Flowers in Eastern Austria Part 1 - Early spring (February - beginning of April)

A gerneal survey on spring flowers on different places near my home in Winzendorf, as fotographed during several years.

In light spruce forests of Gutenstein´s  Alps Christmas roses  (Helleborus niger) are flowrishing from beginning of February, very numerous in certain places as seen here near Rohr im Gebirge

The name "Christmas rose" - means that on sunny places they even may flowrish on Christmas day, if autumn and early winter have been mild so far.

They belong to the family of Ranunculales, all parts are poisonous.

At the same time, in alluvial forest areas huge amounts of snow drops (Galanthus nivalis) are flowrishing.

They thrive in gardens as well, like this group in Kirchberg am Wechsel.

Very early, long before the leaves develop, coltsfoot (Tussilago farfara) sho their tender yellow blossoms.

They are growing near roads and paths and on fallow land, or even on freshly deposited detritus.

Very early flowrishing: White Butterbur (Petasites albus), as seen here near Vorau.

Red butterbur (Petasites hybridus) near Oberwart.

Crocus thrives in many gardens, in different colors.

You may find it in white growing in the wilderness on high mountains shortly after snow melting, like this one on onte Baldo in southern tyrol on 2.100 m altitude, beginning of June.

Lesser Celandine (Ranunculus ficaria) under bushes.

Liver leaves (Hepatica nobilis) are growing in beech forest areas ...

 ... as well as primroses (Primula vulgaris) ...

 ... and first cowslips (Primula veris)

The latter are growing on grassland as well, of course.

In dry grass areas, like this one on Blosser Berg near Winzendorf, pasque flowers (Pulsatilla grandis) are flowrishing.

A bit later, in similar places, spring Adonis shows (Adonis vernalis) its attractive yellow blossoms.

At the same time, cinquefoil (Potentilla arenaria) is growing ...

 ... here together with the much higher mountain- alyssum (Alyssum montanum), ...

 ... and here together with tiny iris (Iris pumila), ...

 ... which only grows in few places, this one near Bad Fischau - Brunn.

They are coloured in many different colors, partly caused by hybridiziation between the three common colors blue-yellow-white: light yellow, ...

 ... dark yellow, ...

 ... magenta, ...

 ... yellow-white with pink areas ...

clear white

 ... and gentian blue.

They flourish only for a short time, but always coincidently with blackthorn (Prunus spinosa), which can be seen frequently near roads or at forest outskirts.

A flowrishing bush of St. Lucie's Cherry (Prunus mahaleb)

Perfoliate Penny Cress (Thlaspi perfoliatum) near the Cherry bush

Grape haycinths (Muscari botryoides) near the iris and the cherry, ...

 ... but also in other places likle this grassland near the ridge of Fischauer Berge.

Common Storksbill (Erodium cicutarium), in a vineyard.

At the same time, the floor in forests of the opposite side of Vienna´s plain near Neudörfl is covered with thousands of Lesser Periwinkle (Vinca minor)

 

In forests now wood anemones (Anemone nemorosa) ...

 ... and yellow wood anemone (Anemone ranunculoides) are thriving.

In bushes hollowroots (Corydalis cava) always grow in two colors:

white ...

 ... and magenta.

Honety (Lunaria annua) in another bush

Garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata)

Yellow Cornel (Cornus mas), growing at wood outskirts, has tender yellow flowers.

In autumn, they will carry red, eadable fruits.

They bushes can grow very old, like this one in Puchberg, with Schneeberg behind.

Now it also is time for the violets (Viola sp.) in blue ...

 .. and white.

 

"Heart - leaved globe flowers" (this is my own translation for Globularia cordifolia), growing on dry grass or on mountain pastures.

They are flourishing during a longer period, regarding the area to grow, from beginning of April till end of May, like this one on Moosalm in the Salzkammergut area.

Austrian Black salsify (Scorzonera Austriaca), ...

 ... here on Blosser Berg near Winzendorf, together with globularia and iris.

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