mnprairiegal's Journal

In the Minnesota River Valley, we are having a late spring. With a record snow storm only happening 10 days ago, having it be 80 degrees on April 11th feels odd. But as someone who has spent the last winter cooped up and has been needing the warmth, i'm not gonna complain. The snow trillium is a rare species and is not common through most of its range. Its name comes from that fact that the snow doesn't stop the flower from blooming in those early spring weeks. No snow was found on this south facing bluff along the Le Sueur River in Mankato. This population was probably only open for a day or so and the open blooms were quite small. Probably saw over 100 growing on one bluff.
https://www.fs.usda.gov/wildflowers/plant-of-the-week/trillium_nivale.shtml
The usda have some information about this species and some good description of the morphological differences of this trillium species.

After finding the snow trillium in the odd spring heat, I was wondering if the pasqueflower would be blooming in the prairie. I made the short journey north to visit Ottawa Bluffs. I was almost 90 degrees by the time I got out to site. Slowly up the steep bluff I climbed until I made it to the top. My body wasn't acclimatted to this weather and I really hoped I could find a few individuals after the climb. Looking up and down the area I know they grow and couldn't find any. I was on the phone with my mom when I almost gave up. Right by my hiking boot was a small flower blooming through the leaf litter. Spring is here in the Minnesota River. Only a few are up and blooming but I saw so many closed blooms getting ready to open.