A guide to spring flowers & hikes in Western Mass

Ephemeral: lasting for a very short time. Transitory. Quickly fading.

Ephemeral plants are those marked by a very short life cycle. Spring ephemerals are the perennial woodland wildflowers that bloom in early spring, after the snow melts and before trees cast their shade over the forest floor. Trout lily. Bloodroot. Trillium. Hepatica.

Since they flower and reproduce during a very limited window of time, we’ve scouted some locations and built a brief guide so you can get a jump start on enjoying these little beauties.

A collaborative community art project

Please do not pick these flowers.

Please don’t pick these flowers as they are the earliest food source for pollinators — they’re prettier intact than in your hand!