March 24, 2025

A small native flower that doesn’t get much attention. Twinleaf (Jeffersonia diphylla), native to eastern North America. In bloom right now.

This is one of those plants that has seeds that are attractive to ants. The ants gather them, take them to their nest and feed their larvae the nutritious portion of the seed, called the eliasome. They then discard the rest of the seed in the nest’s trash room where it stays and sprouts. A process called myrmecochory.

I watch for these plants to emerge and bloom every year. They’re early. And they’re subtle. Easy to miss.

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