Identifying Virginia's Early Spring Wildflowers

After a winter of drab grays and browns, a little spring color is welcome in the woods. Beginning in early March, close observers of the forest floor might spot small but lovely native wildflowers emerging to seek the sun.  

Spring ephemerals, as their name implies, take advantage of the sunlight available for a short time early in the year, before trees grow their leaves and shade out the forest floor. By the time the woods green up, there may be nothing visible of these wildflowers except a few shriveled leaves or a seed case on a slender stalk.  

Early-blooming plants may be small, but they are important. These native species contribute to the biodiversity of a healthy forest. Their nectar and pollen provide a food source for early-emerging insects, including many pollinators.  

Some of the earliest woodland wildflowers are hepatica, bloodroot, trout lily, rue-anemone, spring beauty, and several species of violet. These flowers all bloom close to the ground, and they all have a special relationship with ants – a trait called myrmecochory. Their seeds sport tiny, fat-laden structures called elaiosomes. Ants carry away the seeds, eat the elaiosomes, and discard the seeds in their trash piles. In this way, seeds are spread to new areas and nurtured by nutrient-rich soil.   

By April, a wide variety of ephemerals are in bloom. Virginia bluebells and several species of Trillium are taller than the earlier ephemerals and tend to grow in large swaths, creating a stunning display. Other species, such as lady’s slipper orchids, often grow more sparsely, but they make up for it with their beautiful and intricate blossoms.  

Spring wildflower action isn’t limited to the forest floor. Those who prefer to look up while hiking may be rewarded with some native tree and shrub show-offs. These woody plants form their flower buds the previous fall, enabling them to bloom before they leaf out.  

Many people don’t realize that the common red maple bears clusters of small, bright red flowers in late winter. Located mainly in the uppermost branches, these flowers may not be obvious unless dropped to the ground by hungry squirrels.

An understory tree, serviceberry, casts its white blossoms like confetti through bare woodlands. These blooms have long been a harbinger of spring. Flowering coincides with the upstream “runs” of spawning shad, giving rise to the tree’s nickname, shadbush.  

In late March, spicebush adorns the shrub layer with tiny yellow pompoms at eye level. Look for spicebush in woods with rich, moist soil. 

Often noticeable from roadsides, eastern redbud trees bathe the woods’ edges in a blush of pinkish purple. A single redbud flower looks like a tiny pink hummingbird. Coincidentally (or not?), redbud flowers also provide a nectar source for hummingbirds during their spring migration. 

By mid-April, our state flower and tree, flowering dogwood, flaunts white blooms throughout the forest understory. The showy “petals” of dogwood are not really petals at all; they are leaflike bracts that surround a cluster of small yellow-green flowers.  

One of the highlights of May is a slope covered in blooming mountain laurel. Despite its name, this tall shrub can be found statewide.  

To see native spring wildflowers, look for public areas with forested land. These include the trails in any Virginia state park or state forest; natural area preserves and wildlife management areas; Shenandoah National Park; the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests; arboreta and botanical gardens; and a host of local parks. Don’t wait until the weather is perfect to hike a trail this spring, or you might miss a spectacular show right underfoot or overhead. There’s always something beautiful to see in Virginia’s woods.