Spring is so close we can almost taste it—literally!

As we stretch out our legs and hooves and prepare for the upcoming working season, we’ve been noticing new life bursting all around. Below are a few beloved plants that that are sprouting up, blooming, or putting out their leaves just in time to welcome spring. Don't worry, we don't let our goats nibble on these early spring forerunners!

🌸 The Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis)

is a native deciduous tree that blooms in early spring with pink and magenta buds and flowers. A unique member of the pea-family (Fabaceae), redbuds can often be found along roadsides, near streams, and in many neighborhoods around Pittsburgh. If you’re lucky, you’ll spot some exhibiting an unusual growing pattern called “cauliflory” which refers to when plants flower and fruit from their main stems or trunks, rather than from new growth and shoots. It almost looks like a tightly bundled corsage is bursting from the trunk!

🤍 Common Snowdrops (Galanthus nivalis)

are one of the earliest beacons of spring. Even though they’re some of the first flowers to appear, often spotted amongst snow, they actually need temperatures to drop below 20 degrees in order to bloom—a botanical process known as “stratification”. Although snowdrops are not native to Pennsylvania, or the Americas, they’re considered naturalized with no known risks or negative effects to the ecosystem. Their small, delicate bell-shaped flowers are a welcome sight during cold and gray days.

🦨 Although Skunk Cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus)

is almost the always the first to bloom in early spring, its flowers are hidden under a horn-shaped hood which makes them difficult to see. You’ve likely seen their thick cabbage-like green leaves or purple and greenish-yellow horn near wetlands. It gets it’s name from the scent it gives off if it’s bruised or crushed. Although it’s an unpleasant odor to most, the fascinating purple-ish horns are fun to spot while hiking.

Eastern Redbud

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Common Snowdrops

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Skunk Cabbage

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Eastern Redbud ⚘ Common Snowdrops ⚘ Skunk Cabbage ⚘

Did you know?
Early bloomers seem to be blooming even earlier due to climate change. A recent study through Chatham University, in conjunction with the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, found that some of Western PA’s most cherished spring plants are sprouting up 2-3 weeks sooner than in years past.

Share Your Signs of Spring

What’s sprouting up in your backyard? Maybe you’ve noticed some of these plants, or others like bluebells or trillium appearing sooner, too. Share your photos on Instagram & Facebook and be sure to tag us so we can see them! #alleghenygoatscape

References & plant image credit: References & image credit: www.paenflowered.org, https://bygl.osu.edu/node/1538, extension.psu.edu/snowdrops, & https://www.alleghenyfront.org/early-spring-wildflowers-blooming-earlier-climate-change/

More to chew on…

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