COLUMBUS, OH -- Botanists with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) say that spring wildflowers will be at peak viewing around the state over the next two weeks.

"Spring wildflowers are right on schedule this year and a wide array of nature's beauty awaits those who seek them out during the next two weeks," said Allison Cusick, chief botanist with the ODNR Division of Natural Areas & Preserves.

According to Cusick, native wildflowers which bloom in Ohio's fields are unlike the cultivated, ornamental flowers that blossom primarily in warm weather.

"Ohio's spring wildflowers bloom due to the amount of sunlight they receive, not the temperature," Cusick said. "As days get longer and plants are exposed to more sunlight, wildflowers will start appearing all across Ohio," he said.

Wildflowers begin blooming in southwest Ohio in early April, then gradually appear elsewhere as spring weather moves northeastward. By mid-April and well into May, the entire state will see a wide variety of wildflowers blooming in parks, forests and preserves.

"Most species are at peak viewing, and we are just now seeing two of Ohio's most spectacular wildflowers, the large-flowered trillium and the marsh marigold, beginning to blossom," Cusick said.

While some of Ohio's rarest and most endangered wildflower species are tucked away in the safety of state nature preserves, beautiful spring wildflowers also thrive in backyard gardens and neighborhood parks. "Not all of Ohio's 2,300 wildflower species require a trip to a nature preserve or a state park to be appreciated," Cusick said. "Some of the most beautiful spring wildflowers can be found close to home, in backyards or along a country roadside."

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