While they bloom for only a short time, ephemerals such as Bloodroot, Trout Lily, and Virginia Bluebells can add beauty to the home garden in spring while providing critical support to early-emerging pollinators. Join Extension Master Gardener Elaine Mills to learn about fifteen ephemeral species native to our region with details on where to see them, where to buy them, and how to care for them.
Zoom session, recorded January 29, 2021
Video of Presentation
Chapters
- 0:00:00 Introduction
- 0:01:41 Definition & Characteristics
- 0:05:17 Some Ephemerals
- 0:20:24 Questions
- 0:24:09 More Ephemerals
- 0:40:06 Threats to Ephemerals
- 0:41:42 Garden Design with Ephemerals
- 0:42:54 Caring for Ephemerals
- 0:46:55 Where to See Ephemerals
- 0:48:49 Native Plant Sellers
- 0:50:03 Resources
- 0:54:56 Questions
Additional Resources
Addendum: Additional details and Answers to Chat Questions– update 3/1/2022
To learn more:
- A Virtual Wildflower Walk with Alonso Abugattas
- Spring Wildflowers of the Mid-Atlantic Region with Marion Lobstein
Where to purchase native plants
- Native-Only Sellers (from Plant NOVA Natives)
Native Spring Ephemerals
Species with links have fact sheets under Tried & True Native Plants for the Mid-Atlantic
- Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis)
- Twinleaf (Jeffersonia diphylla)
- Spring Beauty (Claytonia virginica)
- Cutleaf Toothwort (Cardamine concatenata)
- Rue Anemone (Thalictrum thalictroides)
- Yellow Trout Lily (Erythronium americanum)
- Dutchman’s Breeches (Dicentra cucullaria)
- Squirrel Corn (Dicentra canadensis)
- Virginia Bluebells (Mertensia virginica)
- Mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum)
- Canada Anemone (Anemone canadensis)
- Large-flowered Bellwort (Uvularia perfoliata)
- Eastern Shooting Star (Primula meadia)
- Great White Trillium (Trillium grandiflorum)
- Marsh Marigold (Caltha palustris)