Pushing through

Snow trillium are the first wildflowers of spring, usually preceding hepatica by a couple weeks. In the past the first week of April has been a good time to see them. With the hottest February in history I went out a little earlier this year and found them starting to bloom. They are not quite at peak but definitely in bloom.  They might be hard to find later in the week with the predicted snow storm.

Spring green has started

The other ephemerals are now in bloom and hepatic starts about the same time as snow trillium but the trillium has the earliest leaves, not counting the skunk cabbage whose flower is non-descript. With rain predicted for the weekend it will be a great time to get some shots with April showers and ephemerals. The next two weeks promise to be magical, not as raucous as migrating birds but equally impressive.

Technical: The leaf in the lower left corner shows the relative size of the trillium. I rarely shoot in midday light but the flowers are fully open only during that time.

Snow Trillium and mittens

Snow Trillium and Oak Leaf

I photographed these snow trillium while laying in the leaves wearing mittens and long johns this morning. Apparently these beauties didn't get the message that is was cold. They are about a week later than most years and almost at peak. Photographed at Seven Mile Creek County Park, Nicollet Co., Minnesota

Breaking Free of Winter

Snow trilliums are the first woodland ephemeral to emerge, well before the often photographed hepatica.  Everyone is asking the question, "How late is spring this year?".  In my experience snow trilliums are usually done blooming at the end of the first week of April.  This one is at peak and others were just opening. Technical: focal length 20 mm at f29, slight crop.  The leaf gives a size perspective to the flower.