Budburst is Bursting to Happen!

Spring has arrived ! There is a lot of activity outdoors to indicate that we are not the only ones happy to see spring. Now is the time to begin to watch for budburst on trees and shrubs. The photo is of buds of a red maple (Acer rubrum). Flower budburst for a red maple occurs in the spring before leaf budburst. Not only is it fun to observe when budburst occurs but to determine whether the red maple has produced all male flowers, all female flowers, or some of both. Male flowers have stamens that are longer than the petals and are the tips are covered in yellow pollen.The female flower has stigma that are longer than the petals. Budburst.org provides ideas on curricula involving observing budburst and phenology, in general.