Winter flowers

Henbit flowers

A morning walk found more winter flowers.

Henbit (Lamium amplexicaule) is a winter annual (weed) from Europe, the earliest flowering of a large group of plants that germinate here in the fall and flower in winter or spring, produce LOTS of seeds, and wait until the following fall. It's really a lovely plant, however pesky it may be.

A Japanese apricot (Prunus mume), normally flowering in February, has open flowers with many flower buds ready to open.

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Winter flowers

Even though 'official' winter is just underway, our recent mild weather has encouraged a few early winter flowers.

These aren't natives, to be sure, but hardy imports from Asia, Camellia japonica (Camellia) and Chaenomeles speciosa (Flowering Quince). Their early flowers are an encouraging part of gray winter days (at least what passes for gloomy winter days here).

I'm thankful that we don't have too many dark days; a fellow on a nature walk this morning said 'this is what Chicago is like all winter.' Without the snow, I guess. But, that doesn't sound fun to me, although I celebrate folks who can embrace winter snow and ice with a full heart.

But I thought today WAS a gray, cold day, and I was glad to see the Professor Sargent camellia flowers and the quince flower buds.

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