Spring Bloom Report

See where spring blooms are showing in the gardens, plant collections, and natural areas of The Morton Arboretum.

Spring bloom as of Wednesday, April 8

Cold and warm temperature fluctuations during the past few weeks have not slowed the progression of spring flowers in the plant collections, gardens, and woodlands of The Morton Arboretum. While the recent cold air has nipped some of the early-blooming magnolias, other blooms are coming along nicely.

Visitor Center and parking lot P-1: Yellow forsythia varieties including Courtasol, Meadowlark, Northern Gold, and Sunrise are showing off their last blooms. In full bloom, however, are hellebores, including the Pink Lady and Blue Lady varieties. Periwinkle and Siberian squill show dark blue flowers along the ground, while up above are the large white flowers of Ballerina magnolia.

Ground Cover Garden (parking lot P-1): Blue periwinkle and Siberian squill can be seen near the hellebores, which bloom in cream to dark purple colors. Fragrant viburnums bring pink and white flowers and a wonderful scent to the garden. Yellow forsythias are nearing the end of their blooming season.

Near the Administration and Research Center and The Grand Garden (parking lot P-1): Blue Siberian squill and periwinkle are in full bloom, along with daffodil varieties including Narcissus ‘Yellow Cheerfulness’ (pale yellow), ‘Ice Follies’ (white), ‘Marieke’ (yellow), ‘Fortissimo’ (yellow and orange), ‘February Gold’ (yellow), and ‘Pimpernel’ (light yellow and orange). The pink flowers of a Sargent’s cherry tree are blooming in the May T. Watts Reading Garden near the Sterling Morton Library.

On the East Side

Northern Illinois and Midwest Collections (parking lot P-2): Leatherwood shrubs and Tahiti daffodils are starting to bloom in yellow.

Frost Hill and Conifer Collection (parking lot P-3): The view from Frost Hill overlooking the river valley and the Meadow Lake Trail is beginning to green up as leaves emerge. White and pink magnolia petals cover the path from the lake to the always-green Conifer Collection.

Rose Family Collection and Crabapple Lake (parking lot P-4): White flowers are beginning to open on pear trees.

Magnolia Collection (parking lot P-5): White-flowering magnolias are in full bloom! They are among many kinds of magnolias from around the world that bloom in this collection. Nearby, scattered flowers are opening in the drifts of daffodils along the roadside near Crabapple Lake.

Crowley Marsh, Bur Reed Marsh, Spikerush Marsh (parking lot P-6): Chorus frogs are in full song! You can hear their calls as you walk or drive past the marshes.

Buckeye Collection (parking lot P-6): Ohio buckeye leaves are starting to emerge on trees in the Buckeye Collection. Flower buds will soon follow.

Gateway to Tree Science (parking lot P-8): An anise magnolia is starting to bloom with large white flowers.

East Woods (parking lots P-8 through P-16): Plants along the ground are starting to green up in the Arboretum’s East Woods, especially in areas where prescribed burns have recently been conducted. Look for the blooms of the earliest woodland wildflowers, bloodroot (white) and sharp-lobed hepatica (white to lavender). Just starting to flower this week are spring beauty (white to pink) and cutleaf toothwort (white). What looks like patches and mats of tangled green stems on the ground is actually one of our most common, though inconspicuous, spring bloomers: false mermaid.

Maple Collection (parking lot P-14): This area has a nice display of dark blue Siberian squill and daffodils, ranging from the yellow and white of the Pipit variety to the intense orange and yellow Jetfire and Quail varieties.

Eastern North America Collection and Temperate Asia Collection (parking lot P-16 to parking lot P-18): Brackenhurst and Barrett Browning daffodils are starting to bloom near parking lot P-16. Chinese willow-leaved magnolias and Northern Japanese magnolias are showing large white blooms near parking lot P-17. Lavender blooms can be seen on Korean rhododendrons. Nearby yellow forsythias and fragrant viburnums are also in full bloom.

