Natural History Wanderings

Great Smoky National Park published a wildflower bloom report for March 13, 2012:

We’re having an unusually early wildflower season in the Smokies. The phacelia is already blooming on Porters Creek, which means we are already nearing the peak of the spring ephemerals. This is a good three weeks or more early.

Flowers are already good on Porters Creek Trail, Huskey Gap Trail, and Little River Trail. Large patches of fringed phacelia are already coming into bloom, and some Dutchman’s britches. With the warm weather forecast for this week, things should progress rapidly. This is one year you don’t want to wait until mid-April to see the spring flowers!