Spring ephemerals are early blooming, short-lived wildflowers that emerge in early spring and disappear by early summer. They develop above-ground parts in March or April, quickly flower and go to seed, then die back to their underground parts by May or June.

Most spring ephemerals are adapted to take advantage of the relatively high light conditions, high moisture, and rich soil found in spring in forested areas. The above-ground parts appear in the early spring when trees and shrubs are bare of leaves and sunlight reaches the forest floor. They have a high photosynthetic rate that allows them to complete their above-ground growth in a few weeks. They emerge, bloom, are pollinated, and set seed, all in a period of about two months. The above-ground growth then dies back and the plant enters dormancy.

In southern Minnesota some spring ephemerals bloom as early as late March.

Other early spring bloomers maintain above-ground growth throughout the summer. These include Jack-in-the-Pulpit, Rue Anemone, Wild Ginger, and most of the trilliums.

The plants on this page are all spring ephemeral wildflowers found in Minnesota.

Click on an image to see the page for that plant.

Floerkea proserpinacoides

Dodecatheon amethystinum

Dodecatheon meadia ssp. meadia