Monday, April 14, 2025

Spring Beauty at Last!

I've tried for years to add the lovely little native flower Spring Beauty to the native "meadow" I've been developing in my urban backyard.  I had no luck with seeds.  My local native nursery, Bluestem Natives, couldn't get them to germinate last year either, citing too-warm a winter.  I finally managed to order bare root plants from Prairie Moon Nursery last summer, and planted them when they arrived in fall.  

When April arrived I gradually became discouraged as the beginning of their flowering season passed: perhaps I should have watered my roots in our VERY dry fall??

Today not only were a few tiny, sprawling plants visible -- they had a few flowers!  

About half my plants not yet heard from, but -- Immense relief! 

Spring beauty (Claytonia virginica) is a low perennial with lance-shaped, opposite leaves.  
It emerges and flowers early, taking advantage of sunlight available before other plants have leafed out.

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