TRAVERSE CITY -- What's your favorite plant to see poking the the ground each spring?

Of all the great Michigan natives I think my favorite is still the Jack-in-the-Pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum). They definitely aren't that hard to find then they are fully open but when Arisaemas first break through the ground they can be hard to spot. It's kind of like looking for sand dollars at the beach in Florida, once you've got your eye trained you can zero right in on them. Often times when the spike breaking through the ground is a darker color the coloring on the spathe ( the pulpit ) will also be darker, and in my opinion more choice. That's one of the things I love about Jack-in-the-Pulpits is that there are so many different strains of coloration in both spathe and spadix ( Jack ).

Depending on where you live head out this spring and see if you can spot some. It depends on the spring, but probably mid April to early May. You'll want to search in a moist deciduous woodland forest, dark soil is good growing for Arisaemas.

Well enough about what I like. What do you look forward to? Post on my blog. I'd love to hear from you.

Until next time. Stay green.