The blossoms were closed and bud-like at dawn. They've all opened and turned toward the available sunlight. This probably has more to do with attracting pollinators than with photosynthesis.

The leaf hasn't unfured yet.

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This clump has remained mostly unchanged for a decade, despite attempts to encourage it to spread.

There is a clump at Creekside Reserve that is at least six feet across. It seems safe to infer that it has been there for a while.

When we think of long-lived plants, we usually think of hickories, oaks, and sequoias. Maybe some spring epemerals are in this group, too.

Identifying spring ephemerals is easieest when they're in full bloom. Being able to identify them at other points in their life cycle starts to make one a naturalist.

This species is easy. Wehn it emerges, the leaf is tightly wrapped aroundnd the bud and its stalk. Later, the leaf will unfurl, the bud will bloom, and the leaf will exand. Finally, the petals will fall off, leafing a seed pod on a stalk and a single leaf.

There are six visible. Last year there were nine but Spring isn't over.

This (it's a rhizome; it's all one plant) was planted near a garage some time before 2016. There was nothing visible above ground yesteerday. When these emerge, spring might have actually arrived.