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Welcome back to the Ohio spring wildflower bloom report! Over the past week winter-like weather decided to return to the Buckeye state with chilly temperatures and even some snow. This allowed for our early bloomers to slow their development and put the brakes on this speedy spring, at least for a few days. Nevertheless, we still have lots of new faces to report and with a sunny weekend in the forecast now’s a perfect time to head outside to see what you can find. |
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This week’s featured wildflower is Virginia bluebell (Mertensia virginica). It’s one of our more distinctive wildflowers with its light blue flowers and spinach-like leaves. A true spring ephemeral, this species senesces and completely disappears from the landscape by early summer. Bumblebees absolutely love this plant and on warm days the air will be abuzz with their coming and going. Bluebells grow in a variety of moist, rich wooded habitats and can create some sizeable colonies. Speaking of impressive bluebells stands you’ll really want to check out this week’s featured preserve. |
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Our next preserve feature isn’t an ODNR site, but we’d be remiss in our duties to bring Ohioans the best wildflower displays if we did not mention it. The Arc of Appalachia’s Ohio River Bluffs Nature Preserve outside Manchester in Adams Co. is perhaps the best place to ring in a new spring. The south-facing slopes overlooking the river get drenched in the sun’s warmth and explode in wildflowers before just about any place else has even woken up. The steep slopes are home to dozens of species but it’s the Virginia bluebells and dwarf larkspur that steal the show. It’s unlike anything you’ve ever seen before. We can report the bluebells are at peak right now and well worth a trip down to view. |
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South RegionSouthern Ohio leads the way with new bloomers with well over a dozen new spring wildflowers breaking bud for the first time this year. Reports have come in that newcomers include wood poppy, dwarf larkspur, giant blue cohosh, sessile trillium, false rue-anemone, twinleaf, slender toothwort, smooth yellow violet, blue wood violet, Dutchman’s breeches, squirrel corn, wild blue phlox, blue-eyed mary, Jacob’s ladder, and star chickweed. Not to worry, many of these are just barely starting and results may vary depending on where you are. Most other early bloomers such as white trout-lily, rue-anemone, hepaticas, harbinger-of-spring, spring beauty, bloodroot, yellow fumewort, purple cress, bluebells etc. continue to come on throughout the region. Some choice sites to hike include Whipple, Davis Memorial, Lake Katharine, and Scioto Brush Creek state nature preserves, Shawnee State Forest, East Fork State Park, Arc of Appalachia’s Chalet Nivale and Ohio River Bluffs, as well as Wayne National Forest’s Ironton District. |
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Last week we mentioned the rare and stunning golden-stars had started blooming and we can say this weekend will be prime to see this charming wildflower at peak. With the forecasted sun they should be open and looking perfect! We also should report that snow trillium is past peak across the region but there’s still time to see some stragglers at sites such as Miller State Nature Preserve and Chalet Nivale, especially with the cooler temperatures this past week. |
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Central RegionThings are starting to come along in the central region of the state with new bloomers continuing to appear. One again your mileage will vary depending on where you are but the first wave of spring’s blooms are up and blooming including harbinger-of-spring, sharp-lobed hepatica, spring beauty, purple cress, and white trout-lily. Some newcomers include Dutchman’s breeches, cut-leaved toothwort, bloodroot, early buttercup, marsh marigold, false mermaid, and Virginia bluebells. Many of these are just barely starting at a site or two but we wanted to let you know things are progressing! Snow trillium are still hanging around the region at Clifton Gorge State Nature Preserve, John Bryan State Park, and Oakes Quarry Park. Some choice sites to seek out early spring’s first bloomers across central Ohio include Blackhand Gorge, Christmas Rocks, Clifton Gorge, Davey Woods, Gallagher Fen, and Shallenberger state nature preserves. State parks are also great sites such as Alum Creek, Delaware, Cowan Lake, John Bryan, and Malabar Farm. |
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North RegionYou’ll have to forgive us for not having much to report from the northern stretches of the state, as things per usual have been slow to stir. In sunnier, warmer locations you’re likely to find harbinger-of-spring, spring beauty, and perhaps some bloodroot, cut-leaved toothwort, or purple cress breaking bud. We promise to have a more diverse and encouraging list as things continue to progress and warm up! |
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With some warmer weather, it will soon be time to visit prime wildflower sites. A few great places to view northern Ohio’s early wildflower blooms include Augusta-Anne Olsen, Eagle Creek, Goll Woods, Johnson Woods, Kendrick Woods, Lawrence Woods, and Lou Campbell state nature preserves.
Want to keep track of what you see at Ohio’s state nature preserves, parks, wildlife areas and forests? Download our handy spring wildflower checklist. |
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The Ohio Wildflower Bloom Report is updated weekly from March to the middle of May. We encourage you to take spring wildflower photos and upload them to social media using the hashtag #OhioWildflowers and #OhioHeartOfItAll. Follow @ohioDNR and @ohioDNAP on Instagram and Ohio Department of Natural Resources and Ohio Division of Natural Areas & Preserves on Facebook to learn more about Ohio’s spring wildflower season. |
