I thought this would be a good place to share local observations about spring flora. What’s starting to bloom in your area? Are things early or later than usual?
Here in southwestern Ontario we are still a few weeks away from first flowers. I expect to see some Hepaticas budding around the last week of March. Some exotics could be earlier, like Tussilago farfara, Eranthis hyemalis, Galanthus spp.
Those of you in western North Carolina, how are things looking? I’ll be there in early April.
I’m ready for it! but…
yeah that’s about a foot and a half. It is gonna be a while. there have been some increased activity of the resident bird, and probably there will be red winged blackbirds in the next few weeks, but unless there is a megathaw there won’t even be crocuses here before well into April i think.
Northeast/ NY State:
(I know you asked about flora but I included some fauna too, hope that’s all right)
According to my last year’s ebird report(s) I’m a little behind on the bird front. Water’s still iced up in my “patch” but red-winged blackbirds have been singing and displaying for a week or so. However, only a grackle fly through so far this year while last year they were around more already as were the wood ducks and hooded mergs (I thought I heard a hoodie the other evening though but no other evidence). The pileated,downy, red-bellied woodpeckers,bluebirds red-shouldered hawks are all on time with their breeding behaviors to the exact hour of the exact date and the regulars at the feeders are singing it up too. Can’t beat a bird clock!
Forsythia buds started swelling a little after the sunny days this week. In areas close to stone and structures where the snow (still about half a foot in most spots) has melted there are daffodils and crocus and a slight hint of my earliest tulips but just the beginning of green poking through. Azaleas and viburnums and the chestnut oaks and their maple friends seem to show tiny signs of being awake as do some of my perennials in the warm beds/ micro-climate spots such as, feverfew, hyssop and lupines. I think my various berry canes are brightening too but I could be wishfully imagining that.
two Chortophaga viridifasciata little guys, a young arachnid or two and some flying insects that were uncooperative for my IDing purposes were observed during the sunny parts of the last two days.
I just played around with a lot of links so apologies in advance if a woodpecker ends up being a rhododendron! Thanks :)
Just wanted to note that iNat is a global forum, so I’d recommend adding something like “Northern Hemisphere” to this topic’s title.
Also, was able to check out some of the bloom in Anza-Borrego in California last week! https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?on=2019-03-03&place_id=829&subview=grid&user_id=tiwane&verifiable=any
In southwest Ohio, I haven’t seen any native wildflowers yet except skunk cabbage (which has been up for a while). Winter aconite and snowdrops have been blooming for several weeks. The early crocuses are just starting to bloom in this past week. Weather has been up and down, but we are getting our first 60’s tomorrow so I look for things to start popping! I’d say it’s an average year so far (not unusually early or late).
I like to use iNaturalist to see what is going on! For any place and time in the world, I use the following URL structure (this one specific to plants in Death Valley National Park for this month):
[EDIT - url updated for 2020]
If you start with this URL, then you can just click on Filter to change the date range, place, and group of interest to you! Also switch from Grid to Map view at upper left to see where the observations are coming from.
Then get out there if you can and add more! 
I’m dying to find my first rattlesnake of the year…
Here in NYC it depends how close to a building a plant is!
But a couple weeks ago I saw Hairy Bittercress with the white flower petals just starting to show.
In the parks the snowdrops are out and the Witch Hazels in glorious flower. Yesterday morning in a sunny spot by the FDR I saw two daffodils where you could see the yellow through the bud.
And on Monday when it reached 51º F in my local park, a fly landed on my hand – big deal right?
Here in Bozeman MT it is still getting down to -20 (f) at night and there is about 3 feet of snow. It seems the late winter cold snap we usually have is particularly late this year.
Argh!! I’m scheduled to go in the 2nd week of April. I hope there’s something left! How was it? Your pix are AMAZING!
Here in Central Texas spring blooms are well under way. Of the invasives, I’ve noticed only bastard cabbage (Rapistrum ragosum), but the spring herald (Forestiera pubescens) was announcing itself with fragrant wafts at least a month ago (early February). Redbuds (various varieties of Cercis canadensis) and Texas mountain laurel (formerly Sophora secundiflora; now Dermatophyllum secundiflorum) are in full bloom and the various plums, usually all identified as Mexican plum (Prunus mexicana) in spite of my doubts that it thrives in such a wide variety of conditions, are just past their peak. The mountain laurels and redbuds seem to be right on time, but our bluebonnets (Lupinus texensis) are out in force and have been since the last week of February. This is said by some to be our best bluebonnet season in a decade, but I don’t recall seeing more than occasional blooms out so early before. If I recall correctly, 50 years ago they were an early April phenomenon here and until recently they were never out in force this far north before March. I hope I’m wrong, but it does seem to me to be a symptom of our changing climate.
Well, it seems to be warming up here now, there is still about 2- 3 feet of snow, but I found some bare ground under a tree. Also, there was LIQUID water in my driveway! Still no sign of life from any plants though…
I found some tiny bulb leaves in an area that is partially covered and also reflects sunlight on the ground from a huge southeast facing window. But that’s practically a greenhouse.
hairy bittercress growing. found today after a big melting. Also, noticed the garlic mustard looking pretty alive (unfortunately those invasives are so tenacious). I guess those mustard family plants are getting going!
In northern Delaware, I saw but didn’t manage to photograph an eastern comma–the last two days were in the upper 60s and low 70s, and we haven’t had a particularly snowy, harsh winter. I was happy to see the butterfly after a long, dark February. The snowdrops (blooming), lesser celandine (ugh), daffodils, crocuses (blooming), etc are all up, and the trees are budding.The frogs were out last night, but we’re back to mid-50s now. I’m going to northern PA for a week or so in the next few days. My guess is that there will be little to see since the area is roughly two weeks or more behind DE, but when I come back, I’ll be startled by green. :)
Things here in Western North Carolina are about par for this time of the year. The Forsythias are blooming, as are small ground hugging wildflowers like Bluets, Henbit, Veronica’s, etc. Red maples have flowered already and some trees such as Willows are putting on leaves. Temperatures are a little below normal but a warm up is expected here in a week or so. Rain has been the big issue here with copious amounts causing landslides and flash flooding. However, by the time April rolls around things here should be as they should for the beginning of the Spring season. It’s been a long wet, cold, winter, I for one am ready for some warm temps and sunshine.
I had some Skunk Cabbage not quite flowering yesterday in Southwestern Ontario. Probably could have found some in flower if I’d tried harder!
Some of the Red and Silver Maples look like they won’t need too much longer to start flowering.
Otherwise I didn’t see any signs of new growth despite a long walk in the woods.
Not plants, but every single Eastern Chipmunk seems to have come out of hibernation in the last few days! Lots more skunks, possums and raccoons dead on the highways. Haven’t seen any herps yet but shouldn’t be too long given the expected weather this week. Waterfowl and blackbird migration is in full swing, I saw tens of thousands of each yesterday.
Lots of little things poking their heads out of the ground in Brantford this weekend. Evergreen sedges and ferns are looking greener and the maples, willows and poplars are ready to pop!
monarda and, unfortunately, garlic mustard showing small signs of fresh growth in sunny spots. Maple buds starting to swell more and I noticed high-bush cranberry and my non-native shrubs with buds also swelling and showing tiny hints of green. The ones in the shade, less so.
saw 8 turkey vultures this morning! Stopped on the side of the small side street to look and someone got annoyed
