March 7, 2023

Spring doesn’t start until March 20, but that doesn’t stop the blooms in the coast redwood forests, even in the snow.

Look out for these beauties, blooming now and in the coming months.

Western trillium

A white flower stands in the foreground. Coast redwoods stand in the background

Western trilliums have white, pink, or purple flowers. Photo by Max Forster, @maxforsterphotography

Milkmaid

Five white flowers and a green stalk.

Milkmaids grow in moist areas such as streambanks in coast redwood forests. Photo by Laura Camp, Flickr Creative Commons

Redwood sorrel

A pink flower surrounded by heart-shaped leaves.

Redwood sorrel covers the shady, moist forest floor. It’s often mistaken for clover. Clover leaves are rounded, and redwood sorrel leaves are shaped like hearts. Photo by Michael Carl

Redwood violet

Seven yellow flowers with dark centers and round leaves

Redwood violets aren’t violet, but yellow. They’re abundant in moist creek valleys. Photo by randomtruth, Flickr Creative Commons

Woodland forget-me-not

A cluster of blue flowers with yellow centers.

The woodland forget-me-not of the coast redwood forest is lovely, but invasive. It’s native to Europe. Photo by Kev22, Wikimedia Commons

Mission bells

Three droopy, bell-shaped red-and-green flowers

Mission bells, also known as chocolate lilies and checker lilies, droop on a 1-3-foot-tall stem in coast redwood forests. Photo by Andy Kraemer, Flickr Creative Commons

Calypso orchid

A magenta flower with a round leaf and a dark stalk

The sublime Calypso orchid, also known as the fairyslipper orchid, grows in the forest and near streams. Look closely at the forest floor; it can be as short as 3 inches tall. Photo by Max Forster, @maxforsterphotography