Often the very first blooms of the spring go unnoticed in a secluded woodland spot. Skunk Cabbage may unfurl near a swampy pond or creek and Hepatica may carpet a woodland area rich in humus, but often there is no one near to appreciate them. These early blooms are often subtle harbingers of the season. Few are showy, and they often take one by surprise in a spotlighted by a ray spring sunshine.
One of the very first to bloom here is the delicate little Hepatica (Hepatica americana). Evergreen in some areas, this plant often just pops up with snowy white blooms, but sometimes is seen with pink, or even blue-lavender buttercup-like blooms. Called Liver Leaf this gem is often the first wild plant to bloom in a shady corner. It will colonize under trees if the soil is moist and woodsy. One of the easiest wild ones to establish, it self sows if there is enough moisture in the soil.
Most wildflowers should not be dug from the wild unless the area is about to be bulldozed. A serious lack of habitat in many Eastern states has seen the demise of many native plants. Whenever seeds are collected care should be taken to take only minimal pods so that they are not wiped out in the wild. It is best to either seed them or buy from nurseries that propagate wild plants.
Another early plant to bloom is the wonderfully sunny Celandine Poppy (Sylophorum diphyllum). Also a very easy to grow perennial it is a nice shade or part shade bloomer that also flowers from March to May. Unlike most in the poppy family, it likes a moist, humus soil. This one has done very well in my sandy, oak tree garden environment. An oak leaf mulch benefits both of these plants. If you like poppies the bright yellow flower of this sunny spring bloomer will delight you.
Trilliums bloom in April and are a favorite wild flower that will adapt well to the shade garden. There are many kinds of Trillium ranging in colors from white to red, yellow, purple and pink. They also like a moist woodsy soil in which to reseed. Some of our best clumps of trillium have surprised us and come up in very unlikely spots.
An April companion to the Trillium is the Jack in the Pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum). This perennial is so exotic looking with its unusual bloom that it must be seen to be appreciated. It also needs a moist, woodsy soil, but again flourishes in my shady gardens under trees as long as I provide water when dry and an oak leaf mulch. Like the others, this one also needs a shady spot in which to flourish. Red berries or seeds are another interesting feature that last all winter.
Another wonderful spring bloomer that often fills the air with fragrance is the Trailing Arbutus (Epigaea repens). This one however must be sought out in the woods in order to get a whiff of its spring perfume. Arbutus is rarely available in nurseries and often will not grow in a garden. It needs a very specific type of acidic, moist soil with leaf mold and humus on top and moist sand beneath in a shady spot. I have propagated this one over the years by making cuttings and keeping them under a mist. It roots and will grow in pots in a shady area, but often disappears after growing in the garden for a few years. Most of the literature on this plant indicates it will not flourish in captivity. So you must go on a spring treasure hunt to smell the arbutus, often called Mayflower in our area. It starts to bloom in mid April. You must get down on your knees to find and smell it as it is a ground cover and really does hug the ground.
There are hundreds more wild plants. A good wild flower book and an hour it the woods is the best way to meet and know them. To all things there is season and often a place called home. Sometimes you don't have the place to grow a wild flower, sometimes you do. There is no reason to go through life without ever kneeling in the woodlands to see and smell a delicate arbutus bloom. Happy Springtime!
Lorraine Kiefer is the owner of Triple Oaks Nursery and has been a garden writer since 1972. Click here to email her.
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Another wonderful spring bloomer that often fills the air with fragrance is the Trailing Arbutus (Epigaea repens). This one however must be sought out in the woods in order to get a whiff of its spring perfume. Arbutus is rarely available in nurseries and often will not grow in a garden. It needs a very specific type of acidic, moist soil with leaf mold and humus on top and moist sand beneath in a shady spot. I have propagated this one over the years by making cuttings and keeping them under a mist. It roots and will grow in pots in a shady area, but often disappears after growing in the garden for a few years. Most of the literature on this plant indicates it will not flourish in captivity. So you must go on a spring treasure hunt to smell the arbutus, often called Mayflower in our area. It starts to bloom in mid April. You must get down on your knees to find and smell it as it is a ground cover and really does hug the ground. 
