A warm March has kicked off an early spring bloom, reports the Finnish Nature Association's spring monitoring campaign.
The first blooms of wood anemone (valkovuokko in Finnish, Anemone nemorosa in Latin) have already been spotted in several locations. While early blooming is not uncommon, these flowers are traditionally associated with Mother's Day, as their peak bloom typically occurs in May.
“At this rate, the bloom may be finished by then,” said campaign coordinator Milla Aalto.
The common hepatica or liverwort (sinivuokko in Finnish, Anemone hepatica in Latin), also appears to be blooming earlier than usual this year. While its typical blooming period in the south begins in early April, observations of the flowers were already reported in March, according to the association.
Spring monitoring is one of the Finnish Nature Association's longest-running campaigns, having been continuously conducted since 1976. Spring observations can be submitted through the iNaturalist app or via an online form available on the campaign's website.
The observations are stored in the database of the Finnish Museum of Natural History (Luomus), where they can be used to study how springs have changed over time.
Finland's climate has warmed much faster than the global average. Last year was 3.4 degrees Celsius warmer than pre-industrial era in Finland, while the global average temperature was up by just over 1.5 degrees.