On the West Side

Europe Collection and Ornamental Flowering Trees Collection (parking lot P-19): White and lavender magnolias are in full bloom on the West Side beyond the bridge over the East Branch of the DuPage River. On the hill near the road, pear trees are just starting to show white flower buds and a few early blooms. Daffodils, including white and pink Delnashaugh and bold white Mount Hood, are beginning to bloom near the edge of the road up the hill near Thornhill Education Center.

Founder’s Grove (parking lot P-20): Naturalized daffodils are in full bloom, and pink and lavender buds are starting to show on redbud trees.

Thornhill Education Center, Fragrance Garden, Joy Path (parking lot P-21): Blue Siberian squill and periwinkle blooms can be seen on the ground around this popular area. Many white-blooming varieties of magnolia can be found here, including Royal Star, Wada’s Memory, Kobus, Merrill, and star magnolia. Winter honeysuckle is just starting to bloom and release its wonderful fragrance.

Following the West Side Main Route

Daffodil Glade (parking lots P-22 and P-23): True to its name, Daffodil Glade is erupting with the yellow blooms of early spring. Complementing the many shades of yellow are the vivid blue star-shaped blooms of Siberian squill.

Sterling Pond (parking lot P-24): White-blooming bloodroot is scattered throughout the area around the pond.

Schulenberg Prairie (parking lot P-25): Where prescribed burns have been carried out by natural areas crews for the health of the prairie, new green growth is just starting to show.

Following the West Side Alternate Route

Sargent’s Glade (parking lot P-26): Blue Siberian squill is in full bloom with yellow daffodils starting to bloom.

Lake Marmo (parking lot P-27): Bright green needles are emerging on European and Olga Bay larches. Near the bridge, skunk-cabbage flower spathes are up, blooming their curious maroon flowers. At the edge of the water, redbud trees are showing dark lavender flower buds. Follow the trail to the east to another low, wet area to find a second patch of skunk-cabbage blooms.

Godshalk Meadow (parking lot P-33): Golden Bells forsythia is finishing its bloom season. Ussurian pears and star magnolia have white flowers.

This is just the opening of our spring blooming season. Much more is to come as the weather warms!

Featured Blooms

Spring bloom as of Wednesday, April 1

Warm weather and rain have begun to work magic. Early spring blooms are showing up all across The Morton Arboretum, in the living tree collections, gardens, and woodlands.

Magnolia trees are blooming, chorus frogs are singing, and daffodils are beginning to bloom.

On the East Side

Visitor Center, Ground Cover Garden, Administration and Research Center, Sterling Morton Library (parking lot P-1): Near the Visitor Center and parking lot P-1, you’ll see yellow blooms on several varieties of forsythia shrubs. In the garden beds, look for hellebores including Lenten-rose and Pink Lady and Blue Lady varieties, as well as the first flowers of periwinkle and white bloodroot. A white Ballerina Loebner’s magnolia is opening its flowers.

Near the Research and Administration Center, several varieties of daffodils are just starting to bloom, along with blue Siberian squill. A Sargent’s cherry tree in the May T. Watts Reading Garden of the Sterling Morton Library has pink flowers.

In the Ground Cover Garden, early blooms include blue periwinkle, dark blue Siberian squill, hellebores in various colors from cream to dark purple, yellow forsythia, and pink fragrant viburnum.

Frost Hill (parking lot P-3): The view across the valley is beginning to green up. Magnolias, both white and pink, are starting to bloom along the path to the Conifer Collection.

Crabapple Lake (parking lot P-4): On the trees in the Crabapple Collection, flower buds are starting to swell and show a bit of color.

Magnolia Collection (parking lot P-5): Early white-flowering magnolias are in full bloom. Drifts of daffodils are just beginning to flower.

Crowley Marsh, Bur Reed Marsh, Spikerush Marsh (parking lot P-6): Chorus frogs will serenade you as you walk or drive past.

Gateway to Tree Science (parking lot P-8): A white anise magnolia is starting to bloom.

East Woods (parking lots P-8 through P-14): In the woods, most wildflowers are just starting to push up their leaves. This is most apparent where prescribed burns have taken place. A few wildflowers are in full bloom, including bloodroot (with white flowers) and sharp-lobed hepatica (white to lavender flowers). Leaves of Virginia bluebells are 6-8 inches, with a few small flower buds showing.

Temperate Asia Collection and Eastern North America Collection (parking lots P-16 to P-17): Daffodils beginning to bloom near parking lot P-16 include ‘Brackenhurst’ and ‘Barrett Browning’ varieties. Near parking lot P-17, a white Chinese willow-leaved magnolia is in bloom, along with yellow forsythias and white and pink fragrant viburnum.

On the West Side

Ornamental Flowering Tree Collection (parking lot P-19): White and lavender magnolias are beginning to bloom. Buds are swelling on crabapple trees. Willow trees are blooming in the nearby Europe Collection. Chorus frogs are singing in the nearby wetland.

Founder’s Grove (parking lot P-20): Yellow daffodils are blooming.

Thornhill Education Center, Fragrance Garden, and Joy Path (parking lot P-21): Look for blooms of Siberian squill (dark blue), Gold-line Korean forsythia (yellow), and Bowles periwinkle (blue). Among the magnolia trees in bloom are the white-flowered cultivars Royal Star, Wada’s Memory, and Kobus, along with star magnolia. Blooms of Merrill magnolia are white and lavender. Winter honeysuckle is just beginning to open its fragrant white flowers.

Following the West Side Main Route

Daffodil Glade (parking lots P-22 and P-23): Dark blue Siberian squill is in full bloom, and the first scattered yellow daffodils are opening.

Sterling Pond (parking lot P-24): Scattered white bloodroot plants are in full bloom.

Following the West Side Alternate Route

Sargent’s Glade (parking lot P-26): Dark blue Siberian squill is in bloom, along with white, lavender, and purple crocuses. Yellow daffodils are just starting to flower.

Lake Marmo (parking lot P-27): New needles are bright green on larch trees.

Lake Marmo spillway (parking lot P-28): Skunk-cabbage flower spathes are up in the unusual large maroon blooms. More skunk-cabbage can be found near parking lot P-29.

Godshalk Meadow (parking lot P-33): Yellow Golden Bells forsythia is in full bloom, with nearby Ussurian pear trees showing white buds. Near the Route 53 underpass, star magnolia trees have white flowers.

This is just the very beginning of our spring blooming season. There will be much more to come as the weather warms!

Featured Blooms

Spring bloom as of Wednesday, March 25

Spring flowers are beginning to open at The Morton Arboretum. Near the Visitor Center, keep an eye out for white snowdrops, blue scilla, and yellow forsythia. Spring-blooming witch-hazel trees are putting on a great show of reds and yellows in the nearby Ground Cover Garden, as well as in Witch-Hazel Dell on the West Side (parking lot P-27).

The witch-hazels’ blooms are easy to see because they are small trees. Other tree flowers may be harder to spot because the trees are larger and because the flowers tend to be small and inconspicuous. Around the Arboretum, look for the subtle flower catkins high up in maple trees such as red maple, silver maple, and Freeman’s maple. Other trees in bloom include American elm, quaking aspen, big-toothed aspen, and Farges’ hazel.

Look for yellow blooms on Japanese cornel dogwood and cornelian-cherry dogwood in locations around the Arboretum, including the cornelian-cherry dogwood hedge that surrounds The Grand Garden (parking lot P-1).

In the Ground Cover Garden, hellebores (Lenten-rose and Christmas-rose) are in full bloom. On the West Side, at the Thornhill Education Center (parking lot P-21), there are snowdrops in front of the building. Yellow winter aconite is in flower in the nearby Fragrance Garden.

Skunk-cabbage is blooming west of Lake Marmo and south of the Marmo dam along Willoway Brook (near parking lot P-29).

The sounds as well as sights of spring have arrived at the Arboretum. Listen for the spring symphony of chorus frogs, redwing blackbirds, robins, and cardinals. Shake off the winter blues and start breathing in the springtime air with regular walks through the Arboretum’s changing landscapes.