 Spring is starting to spring here in Ottawa County Michigan!  Marie took me on an adventure yesterday March 24, 2023.  We went in search of Harbinger of Spring, the plant.  We found several blooming at Hager Park.

Marie spotted the first plant just barely open then as we looked closer, we saw several more Harbinger of Spring blooming.  We also checked on the spring flowering Witch Hazel.  It was also blooming.

After a lovely time at Hager Park, we visited Grand River Park.  We wanted to see if the Harbinger of Spring was blooming there.  And surprise it was!   We also saw Skunk Cabbage.  

That was our quick little adventure to welcome Spring! Maybe next week we will go looking for Hepatica. 

Dowagiac Woods April 8 2019

 Monday April 8 2019
Marie and I visited Dowagiac Woods in southwest Michigan.  We knew it was early to see wildflowers blooming, we also knew we would at least see Hepatica blooming. 

Notice the various colors and the different number of petal-like sepals of these Sharp-lobed Hepatica.  All growing in the same preserve, amazing! 
Some "petals" were deep purple, pale violet, pure white, pink edged, deep rose, all absolutely beautiful! 
Some of the flower heads measured 1 1/2 inches across!  Some plants had six "petals", some up to 14 petals.  I enjoyed each and every hepatica we saw that day. 
It was a beautiful day, sunny with temps starting at 47, and as high as 69. 

Tons of Wild Leek leaves!

Another flowering plant that we saw hundreds of was Harbinger-of-Spring!  It is a very tiny little flower, also an early bloomer.

We found some Bloodroot blooming.

We saw just a few Marsh Marigolds blooming down a hill in a wet area.  They are like bright sunshine flowers!

 In this same swampy place I found Golden Saxifrage!  We saw this tiny flowering plant at Happy Boots last week. 

And Skunk Cabbage

We heard frogs, and saw a Garter Snake, a few bees, and a butterfly.

We found one Purple Cress blooming, several more with buds.

 
Only a few Spring Beauty were fully open, this one was a beauty.

Scarlet Cup  This beautiful woodland fungus grows on decaying wood in damp places under the leaf litter.

Here is more of what we saw...

 

 

Trout Lily in bud 



 

 Red Maple flowers

  
 

 

 Ohio Buckeye bud

 

 
Two different types of ferns...

 

Trillium leaves

 

Blue Cohosh sprout



Virginia Waterleaf - No flower yet

 

 

 In about three weeks - almost every inch of these woods will be blooming with wildflowers, including
Blue-Eyed Mary, Large-flowered Trillium, Trout Lily, Spring Beauty, Dutchman's Breeches, and more!