Peak bloom at Shenks Ferry, tulips at Hershey Gardens: Here’s what’s blooming around Lancaster County

Lancaster County wildflowers have reached peak bloom.

Plants are emerging a bit early this year, similar to last year’s schedule, says Keith Williams, community engagement coordinator with Lancaster County Conservancy. Long-term, that’s potentially a problem, especially if the flowers are gone by the time pollinators show up on schedule.

Short-term, the flowers often bring crowds to parks and preserves.

Here’s more about what’s blooming and what’s coming up at parks, preserves and gardens in the region as of April 12 (with report dates noted below).

Lancaster Conservancy preserves (updated April 11)

• Wildflowers are in peak bloom at Lancaster Conservancy’s riverlands preserves, including Kelly’s Run Nature Preserve, Clark Nature Preserve, Climbers Run Nature Center, Turkey Hill Nature Preserve, Ferncliff Wildlife and Wildflower Preserve and Shenks Ferry Wildflower Preserve.
• In bloom are Virginia bluebells, trillium, Dutchman’s breeches, spring beauties, cutleaf toothwort, phlox, squirrel corn, corydalis and blue cohosh
• Next up are golden ragwort and mayapple.
• People and pets should stay on trails to avoid damaging plants, Williams says.
• The conservancy’s preserves on the other side of the county, including Welsh Mountain Nature Preserve will have blooming orchids and flowering shrubs in early May.
• The new Wizard Ranch Nature Preserve in Hellam Township, York County, also has spring flowers in bloom.

Lancaster County Central Park (updated March 25)

• Along the Wildflower Trail are flowers in bloom such as spring beauties, blood root, cutleaf toothwort and a few Dutchman’s breeches. Next up are mayapples and bluebells. Another spot for early flowers is between Indian Rock and the river.
• Around the park, there are bulbs like daffodils in bloom.
• Also in bloom are plants like bittercress, early saxifrage, trailing arbutus, veronica, ground ivy, henbit, purple deadnettle, chickweed and dandelions. Some may consider these weeds but they feed early pollinators, says senior naturalist Lisa Sanchez.

Hershey Gardens (updated April 11)

• Tulips
• Magnolia trees
• Virginia bluebells
• Daffodils
• Lenten roses
• Siberian squill
• Serviceberry tree
• Crabapple trees
• PJM Rhododendron

Longwood Gardens (outdoors, updated April 10)

• Magnolia
• Daffodils
• Sharp-lobe hepatica
• Tower-of-jewels
• Fritillary
• Tulips
• Hyacinth
• Virginia spring beauty
• Lilac
• Compact Korean spice viburnum
• Wood spurge
• Virginia bluebells
• Redbud
• Japanese flowering cherry
• Showy trilium
• Trout lily
• Summer snowflake
• Nearing hybrid rhododendron
• Woods tulip
• Darwin hybrid tulip