Harbinger of Spring

Harbinger-of-Spring (Erigenia bulbosa) may be Kalamazoo's earliest true wildflower. They are also known as Pepper-and-Salt. The flowers are tiny and easy to overlook. I tend to think of April 15 (tax day) as the start of southwest Michigan's wildflower season, which means I frequently miss these early bloomers. This year, I saw a post on the Kalamazoo Nature Center's Facebook page and went looking for them.