March 2026

First step in a long journey.

Callery Pear - Pyrus calleryana

For many years, Callery pear (Pyrus calleryana) and its cultivars (e.g., ‘Bradford’, ‘Cleveland Select’, ‘Aristocrat’, and more) have been widely planted in Kansas. While this tree is valued for its adaptability, consistent spring flowers, fall color, and relative pest resistance, it is not without weaknesses In March, the Bradford pear is one of the most noticeable trees in the landscape. Before most trees have fully leafed out, it erupts in clusters of white flowers that stand out against the duller colors of late winter and early spring. It was originally planted because it grows quickly and produces a striking display of flowers. But despite its attractive appearance, it is now known as an invasive tree in many parts of the United States. It spreads easily into disturbed areas, field edges, and open spaces, where it can crowd out native plants. In that way, the Bradford pear is both a clear marker of early spring and a reminder that not every beautiful tree is beneficial to the environment.

Branches of a tree with white blossoms against a blue sky.
Close-up of a flowering branch with white blossoms and a bee flying nearby.
A bee pollinating white blossoms on a tree branch.
Close-up of white flowers on a branch with a bee collecting nectar.
A close-up of white blossom flowers with a bee collecting nectar on a branch.
Close-up of a branch with white blossoms and green leaves, blurred background.
Close-up of white blossoms on a tree branch against a clear blue sky.
Blooming white flowers on tree branches against a clear blue sky.
Close-up of small white flowers blooming on brown branches, with some green leaves visible in the background.

Eastern Redbud
Cercis canadensis

In March, the eastern redbud is one of the first native trees to bring real color back to the landscape. Before the leaves fully emerge, its small pink to magenta flowers bloom directly along the bare branches, giving the tree a soft but unmistakable glow in the early spring woods. You’ll often notice it growing along forest edges, fence lines, roadsides, and in open woodlands, where its color stands out against the gray and brown tones of late winter.

For many people, the eastern redbud is one of the clearest signs that spring has truly arrived. Unlike ornamental trees that were introduced from elsewhere, redbud is a native species with an important place in eastern North American ecosystems. Its early flowers provide nectar for pollinators at a time when few other trees are blooming. In that way, the eastern redbud is not just beautiful—it is part of the natural rhythm of the spring landscape.

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Close-up of green plant leaves with a small red ladybug on one leaf
Asian Lady Beetle Harmonia axyridis
Close-up of green leaves with a red ladybug on one.
A honeybee flying near a white clover flower in a green field.
Close-up of a dandelion seed head and three yellow dandelion flowers among green grass and foliage.

Henbit Deadnettle
Lamium amplexicaule

In March, henbit deadnettle is one of the most common and easily overlooked signs of early spring. It often appears in lawns, garden edges, roadsides, ditches, and other disturbed ground, where its low stems and small purple to pink flowers begin to spread across the still-brown landscape. Its rounded, scalloped leaves clasp the stem near the top, and when blooming heavily, patches of henbit can give fields and yards a faint purple cast from a distance.

For many people, henbit is simply part of the early spring ground cover they see without thinking much about it. But it is one of the first flowering plants to provide nectar for insects emerging at the end of winter. Though small and often treated as a weed, it plays a real role in the seasonal shift from winter to spring. In that way, henbit deadnettle is both a common plant of disturbed places and a quiet marker of the changing season.

Close-up of purple and pink wildflower plant outdoors, with blurred green foliage and yellow flowers in background.
Close-up of small pink and purple flowers with green leaves in natural sunlight.
A white moth resting on a green leaf amidst foliage.
Close-up of a black dragonfly perched on a thin vertical plant stem in a grassy field.
A small deer standing on a dirt path with green grass and trees in the background.
A deer with a white spot on its hindquarters standing behind tall grass and trees, looking towards the camera in a wooded area.
A bird perched on a wire with its beak open, singing against a clear blue sky.
A white heron standing in shallow water near the shoreline.
A white heron wading in water near the shore, with its head bent underwater and beak submerged, possibly fishing.
A great egret wading in shallow water, holding a fish in its beak, near the shoreline with grass in the foreground.

Excited to see the development of my photography skills as I keep this practice consistent. Enjoy the process!