April Showers Don't Quite Bring May Flowers
It is a well know adage that April showers bring May flowers. However, this saying is more myth than fact. It is not entirely true that the pouring rain in April is what causes flowers to bloom in May.
Sometimes the rain that falls in September can be just as helpful depending on the type of flower you are looking at. Plants which stay alive beneath the ground all winter are called perennials. They are usually the first to sprout up in spring, and the warmer the climate the earlier they start growing. In especially warm climates, sometimes perennials start to grow around January.
However, the rainfall of April really has nothing to do with the flowers that pop-up in May. Two of the best known perennials are Tulips and Daffodils; they’re planted in the form of bulbs in the fall. The roots of these plants are formed, and grow from the beginning of September. These types of flowers are most negatively affected if the months in the fall are dry. If there is drought in September, perennials grow smaller and die faster. Often it is the snow that helps these flowers bloom in May.
[Via: Slate]
Related posts:
- History and Types of Tulip Flower
- A host of golden Daffodils (or Narcissus)
- Witch Hazel, the True Early Spring Flower
- A Flower You've Probably Never Heard of – The Feathery Cybister
- Start Planting Early to Have Beautiful Summer Flowers!
