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Native Wildflowers

Spring is one of the best times to find flowers in the woods. Forest wildflowers take advantage of the short time when the weather is warming, but most trees haven't yet leafed out, allowing light to filter through the canopy. Forest wildflowers start to push through the ground even as the snow melts. These early flowers are called "spring ephemerals" and they push through the soil, bloom, and seed in the short period of time between snowmelt and the time when the trees leaf out. Their cycle is so condensed because they are forest dwellers and the canopy shades out most of the sunlight when trees are in leaf, so these low-growing flowers must take advantage of the sun that reaches them in the early parts of the year. For the rest of the year they are less showy, waiting for the next spring snowmelt.

Frick Park is also host to many summer and fall blooming species of wildflowers. The Asteracae family, which includes Asters and Goldenrods, is plentiful. Touch-me-nots, Joe Pye Weed, Ironweed and False Sunflowers are also bright, beautiful and plentiful in the park in the summer and early fall.

Due to grazing deer (deer love wildflowers!), invasive plants, and dog trampling, the wildflowers in Frick Park aren't as bountiful as they could be, but if you are a diligent flower seeker, you will certainly be able to see them.

 

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