Spring Beauty: The First Sign of Spring

Virginia Spring Beauty (Claytonia virginica)

The first sign of spring, generally close to the April full moon, when the forest is covered by last years leaf litter, and walking across it makes a loud destructive crackling noise. But if you sit down, get low, and get under the forest floor you’ll discover the awakening of nature, the beauty of Spring with the first flowers of the year - The Spring Beauty.

Spring Beauty wildflower is an edible wild flower: The entire plant can be eaten.

The delicate pink flowers are a nice fresh touch in a salad or beautify a charcuterie board, or even a spring compound butter. You can taste their earthy nectar. They’re mild in flavour. I find citrus is one of their best pairings.

Its starchy bulb-like base (known as a corm) and almost like a tiny potato. Boil them or eat it raw in the field. Keep in mind, they’re tiny - so you’ll need a lot!

This little gem only flowers for a few days, but when in full bloom the forest has a sweet aroma

This is a great time of year to just stop, slow down, and get close to the Earth.

Look under the leaf debris and you’ll find a busy world, full of life, happening beneath your feet.

Part of the beauty of this time of year is it’s fleeting nature. Come back in even a week and the whole landscape will have miraculously changed, but still familiar.

Other plants poking their heads through the forest floor are things like the Trout Lily, Dutchman’s Breeches, and ever loved Wild Leek.