Spring bloom as of Wednesday, April 23, 2025
Spring is bursting out! Expect to see splendid spring flower displays over the next couple of weeks in the gardens, meadows, and woodlands at The Morton Arboretum.
Daffodils have begun to bloom in Sargent’s Glade, Daffodil Glade, and elsewhere at the Arboretum, including the Midwest, Maple, and Appalachian collections. Our woodland wildflowers have also made their appearance with Dutchman’s breeches, white and yellow trout-lilies, spring beauty, toothwort, and Virginia bluebells in full bloom.
On the East Side
Visitor Center, The Grand Garden, Ground Cover Garden, and Administration Building (Parking Lot 1): Enjoy blooming serviceberries (white), flowering quince (white, pink, and reds), Ussurian pear (white), periwinkle (blue), sugar maple (green), redbud (lavender), whitebud (white), fragrant viburnum (white), Judd’s viburnum (white), Alexandrina magnolia (dark lavender), and Ann Magnolia (lavender) in the Arboretum’s core area, along with seasonal displays of tulips and hyacinths.
Elm Collection and Meadow Lake (parking lots 1 and 2): Along the Meadow Lake Trail and nearby are a few late yellow forsythia, serviceberries (white), Loebner’s Ballerina magnolia (white), flowering quince (pink, white, and red), pawpaw (dark maroon buds), and river birch (green catkins).
Northern Illinois and Midwest collections (Parking Lot 2): Blooming in this vicinity are leatherwood (yellow), blue-leaved willow (silvery-gray fuzzy catkins), Tahiti daffodil (pale yellow and red), pawpaw (dark maroon buds), serviceberries (white), redbuds (lavender), and buckeyes (yellow-green buds).
Frost Hill (Parking Lot 3): White-flowering magnolias are finishing their bloom, while purple and yellow-flowered magnolias are getting started, along with cherries (white and pink).
Rose Family Collection (Parking Lot 4): Pear trees are blooming (white), along with cherries (white and pink).
Crabapple Lake and Magnolia Collection (Parking Lot 5): White-flowering magnolias have finished blooming, but yellow and lavender magnolia trees are just getting started. Daffodils around the lake and along the road have begun to bloom.
Crowley Pond and Bur Reed Marsh (parking lots 5 and 6): Listen to the frog songs–mainly chorus frogs, with some spring peepers.
Linden Collection (Parking Lot 6): Buckeyes are leafing out, with green flower buds starting to expand. Tiny white spring beauty blooms are scattered in the grass.
Maple and Oak collections (Parking Lot 7): Norway maples are blooming overhead (yellow-green), while spring beauty (white) and white trout-lily (white) are scattered in the grass.
East Woods (parking lots 8–16): The woodland wildflower season has begun, with spring beauty (white), toothwort (white), yellow and white trout-lilies, Dutchman’s breeches (white), violets (blue and purple), Virginia bluebells (blue), buttercups (yellow), and purple cress (pale purple). Among the trees, there are blooms on ironwood (yellow catkins) and sugar maples (pale yellow-green).
Beech Collection (Parking Lot 14): In the grass, look for Siberian squill (dark blue), daffodils (yellows and white), and white and yellow trout-lilies.
Eastern North America (Parking Lot 16): Brackenhurst daffodils (yellow with orange centers) are in bloom, while pawpaw has dark maroon flower buds.
Temperate Asia Collection (parking lots 17 and 18): In bloom are Korean rhododendron (lavender), fragrant viburnum (white and pink), and Asian pear trees (white).
On the West Side
Ornamental Flowering Trees (Parking Lot 19): In the distant view, white-blooming magnolia trees are finishing their bloom while lavender- and yellow-blooming magnolia trees are starting. Scattered daffodils are beginning to bloom along the road toward the Thornhill Education Center.
Founder’s Grove (Parking Lot 20): Daffodils (yellow) are blooming near redbuds (lavender).
Thornhill Education Center, Fragrance Garden, and Joy Path (Parking Lot 21): In flower in this area are redbuds (lavender), serviceberries (white), Virginia bluebells (blue), periwinkle (blue), hellebore (various colors), and hyacinths (dark blue).
Sargent’s Glade (Parking Lot 26): Violets (dark blue) and spring beauty (white) are blooming here, but daffodils (yellow) are the real show.
Lake Marmo (Parking Lot 28): Leaves are emerging on skunk-cabbage, while its dark maroon bloom persists. Blooming nearby are Virginia bluebells (blue), spring beauty (white), and toothwort (white).
Daffodil Glade (Parking Lot 22): Daffodils cover the glade in yellow flowers.
Birch Collection (parking lots 30 and 31): Green and yellow catkins are elongating. The trees’ white and curling bark is also attractive.
Willow Collection (parking lots 32 and 33): Willows along the river have green catkins.
The warm weather has accelerated the bloom season, bringing out yellow magnolias, daffodils, and woodland wildflowers. Spring bloom changes quickly, so visit often to see the progression of flowering in our gardens, collections, and woodland landscapes. Don’t miss any of nature’s beauty!
