What native woodland perennials bloom in spring?

Question:

What native woodland perennials bloom in spring?

Answer:

There are many native woodland wildflowers that are great additions to the shade garden.  Most are ephemeral with a relatively short (but impactful) bloom time in early spring before the foliage dies back to the ground in early summer.  These often small-statured perennials are easily tucked among other shade garden plants and add much needed interest and color in the early spring before dying back to make room for the other plants like hosta or coral bells.  Many are available from local or mail-order nurseries.  Never dig these plants from their native habitats.

Some great native ephemeral woodland wildflowers include:

• spring beauty (Claytonia virginica),
• bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis),
• trout lily (Erythronium americanum),
• shooting star (Dodecatheon meadia),
• hepatica (Hepatica nobilis var. obtusa),
• trillium (Trillium spp.),
• Dutchman’s breeches (Dicentra cucullaria),
• Virginia bluebells (Mertensia virginica),
• Solomon's seal (Polygonatum biflorum),
• false Solomon's seal (Smilacina racemosa),
• merrybells (Uvularia grandiflora),
• May apple (Podophyllum peltatum),
• woodland phlox (Phlox divaricata),
• wild ginger (Asarum canadense),
• Jack-in-the-pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum), and
• wild columbine (Aquilegia canadensis)

Learn more in this article: Native Woodland Flowers for the Home Garden