Tag Archives: Erigenia bulbosa

Harbinger-of-Spring – Erigenia bulbosa

The tiny flowers of harbinger-of-spring (Erigenia bulbosa) emerge in late winter above the leaves.
The tiny flowers of harbinger-of-spring (Erigenia bulbosa) emerge in late winter above the leaves.

Erigenia bulbosa is a charming little plant. It is one of the earliest blooming wildflowers in the eastern United States, lending the common name Harbinger-of-Spring. The name Erigenia means “early born.” Depending on the climate, the tiny flowers of harbinger-of-spring may be found emerging above the leaves in woodlands as early as late January, though typically in February or early March. Harbinger-of-spring is dormant by April or early May, and all traces of the plant aboveground are gone, making Erigenia a truly ephemeral plant.

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