Plant Exchange Blog

Welcome to Spring at Plant Exchange Blog on the Northern Plains, USDA Zone 4-5a. Recent soaking rain and 70-degree days are what deciduous trees, shrubs, and perennials have been waiting for!  

Native plum trees, an early sign of spring, often grow in thickets, planted mainly by birds. Fragrant flowers draw many small bees and other pollinators. In days, green leaves replace the blooms.

Common lilacs bloom in spring across the upper Midwest, and here, bouquets are sometimes picked by small hands for Mother’s Day.

May and the close of the school start camping season at Lewis & Clark Recreation Area. Spring lilacs line the entrance to the park.

Plants like Hellebore, which often bloom by early April, are reaching full bloom.

‘Storm Cloud’ Amsonia blue flowers companion with allium and smoke bush early leaves.

Golden Alexanders (Zizia aurea) are native to eastern North America. The wildflowers are short-lived perennials and bloom in full sun to part shade the second year after planting. Golden alexanders are host to Black Swallowtail butterflies if nearby. We enjoy trying to entice pollinators in the garden.

Thanks for visiting Plant Exchange Blog to see what’s in bloom this month. We invite you to see other posts or topics of interest. Do come by again!

If you’d like to see blooms across the United States and beyond, the next stop is Indiana. Carol’s May Dreams Gardens blog for May 15th is found at the link below. At the end of her post, look at the garden bloggers who’d like to show you their flowers. It’s fun to see you on the 15th of each month. Here’s her link. http://www.maydreamsgardens.com