Early-April Flowers

     Bradford pear trees, grape hyacinths and lesser celandines are all plant species not native to North America, but have spread across the landscape, including here in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.  And they all have pretty flowers that begin blooming in abundance at the same time from late March into mid-April, depending on the weather. 
     Bradford pears generally are the most noticeable of these flowering plants, on lawns and city streets where they were planted, and in let-go, overgrown places where they established themselves.  These trees are planted for their multitudes of lovely, white blossoms that draw early, pollinating insects, including honey bees.  But many Bradford pears break down easily in strong winds, making them not an ideal lawn and street tree after all.
     Many birds, including starlings and American robins, eat Bradford pears' berry-like fruits, digest the pulp, but pass the seeds in their droppings across the countryside as they fly here and there.  Some of those seeds sprout new trees.  "Wild" Bradford pears also have many flowers in April, the nectar of which feeds early insects, and striking, red and maroon leaves in November, that add more beauty to overgrown acres.
     Grape-hyacinths grow from bulbs planted in flower beds and on lawns.  Each hyacinth has grass-like leaves and an interesting, grape-like cluster of bell-shaped, bluish blooms.  But this species spreads rapidly across certain parts of some grassy lawns, roadsides and fields, making those human-made habitats bluish with their great abundance of beautiful blossoms.
     Lesser celandines with shiny foliage and cheery, yellow flowers dominate many partly shaded, moist floors of riparian woods, as would a carpet, along local streams and creeks during the early part of April.  Native blue violets and Virginia bluebells, with their purple and blue blossoms, respectively, grow among some patches of lesser celandines, adding more beauty and cheer to the wooded bottom lands by the middle of April.
     Early to mid-April is the time to see the lovely flowers of these flowering plants, as well as the blooms of other plants.  Though not native to North America, they add to this continent's beauties.