Grape hyacinth

These grape hyacinths (Muscari) have been coming up here for many years. Along State Street, just up the hill a little bit from Triple XXX. Picture taken March 29, 2010.

Link to Muscari:

Sycamore tree

This sycamore tree (Platanus occidentalis) stands in front of Plump's Last Shot in Broad Ripple. In the backyard is a tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera). It doesn't get any more Hoosier than this. This picture was taken from the vantage point of the Monon Trail, which is a good way to get to Broad Ripple. The old Monon Railroad depot is just south of this spot. Picture taken March 7, 2010.

Link to Platanus occidentalis:

Link to post on Liriodendron tulipifera:

Link to Monon Trail:

Daphne shrubs flowering

There is a row of Daphne shrubs in front of St. Thomas Aquinas church across from the Purdue campus, they are flowering now. This is right along the State St. sidewalk, you can smell them as you go by. Pictures taken March 23, 2010.

Link to Daphne:

Link to Daphne odora:

Link to Daphne:

Forsythia flowering buds

Forsythia will be flowering very soon. This picture taken March 19, 2010.

Link to last year's Forsythia:

Link to Forsythia:

Link to Forsythia viridissima:

Link to Forsythia viridissima:

Link to Forsythia suspensa:

Link to Forsythia suspensa:

Trail under Harrison bridge

The flood waters of the Wabash block the trail under the Harrison Bridge, west side. Picture taken March 16, 2010.

Link to Harrison Bridge:

Link to Wabash River levels:

More silver maple flowers

The pedestrian bridge provides a platform to observe the tall trees of Tapawingo Park. The flowering twigs of this silver maple tree (Acer saccharinum) was right next to the deck of the bridge. This twig is almost all pistillate flowers except for one staminate flower.

This twig shows almost all staminate flowers, a very few pistillate flowers. The Wabash River is in the background.


This twig shows about half pistillate and half staminate flowers.

Pictures taken March 17, 2010.

Link to previous post on Acer saccharinum flowering:

Link to another post on Acer saccharinum:

Link to more pics of Acer saccharinum flowers:

Silver maple flowering. Wabash River flooding.

View of the Wabash River at Mascouten Park, West Lafayette. The river is at a minor flood stage and the boat ramp is underwater. The big tree at the river's edge is a silver maple (Acer saccharinum) and these trees are flowering now. Pictures taken March 14, 2010.

Link to Wabash River levels:


Flowers of the silver maple. These flowers are from the big tree in the first picture.

Link to Acer saccharinum:

Previous post on Acer saccharinum:

Winter aconite

This is winter aconite (Eranthis hyemalis). One of the earliest plants to flower, you can find this at Hort Park just west of Purdue campus. From the McCormick Road entrance, walk west along the trail and you will encounter patches of these flowers. Pictures taken March 10, 2010,

Link to winter aconite at Hort Gardens:

Witch Hazel

The witch hazel shrubs are flowering. This is in Hort Park at Purdue. The first two pictures are of a shrub close to the pussy willow pictured in the previous post. There is a witch hazel that is native to Indiana (Hamamelis virginiana), but this is probably a commercial hybrid Hamamelis planted here long ago. The native Hamamelis virginiana that you might find in the woodland understory has yellow flowers, and flowers in the fall.


This is another witch hazel shrub in Hort Park, you can find it a few steps east of the first one pictured. Note the difference in flower color.

All pictures taken March 12, 2010.

Link to Hamamelis:

Link to Hamamelis virginiana:

Link to Hamamelis virginiana:

More on Hamamelis:

Link to last year's post on Hamamelis:

Pussy Willow

Pussy willow is starting to flower. This is at Hort Park just west of Purdue campus. I will guess that it is the native pussy willow, Salix discolor, although as far as I know one of the European species of pussy willow could have been planted there long ago.

Link to pussy willow:



Notice the low wet ground just beyond the pussy willow. It's possible that this willow wasn't intentionally planted but was here when Hort Park was started. The habitat of Salix discolor is just this kind of wet area. Pictures taken March 12, 2010.

Link to Salix discolor:

Sandhill cranes

Sandhill cranes have been flying over Lafayette today, migrating north. They have been visible overhead since at least last Thursday. You can hear their rattling call as they fly far above.

Link to sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis):

Link to sandhill cranes:

Sunset at pedestrian bridge

Sunset, March 6, 2010, Wabash River at Lafayette.

Maple sap is flowing

The sap is flowing in the maple trees in this area. This is a sugar maple tree (Acer saccharum) in Scifres-Maier woods in Celery Bog Park in West Lafayette. A hole was bored in the tree trunk in a previous season and the sap is flowing out of it again. This is a few steps away from the woods entrance. Picture taken March 4, 2010.

Link to Acer saccharum:

Wabash River at Lafayette, Late February

View from the west side of the pedestrian bridge at Lafayette, looking upstream, Feb. 28, 2010. Some snow and ice still remain on the banks.

Cloaca oriental, looking toward Lafayette from the pedestrian bridge, Feb. 28, 2010.

Wabash River water and sandbar, looking down from the pedestrian bridge, March 1, 2010.

Link to Wabash River levels: