What do Your Yard Plants Think about Spring?

[digitS']

The University of Wisconsin, along with the Weather Service, has been keeping track of lilacs for a long, long time. They recently changed some of their approach and, instead of just the "common" lilac, have been somehow using a cloned variety. . . I guess, they've been shipping these around the country. Since it is a clone (like so many fruit trees & such), whatever happens with it here can better be compared to whatever happens to it there.

You might know that our farming ancestors planted lilacs just about everywhere they settled. Not only were they pleasant plants to have around but they used them as a guide as to when to plant various crops .

This is an "official" map of when the first leaf appears on average for the common lilac most anywhere in the US and Canada, except the South, North and West (for some reason). The numbers begin with January 1st as Day 1:

[img]https://www.usanpn.org/files/shared/leafnorms_640.gif[/img]

Are your common lilac leaf buds breaking early this year? It is likely to be about average here: between the 100th & 110th day. That will be between April 9 and 19.

Steve

[rainbowgardener]

It looks like it says 80 days for me which would be around Mar 10. I don't remember exactly what phase they were in then. But now it is fully leafed out with flower spikes and looks like it will be in bloom in a few more days. That is definitely early, usually it doesn't bloom at least until mid-April.

Lots of things are happening very early and fast here. Looks like it will be a short spring. Not only are the flowering trees blooming early, but the blooms aren't lasting very long. Lots of the magnolia trees bloomed, but the flowers only lasted a few days. My daffodils have come and gone already.

I had an outdoor wedding 17 years ago on Earth Day, April 22. I have pictures from then and all the flowering trees were in bloom and the daffodils and tulips. Now all of that stuff will be bloomed and gone and over with weeks before that.

[digitS']

I also have an April wedding anniversary, RG - April 3rd.

It is easy to remember that sunny spring day and the only outdoor flowers (anywhere, that I knew of) were the crocus against the south wall of the church. We gave up the idea of a photograph near those tiny flowers fairly quickly . . .

Altho' I saw a few crocus with color on a walk last week, it looks to be about the 3rd before I'll notice them blooming. THAT shows you some difference between one side of the continental divide and the other, I suppose. Also, my lilac hasn't leafed out yet. In 2011, it was a record slow start to the growing season here but the little lilac was so small, it didn't occur to me to note anything other than its survival.

Steve

[rainbowgardener]

Jeez, sorry, but I'm glad I don't live where you do! Crocus in April? Ours sometimes bloom for Valentine's Day.