Forest
Stewardship News Release
April
28 , 2006- For Immediate Release
Contact: Allyson
Muth , Phone: 814-863-0401 E-mail: abm173@psu.edu
Spring Wildflowers: Tempting Beauties in Our Woodlands
Written by Jim Finley, 814-863-0401, fj4@psu.edu
Spring flowers are coming to a woodlot near you. Dutchman’s breeches, Chicken and Corn, Round-leaved Orchis, Ladyslippers, Red Trillium, Jack-in-the-Pulpit are interesting names that describe wonderful flowers that may brighten forests for a short springtime window.
Wildflowers help make forests magical. The small, sometimes inconspicuous flowers are magical in their beauty. The colors, variety, and diversity are amazing. Local forests may have dozens of spring wildflower species. Dropping to your knees and observing flowers is fun. Even the more common wildflowers, such as Adder’s Tongue and Spring-beauty, are intriguing and captivating.
Many of these flowers are ephemeral. Ephemeral flowers are only visible for short time. They erupt from the forest floor, flower, and disappear in only a few weeks. The knowledgeable observer may still recognize the leaves and fruits of many of these species later in the growing season; however, for the most part, the season is short.
Ephemeral forest flowers evolved to take advantage of light and moisture conditions in the springwoods. Growth begins early while the forest canopy is devoid of leaves. Below the leafless canopy, the forest floor warms rapidly, stirring wildflowers to initiate growth. As they begin to flower, early emerging pollinating insects seek them out and take advantage of these sources of nectar and pollen. The ideal light conditions last only a short time; soon the leaves in the forest canopy begin to unfold and capture the light. As this happens, the spring flower season soon ends
In many of our forests, the spring wildflower display is not as diverse and rich as it could be. Many of the spring flowers are favorite food sources for white-tailed deer. Some of the more showy flowers, such as Trillium and Ladyslippers rare in forests where they were once abundant as deer selective browse them in the understory. Also missing in many forests are some less conspicuous species such as Canada Mayflower and Indian Cucumber Root. In many cases, you can find individual plants preferred by deer, but often these individuals are smaller and much less robust than they should be. Often time, you can find some of these browse-impacted plants finding refuge in soil patches on top of large rocks or along ledges.
Wherever you find spring wildflowers, take the opportunity to enjoy them where you find them. Picking takes away the opportunity for them to reproduce and to spread through the forest. Some of the flowers are rare and we should always try to encourage their presence where in the forest. So, take pictures and gather memories – to blossom.
There are many great field guides available to identifying spring flowers. These guides often start with the flower’s color, then the structure, and sometimes link to the site where the plant occurs. When you identify a species, make a notation in the book about where you first saw it. In this way, you can start a “Life List.” It will aid you in recalling the species, what it looked like, and where it grew. As you learn your spring flowers, show others and encourage them to enjoy the season!
The Pennsylvania Forest Stewardship Program provides publications on a variety of topics related to woodland management for private landowners. For a list of free publications, call 1-800-235-WISE (toll-free), send e-mail to , or write to: Forest Stewardship Program, Forest Resources Extension, The Pennsylvania State University, 320 Forest Resources Building, University Park, PA 16802. The Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry and USDA Forest Service, in partnership with the Penn State's Forest Resources Extension, sponsor the Forest Stewardship Program in Pennsylvania.
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