Mayflowers c. 1840 by Maria Morris Miller
April showers bring mayflowers. Sometimes in May… sometimes in April.
It’s raining today which is good news for all things green and growing. Mayflowers (aka trailing arbutus ~ Epigaea repens) are among the earliest native blooms to appear in Nova Scotia. Half-hidden on the edge of the woods, their leathery leaves may look ragged and browned in spots, but the flowers are nonetheless fresh and pristine. Their petals fade from light pink to white as spring progresses.
Mayflowers enjoy the moist, acidic environments that are typically found near bogs. They are also shy plants, with a preference for shade.
Over a century ago mayflowers were designated the floral emblem of Nova Scotia. Found throughout most of eastern North America, this native evergreen plant is now considered an endangered species in Florida and vulnerable in New York.
Unbeknownst to many gardeners who unsuccessfully try to transplant them, the roots of mayflowers have a secret relationship with fungus. In this mutually beneficial liaison (also known as a mycorrhizal association), fungi gain direct access to carbohydrates through the roots of the mayflower. At the same time, the fungus makes the mayflower more resistant to disease and drought.
In the language of flowers, mayflowers mean welcome. Welcome to Nova Scotia. Welcome to spring.
The image of mayflowers at top left was scanned from a postcard I purchased at the Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History over two decades ago. I photographed the mayflowers just a short walk from the bottom of Flandrum Hill Road last week.
Flandrum Hill 
Ahw… pretty little things. I also “welcome” your new header…
Patricia, yes, they are pretty. The snow in the old header had to go. This image was taken during the Easter egg hunt in the backyard on the weekend.
I love the secret relationship with the fungus! Plants are magical and have wonderful forms of adaptation!
Dawn, that underground relationship seemed pretty wonderful to me too.
My bleeding heart has returned for another summer. Spring has truly arrived!
Marilyn, bleeding hearts seem to get more beautiful with age. Nice to know spring has arrived in your corner of the world too 🙂
Do these have berries later? What is the scientific name, please? What we in Michigan call Mayflower is an entirely different plant, as happens often with common names.
Oops! I read too fast! See the name now. See also that your Mayflower is our trailing arbutus, and ours should be out, too, but is so tiny I hardly ever see it unless a sharp-eyed friend points it out.
Pamela, this is the first time I’ve actually seen it in the woods and recognized it. It’s only taken me 20+ years! They are very shy plants.
Mayflowers are not yet blooming on our side of Nova Scotia but I’m on the lookout for them.
walk in beauty.
Joss, the climate varies so much across Nova Scotia, doesn’t it? Hopefully you’ll be able to find some this spring in your neck of the woods.
Damn. I just transplanted some to my garden. Sigh …
Sybil, maybe if you added some rotting logs nearby they might stand a better chance at survival.
Arbutus were always my favorite flowers when I was little, because they just smell so good. I never see them around here, even though I wander the woods in the springtime sniffing for all I’m worth. One day I’ll go back to Rhinelander in April just to sniff for arbutus.
Gerry, I’m going to have to go back to those mayflowers I photographed and give them a sniff. I never expected them to be so fragrant.
Mayflowers…lovely. It’s rare to see arbutus around our neck of the woods. Feeling the precious blooming of spring everywhere. It’s good to see it blooming over here on your blog, dear Amy-Lynn!
Kathy, I thought they were rare around here too until I finally saw some recently. It is indeed a precious blooming time 🙂
These are lovely! Sadly many fungus-dependant plants are being threatened by folks innocently picking or digging them up. Paintbrush and many orchids grow where they need to be and should be enjoyed in situ with the senses and camera as you have here.
Cindy, the more gardeners know about the complex world of plants, the more likely they’re to deal wisely with them. We’re all at our best in our own environment 🙂
Symbiosis is an amazing adaptation for survival. I welcome your Mayflowers, too.
Scott, symbiotic relationships in the natural world are the original win-win scenarios. We humans could still stand to learn a lot from them.