Earliest Spring Wildflowers: Eliza Howell Park

2018 has been cold in March and early April, but the weather will get warmer and wildflowers will soon start to bloom.

Those who have the opportunity to walk in the park looking for blooming flowers this spring may see the following in late April or the beginning of May.

This 11-flower list is not all-inclusive, but it might provide some guidance to spring flower seekers.

All photos are from Eliza Howell Park.

1. Spring Beauty

• Woods
• 3 – 6 inches
• Usually 5 petals marked with pink or purple vein

2. Cutleaf Toothwort

• Woods
• 8 – 12 inches
• 4 petals

3. Yellow Trout Lily

• Woods
• 6 – 10 inches
• 6 backward curving petals

4. White Trout Lily (Dogtooth Violet)

• Woods
• 6 – 10 inches
• 6 backward curving petals

5. Common Blue Violet

• Woods and meadows
• 3 – 8 inches
• 5 petals

6. Canada (white) Violet

• Woods
• 6 -15 inches
• 5 petals, lower 3 marked with fine brown-purple veins

7. Garlic Mustard

• Woods
• 1 – 4 feet
• 4 petals
• Non-native plant

8. Wild Strawberry

• Meadows, open areas
• 3 – 6 inches
• 5 rounds petals, numerous yellow stamens

9. Wild Geranium

• Woods
• 1 – 2 feet
• 5 petals, usually with dark veins

10. (Common) Trillium

• Woods
• 12 – 18 inches
• 3 large petals
• Protected Michigan wildflower

11. Redbud

• Edges of woods
• Small tree, native of North America
• Flowers are pea-shaped and appear on twigs and branches

Varieties of Violets

This is an unusually cold early spring, but new plant growth is slowly emerging. On a recent walk in Eliza Howell, I noticed that a few violets are now up. 

The flowers will follow before long.

While some roses are red, violets are not truly blue. They come in a variety of other colors, reflecting the variety of violet species that exist. Probably the most common violet found in Eliza Howell Park is the color that I have always associated with this flower.

It grows in the woods and in the open areas. In the next picture, it can be seen with wild strawberry blossoms.

In 2017, I photographed three other colors of violets in the park. 

Not all Spring flowers that are sometimes called “violets” are really violets. One of the flowers found in EHP in Spring is one (next picture) that is frequently called “Dog Tooth Violet.” It is not a violet (the leaves and the flower are both very different) and is, I think, better identified as White Trout Lily.

The violets are coming and different varieties will be blooming before April is over. I wonder… perhaps I will find an additional variety this year.