Spring is coming

With all the rain we had in January, we can expect a spectacular wildflower show this spring.

One of the first native wildflowers to appear that I can now see in my yard is the Wind-flower (Anemone heterophylla). It is a short perennial that returns every year.

The daisy-like flowers are about an inch in diameter and come in white, pink, blue and lavender. The leaves have three segments and are dark reddish purple on the underside. If left alone, eventually they will form seed heads with fluffy seeds that fly off into the wind to form new plants. I think deer eat them as I rarely see them out in deer-accessible areas.

Valentine’s Day is coming up and that is the traditional time to trim the roses. I lost half my roses in the hot drought of last summer. I could plant a few new ones but if I do I will locate them near the rain barrels so I can water them if necessary.

Winter is the recommended time to plant trees. Please consider planting native trees.

Any plant will need time to get established and will require some water under dry periods but native plants will adapt more quickly and normally cease to need extra water.

If you own a phalaenopsis orchid houseplant (this is the kind of orchid commonly sold in the grocery store) winter is the time they typically form flower spikes. Cool temperatures frequently cause them to initiate a spike. I put mine in an unheated garage window as long as the garage temperature in the garage doesn’t get below 50 F. I recall in Ohio that when the electricity went off for over a day and the house temperature fell into the 40’s F, people would report their house orchids survived the ordeal and sent up spikes!