Just prior to the big snow, hail, and freezing rain dump, maple flower buds were opening and some pistils and stamens were beginning to show. Depending on how far along development was, these flowers may brown and drop. Leaf crop may still be quite normal but the flowering, pollination, seeds, and fruit may be a loss, all of which are important to small wildlife including squirrels and some birds. The catkins on oak, elm and hazelnut may weather the storm and be quite normal in development. Pine seeds in cones and red oak acorns from last spring, both of which are on a two-year cycle, should not have been harmed. Neither should the spring ephemerals, which are mostly underground and will show in due time.
Countryside News
