
By Ken Moore
Flora Columnist
Driving along the bypass last week, I remarked that the beautiful, but deadly, Chinese wisteria is flowering early this year. You can’t miss the walls of pale violet flower clusters hanging from trees being strangled by the notorious invasive.
My driving companion, Kathy, responded: “That’s what you say every year.†And she’s correct. Every year I expound that the flowering of one or another plant is not in its normal flowering sequence. I’m beginning to suspect that the reality in our area is that every year the sequence of spring flowers is atypical.
But really, think about it: This year you have to agree that the wisteria is ahead of schedule.
This year’s earlier-than-usual flowering of dogwoods assures me that I’m not off track. The trees are beginning to peak ahead of schedule. For the past four decades I have firmly repeated the seasoned observation of Dr. Ritchie Bell, the N.C. Botanical Garden’s first director: “For planning purposes, the peak flowering of dogwoods is the 10th of April.†For years weddings and other special occasions have been planned around that date. This year, however, you’ll have to move your plans up 10 days if you want to catch the “peak.†We’re in one of those special years when the white-flowered dogwoods come on early enough to overlap with the peak of the pink-flowered redbuds.
In addition to noticing differences in flowering sequences, every year I surprise myself by becoming aware of a seasonal re-awakening that, though so obvious, I’ve not appreciated before.
This year, for me, it’s the yellow-green flowering Southern sugar maple, Acer barbatum, which is abundant in our region. The specimen in my yard is filled with hanging flower clusters; the lower branches offer in-your-face closer looks at beauty so often missed. I have a weakness for little green flowers and these pendulous maple flowers are well worth a lingering appreciation.
These trees add a lovely pastel yellow-green touch to our Carrboro street-side landscapes. In a few spots you’ll notice the yellow-green flowers juxtaposed against the red colors of the winged samaras (seed) of the earlier flowering red maple, Acer rubrum. You may recall observing, several weeks ago, curious little red flowers on the bare branches of red maples; red maples are more noticeable now that the winged seeds are reaching maturity. In the next few weeks you’ll see these red winged seeds spiraling down to blanket yards and pavements beneath our feet. In contrast, the Southern sugar maple will hold its pairs of winged seeds until late summer and fall.
The yellow-green Southern sugar maples were very noticeable last week. Now they are being obscured by all the other forest canopy trees that are beginning to leaf out. This full awakening of the forest trees is also a bit early. I always think it won’t be until after the second full week of April passes that the big canopy trees fully shade our yards and the forest floor. This year I predict that phenomenon will occur at least a week earlier.
Keep your eyes on the trees and on the calendar. You be the judge about this spring’s sequence!
Email Ken Moore at flora@carrborocitizen.com.
Read more Ken Moore Citizen columns at The Annotated Flora.
