Prairie Crocus

This was one of many Prairie Crocus flowers in bloom along the Bow River, between 194th Ave SE and highway 22X bridge about a week ago.

"As soon as the snow melts, you will want to start looking for this "harbinger of spring"! The prairie crocus has pale blue or purple flowers arising from the woody rootstock that appear very early in spring. The whole plant is covered with woolly-white hairs.

Flowers: The flowers are about 4 cm (1 1/2 in.) in diameter, each with five to seven petal-like sepals, and many pistils and bright yellow stamens. (Like all anemones, prairie crocus does not have true petals. The blue or purple-coloured parts that look like petals are actually modified sepals.) When folded, the outer surface of the sepals appear covered in white woolly hairs. The flowers are open during the day but close at night." plantwatch.fanweb.ca/plant-information/prairie-crocus