What is this plant? And this story?

March 27, 2019 6:56 AM

Several years ago, in the late winter, there was a short piece in the NYT about a plant. This was a small plant that arrived in the very early spring, before all others, but only lasted a short time. Blossomed briefly and went away. And the piece was SO beautifully written. I have tried, but cannot find it. I believe it was a part of a regular column, maybe about plants? flowers? That's all I can offer. Any ideas?
posted by ebesan to Home & Garden (20 answers total)

Sounds like the crocus. Googling crocus NY Times brings up a few results.
posted by valeries at 7:00 AM on March 27, 2019 [2 favorites]

This probably isn't it, but just in case; it does list a few species of spring ephemeral wildflowers that spark your memory.
posted by Empidonax at 7:13 AM on March 27, 2019

Best answer: Ooh, maybe this one? Googling "New York Times" + "Spring ephemerals" gets quite a few promising results.
posted by Empidonax at 7:18 AM on March 27, 2019

I thoughts of Eidelweiss. That link does not go where you would expect but I would still recommend. A short lived bloom on a flower that is (as Rogers Hammerstein neglected to tell us for some reason ) pollinated by flies. As well as being small and white, snow blossoming, etc.
posted by rongorongo at 7:20 AM on March 27, 2019

The snowdrops are starting to bloom already in southern Ontario and they're small. I don't know the article you're referring to, but I thought I'd put this out there as a plant suggestion. The crocuses won't be up for quite a while here.
posted by sardonyx at 7:53 AM on March 27, 2019 [3 favorites]

When I consider what arrives earliest in spring, before all other flowers, skunk cabbage is the obvious answer. Searching "new york times skunk cabbage" brought up this piece, as well as some others. Where I live now, coltsfoot is the first wildflower. The NYT had this piece on coltsfoot.
posted by Redstart at 7:54 AM on March 27, 2019 [1 favorite]

Was the plant a mayflower?
posted by fourpotatoes at 8:36 AM on March 27, 2019

May apples? Ramps?
posted by escape from the potato planet at 9:51 AM on March 27, 2019 [1 favorite]

Could be trillium. Blooms in late winter to early spring. So mid-March, depending on location.
posted by JackFlash at 10:02 AM on March 27, 2019

Maybe hellebores?
posted by mannyfeefees at 1:46 PM on March 27, 2019

Whitlow grass?
posted by watrlily at 7:10 PM on March 27, 2019

Here is an NYT article from this January called "Spring is Coming" - it talks specifically about early blooming plants. If it is not the article you are after - note that it specifically checks the names of various plants that could be found in bud or bloom around Nashville in early January.
posted by rongorongo at 11:08 PM on March 27, 2019

Witch hazel is another real early bloomer — as early as January or February even fairly far north.
posted by nebulawindphone at 6:57 AM on March 28, 2019

Response by poster: Whew! And the winner is......(for this plant NEWBIE) everyone. But kudos to Empidonax for the Wood Anemone/George Taft article. (he has some other great pieces) But I don't think this is the plant. A quick run thru all your choices doesn't seem so. It looks sort of Ramp(ish) but not. very green w/ usually five shoots maybe 4,5 inches. They are in small clumps, spead out in areas here and there. on the sunny side of hills. I have to look closer, and wait for it to start blooming. Also, thanks to Valeries for pointing out another plant on my hikes - Crocus. I appreciate all these answers, and will be on the lookout for ALL of the plants.
posted by ebesan at 6:32 AM on March 29, 2019

So the plant in the article is a plant you see on your walks, growing in clumps on the sunny sides of hills? And you're in North Carolina? (I looked at your profile.) That might help us figure it out.
posted by Redstart at 6:49 AM on March 29, 2019

Response by poster: NYC. That's why I read Dave Taft.
posted by ebesan at 4:01 AM on March 30, 2019

Any memory of the color of the flowers? Lily of the Valley maybe (not native, but widely naturalized and looks ramp-ish)? I bet we could figure it out even with a picture of the leaves.
posted by Empidonax at 7:58 AM on March 30, 2019

Response by poster: no flower yet. I'll try to post s photo
posted by ebesan at 12:18 PM on March 30, 2019

Response by poster: is there a way to post a photo on this site?. when (if) do they time-out?
posted by ebesan at 12:28 PM on March 30, 2019

Response by poster: might be, thx
posted by ebesan at 7:09 AM on March 31, 2019