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| In early spring, the understory of this deciduous woodland is bright with the flowers of false rue anemone (Enemion biternatum) and other spring ephemerals. |
Spring ephemerals are herbaceous (non-woody) plants that emerge, flower, set seed and die back in spring. Many are woodland plants that take advantage of the brighter sunlight and more abundant moisture early in the season, before trees are fully leafed out.
These plants are an important source of nectar and pollen for insects that also emerge in early spring. The insects, in turn, are important pollinators for these plants. Ephemerals depend on them to fertilize their flowers so they can develop seeds.
Because spring can be fickle, though, some ephemerals can also self-pollinate. If it's too cold for insects to fly, for example, several species can fertilize themselves. The resulting seeds carry the same genes as their parent, so the plants that grow from them are clones of that parent.
Vegetative reproduction also helps the plants spread. The false rue anemone pictured above, for example, produces not only seeds but also tuberous roots that can grow new plants. The large colony in the photograph is largely created in this way.
Most if not all spring ephemerals are perennials. After the plants flower and release seeds, the leaves of true ephemerals die back to bulbs, rhizomes, or other underground parts that store energy for next spring's growth. Some early-flowering plants keep their leaves for much of the growing season. Although these plants aren't true ephemerals, they are often included in that group.
Two Common Ephemerals
Dutchman's Breeches (Dicentra cucullaria)
Dutchman's breeches flower in April or May in the understory of deciduous forests. True to its name, its flowers resemble breeches (or britches) hanging upside down on a clothesline.
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| Left to right: Dutchman's breeches flowering in early April; seed capsules ripening in mid-May; leaves gone by late May, leaving only light red tuber-like structures that store energy for next season's growth. |
The flowers are pollinated primarily by bumblebees and honey bees (1), but they can self-pollinate if the bees are absent. Seeds produced by self-fertilization may not be viable, however, and some consider the plants to be obligate out-crossers, meaning they form viable seeds only by out-crossing (2). After flowering, the plants develop elongated capsules containing dark, roundish seeds that are dropped from the capsules and distributed by ants (3). (See also Antsy Plants, a post about seed dispersal by ants.)
After flowering and seed formation, the leaves of Dutchman's breeches quickly decline. By late spring only small, reddish bulbs or tubers remain. These storage organs are dormant until fall, when they develop leaf primordia (embryonic leaves) and flower buds. The primordia and buds then are dormant until spring, when they give rise to leaves and flowers (4).
Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis)
Another early spring bloomer, bloodroot is named for the red sap that fills its roots, flower stalks and leaf stalks. It emerges a little earlier than Dutchman's breeches, but the two overlap in their flowering time. Bloodroot is pollinated primarily by mining bees, but also by cuckoo bees, bee flies and sweat bees (5).
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| Left to right: Bloodroot flowering in mid-April; elongated capsules maturing in mid-May; brown seeds with white elaiosomes in early June. |
Initially, bloodroot leaves are wrapped around flower stalks like cloaks, but eventually they unfurl, flatten and expand. Unlike Dutchman's breeches, bloodroot leaves persist until late summer before they die back..
In early to mid summer, bloodroot flowers are replaced by elongated capsules full of ant-dispersed seeds. Like Dutchman's breeches, bloodroot seeds have attached elaiosomes (eh-LAY-oh-sohms, literally "fat bodies"), They look like tiny worms, but these plant tissues are full of protein and fat that entice ants to carry the seeds to their nest, detach the elaiosomes to feed to their larvae and leave the seeds to germinate in a presumably safer place.
Where to Find Spring Ephemerals
Wherever there are native deciduous forests, there should be spring ephemerals. Visit Scientific and Natural Areas and state and regional parks, such as Nerstrand Big Woods State Park in southeast Minnesota, Elm Creek Park Reserve in Maple Grove, or Mille Lacs Kathio State Park near Onamia.
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| White trout lily (Erythronium albidum) flowering near Mille Lacs Kathio State Park in late April. |
There are many more places to enjoy spring ephemerals. To find them, visit iNaturalist and look up the species described above (or others), or use the Minnesota Natural Resource Atlas. To use the atlas, open the Mapping Tool, choose Add Layers from the Options menu box, and in the Biota category choose Native Plant Communities -- Parks & Trails. Zoom in and look for areas of Mesic Hardwood Forest System.
Wisconsin and Iowa are also good places to look for spring ephemerals. A quick search finds that, in Wisconsin, the Northwoods Wildlife Center near Minocqua and Rib Mountain State Park near Rib Mountain are full of spring ephemerals. The Iowa DNR has a webpage dedicated to Woodland Wildflowers & Reports. The listed sites are from 2025, but the same should be true for 2026.
References
1. The pollination ecology of Dicentra cucullaria. Lazarus Walter Macior, American Journal of Botany, Vol. 57, No. 1. 1970.
2. Flowering ecology of some spring woodland herbs. Douglas W. Schemske and others. Ecology, Vol. 59, No. 2. 1978.
3. Myrmecochory: How Ants Shape Plant Communities. Julie Michaelson, Xerces Society. 2024.
4. Dicentra cucullaria. Flora of North America, Vol. 3. Website accessed 2-17-26.
5. Pollinators of Native Plants: Attract, Observe and Identify Pollinators and Beneficial Insects with Native Plants. Heather Holm. Pollination Press, LLC. 2014. Available here and at some libraries.
