Green wave campaign

Greetings! Maples, oaks, and poplars are flowering across the country. Have you seen flowers or flower buds or open flowers on your trees yet this year? For some species such as oak, the flowers are catkins: many tiny flowers crowded along a slim stem. Check out our Botany Primer for more information about catkins and our FAQ about when to consider catkins "open". Photo: Ellen G Denny

What you are reporting so far this year

Observers have reported on maples, oaks, and poplars at 561 sites so far this year. The map below shows sites that have reported "yes" for flowers or flower buds or open flowers this year for some of our commonly observed maples, oaks, and poplars.

Sites reporting "yes" for flowers or flower buds or open flowers in commonly observed maples, oaks, and poplars in 2019. Darker colors represent sites with more observations for that species.

We have many Local Phenology Programs (LPPs) submitting data on maples, oaks, and poplars along with our backyard observers. The LPPs that continue to lead the way in number of records submitted include UNCO BIO 111, New York Botanical Garden Forest Phenology, and Brandeis University . Thank you for your efforts!

Observers in the Southeast have reported 27,330 records on maples, oaks, and poplars this year. You are reporting flowers or flower buds on white oak and northern red oak. White oak started flowering in early February, while northern red oak began in early March.

Observers in the Northeast have reported 60,271 records . You started reporting flowers or flower buds in red maples in early February, and sugar maple in early March.

Observers in the Midwest have reported 10,852 records . You started reporting flowers or flower buds in quaking aspen in early February, and eastern cottonwood in late March.

Observers in the Great Plains have reported 37,208 records . You started reporting flowers or flower buds in red maples in January, but have not yet reported flowering on sugar maple.

Observers in the Southwest and Northwest have reported 30,851 records . You started reporting flowers or flower buds in valley oak and California live oak in January.

Keep watching your trees for flowering this spring. Remember, the "no" observations that you report leading up to your first "yes" report as well as the "no" following the last "yes" are very important in helping data users to pinpoint when flowering started and ended on your trees. Earn your Tree Tracker badge! You can earn this badge by observing a maple, oak, or poplar once a week for six separate weeks in the same year. See it on your Observation Deck . Thank you for your contributions to this important project!

Contact Erin Posthumus erin@usanpn.org 520-621-1670 bio

Share with a friend ‌ ‌ ‌