All of these wildflowers are collectively referred to as “spring ephemerals,” because they are only visible for a short period of time in the spring. They are special plants, with special abilities to take advantage of – and cope with – the unique ecological conditions in deciduous forests this time of year. They all take advantage of the abundant sunlight that is available to them before the trees and shrubs leaf-out and shade the forest floor. But they also must not emerge too soon to avoid being killed by snow and frost. Spring ephemerals are absent or rare in evergreen forests where trees shade the forest floor year-round. The fast, early growth of spring ephemerals is make possible by their underground bulbs, tubers, and rhizomes that store nutrients and energy. After they’ve grown leaves, the leaves produce and store more energy through photosynthesis. Soon after the deciduous trees and shrubs leaf-out and shade the wildflowers, their above ground parts die-back, leaving little or no evidence of their existence. But their underground bulbs, tubers, and rhizomes remain.
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