Late Fall Tulips

That's amazing. Thankfully, my plants aren't confused as they're buried under what used to be 12 inches of snow. We also had a freezing week and I've never felt more grateful.

Your irregular blooming plants are a problem. Global Warming will definitely start to dictate irregular blooming periods of our plants. Some will go extinct. The seeds of our native plants require different temperatures in order to break dormancy and germinate in the Spring. Some (I should probably say a lot) of these seeds require moist, cold stratification in order to break dormancy. Without it, these seeds will remain dormant. Our plant communities will definitely suffer.

Your scenario brings to my mind a different problem. I'll bet there were no insects pollinating your recently blooming flowers as these insects are probably hibernating/dormant. Without pollination, we'll witness yet another cause of plant extinction. Without plants, many of these very insects won't survive.

To me, all of this is very unsettling. At least I have a refrigerator in which I moist cold stratify my seed to sow in Spring. Unfortunately, nature isn't so equipped.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(chogan @ Dec 14 2006, 02:04 PM) [snapback]362462[/snapback]</div>

There is some truth to that or at least that is the current study topic. A lot of invasive species do very well in a CO2 rich environment because they have adapted to open, disturbed areas and generally spread very quickly.

 

Over the weekend, I had a dandelion blooming. I left the flower as I figure some insects may relish the pollen. I figure the Goldfinch can finish off the seeds when they set. I've never seen late blooming either. There was only one flower in bloom, but one flower was enough to invoke concern.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(chogan @ Dec 27 2006, 11:10 AM) [snapback]367118[/snapback]</div>

Hi Chogan,

You might want to cross-polinate those flowers, or they might not come back up in spring. Unless the bees are out too over there?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(chogan @ Dec 11 2006, 01:28 PM) [snapback]360433[/snapback]</div>

I've planted my CA Bay-Area yard in California Native plants, and am noticing some of the same behaviour.

My red-twig dogwood refuses to bare its red-twigs; the pink flowering currants are already growing new leaves, and even the large-leafed maple out back seemed to continue growing further and further into the Fall/Winter.

An article in the local paper also mentioned that some native butterflies are being impacted and lack the adaptability to change to the new, more [ahem] "mild" climactic conditions...

Suddenly I find myself hoping that my perceptions are NOT accurate...

 

evidence of global warming abounds everywhere. remember killer bees?? they have migrated nearly 2000 miles north as a result of global warming.


what about Australia??? going thru a summer right now that is averaging 10ºC ground temps higher than the past several years. air temps are 2.11ºC higher than average.

result??: massive wild fires and droughts.

http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHa...p3?img_id=14049

 

Looking at the weather map today, I would suggest those of you living in the Eastern US cover up your blooms as well as you can. The blast of Arctic air that flowed South as far as California is now heading East. If it's not already too late, bag the small trees and shrubs, and pile mulch on the flowers, covering them right up with dried leaves. It's gonna get nasty cold, and those poor blooms are in for a shock.

 

well the east coast has not seen winter yet, but the west coast has been socked a half dozen times. most of the weather seems to stall in the colorado/kansas area. this one is strong enough to make it all the way across.

watching the national news last night and the weather front was over 2000 miles long stretching from canada to mexico.

we just got hit with another 4" of snow. in a place where we average about 1.2 snowfalls a year, this is our 5th. we had 221% more than average precip for nov, 179% precip for Dec and are at 230% precip for jan... definitely an unusual winter

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(DaveinOlyWA @ Jan 16 2007, 11:51 AM) [snapback]376237[/snapback]</div>

We finally got a little snow again in Chicago after a record 44 consecutive snow free days. That was the longest we've gone without snow in winter since 1890.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(MegansPrius @ Jan 16 2007, 11:15 AM) [snapback]376256[/snapback]</div>

Excellent! Other parts of the country I am certain are envious. Hope you don't drink OJ - looks like the costs should be skyrocketing soon unless they can bottle frozen oranges directly Overall probably good for the countries health since there are so many calories in OJ.