The spring flowering season is continuing to develop, despite cool temperatures that have slowed the blooming and overnight frosts that have nipped some early magnolias.
On the East Side, you can find a number of trees, shrubs, and perennials in flower in the central areas near Parking Lot 1. Among them are the white flowers of fragrant honeysuckle and the yellow blooms of forsythia. The white flowers of some early magnolia trees have been damaged by frost, but many more magnolias are still to come.
Hellebores (Christmas and Lenten-roses) in the Ground Cover Garden are blooming in shades from white to dark purple, while the blue flowers of periwinkle wink nearby. Fragrant viburnum has pink and white flowers, and spicebush and boxwood have green ones. The dancing yellow blooms of the first daffodils have appeared in many spots, while Siberian squill is in full dark-blue bloom in the Ground Cover Garden and in various lawn areas. Glory-of-the-snow is blooming in a number of gardens. In the secluded May T. Watts Reading Garden, reached through the Sterling Morton Library, a Sargent’s cherry tree is in full pink bloom.
In the Arboretum’s tree collections, spicebush is blooming with green flowers and leatherwood has yellow ones. White-blooming early magnolias near Parking Lot 5 have been touched by frost, but many other trees are still to flower. In the Midwest Collection (Parking Lot 2) and the China Collection (Parking Lot 17), willow catkins are blooming. Native American elm trees have begun to set seed, while other species of elms are starting to bloom. Here and there throughout the collections you may see yellow forsythia and pink and white fragrant viburnum.
In the East Woods (Parking lots 10 through 13) and other woodlands, the first violets have made their appearance. Sharp-lobed hepatica is in full bloom near Parking Lot 11, along with a very few early plants of spring beauty and toothwort. Large areas of the forest floor are carpeted with the tiny green leaves of false mermaid. Near the Maple Collection at Parking Lot 14, look for snow crocus in full light lavender bloom on the hill, along with scattered Siberian squill.
On the West Side, garden crocus is blooming in shades of white, blue, lavender, and yellow along the alternate route to Lake Marmo, along with scattered yellow daffodils. Early daffodils are also in flower along the road above the Europe Collection (Parking Lot 20) and in Daffodil Glade (Parking Lot 22).
Skunk-cabbage is still in flower along Willoway Brook, west of Lake Marmo and south of the dam (Parking Lot 28). Willow catkins may be seen along the East Branch of the DuPage River (Parking Lot 31) and near the wetland by the Europe Collection (Parking Lot 19).
Spring weather is variable, but our spring-blooming plants can take it. Make it a habit to visit often this spring and watch the Arboretum’s tree collections, gardens, and woodlands change as they wake up from winter.
