Spring Ephemerals: Tips for Gardening with These Magical Plants

Ephemeral plants are perennial plants with a short growing cycle; they produce leaves, stems, flowers and fruits in spring, during a brief window when the weather is just right. They then sit dormant until their next growing period, the following spring. With their early flowers, spring ephemerals can be an important food source for pollinators.

Spring ephemerals are usually woodland wildflowers that can fit right into the shade garden. Some examples include trout lily (Erythronium), bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis), Virginia bluebells (Mertensia virginica) and twin leaf (Jeffersonia diphylla).

Here are tips for gardening with spring ephemerals:

• Because spring ephemerals grow and bloom within a short window in early spring—perhaps before you’re out enjoying the garden—take care to site them where they won’t be missed. Place them alongside an often used walkway, within view of a window or in other places that are conspicuous regardless of season.
• Spring ephemerals are typically wildflowers native to woodlands, where they often grow along or near streams. You should research the specific requirements of any plant you’re adding to the garden, but you can expect that most spring ephemerals prefer a spot in deciduous shade with rich, moist soil. Enhance the soil yearly with a topdressing of compost and/or shredded leaves.
• Because spring ephemerals quickly disappear after they’ve bloomed, they need companion plants that can carry on the show through summer and prevent weeds from settling in. Best bets are shade perennials that emerge after the ephemerals have bloomed; hostas and ferns, especially those that spread, are frequent choices. Early-blooming bulbs, sedges (Carex), hellebores (Helleborus), wood phlox (Phlox divaricata), eastern columbine (Aquilegia canadensis), foamflower (Tiarella cordifolia), white wood aster (Aster divaricatus) and woodland goldenrod (Solidago flexicaulis) are additional companions. A mixture of these will ensure interesting foliage and colorful flowers across the seasons.
• Spring ephemerals can be planted while actively growing in early spring or while dormant in late summer to autumn. Autumn-planted ephemerals establish more quickly and may bloom their first spring in the garden. Spring-installed plants might not flower until the following year.
• To propagate spring ephemerals, existing plants can be divided just after they bloom, as they begin to decline. It's also possible to divide and transplant them while they're dormant in late summer, but be sure to mark their spot while they're visible in spring—otherwise, you won't know where to dig for them.

Trout lily image by L'eau Bleue/CC BY-SA 2.0