Early Bloomers
Basics on the topic Early Bloomers
Early Bloomers in Elementary School
In elementary school, early blooming plants are introduced with worksheets and experiments along with asking, "Why do early blooming plants bloom so early?" This question is very interesting because during the time of early bloomers, nature is still dormant, and there is little green to be seen. And suddenly, individual small plants grow out of the cold ground. Where do they get their power to grow in the cold, and when do early blooming plants sprout exactly? Here you can find the answers and discover the most frequently presented early bloomers in elementary school in pictures.
Why Do Early Bloomers Flower So Early?
Crocuses, tulips, and primroses all belong to the group known as early bloomers.
The special thing about early bloomers is that they derive their growth power from the reserves of the previous year.
These so-called stockrooms of nutrients come in the form of bulbs, tubers, or rhizomes. These three different forms of early bloomers have similarities:
- They bloom very early in the year, usually in February and March.
- Rain, wind, warmth, and cold indicate to early bloomers when the time of growth begins.
- The entire growth power goes into the blossom. They form few leaves.
- Early bloomers grow quickly and have a short bloom time. They are not geared towards slow growth.
- After blooming, they develop seeds, wilt, and wither away. In summer, the plants disappear.
| Typical for early bloomers is: |
|---|
| - Early flowering |
| - Focus on blossoms |
| - Fast growth |
| - Short bloom time |
Early Bloomers with Bulbs
The bulb of early bloomers is a small wonder. Protected by the brown bulb skin, the entire plant in miniature format is already present in the bulb. The roots grow out of the edge of the bulb base. In the middle, the shoot, the blossom, and the foliage leaves grow very small. Next to it is a replacement bulb, from which the next plant emerges the following spring. With the roots, the bulb extracts water with nutrients from the soil and stores it in the bulb disks.
→ Snowdrops, tulips, and daffodils are early bloomers with bulbs.
Early Bloomers with Tubers
In contrast to the bulb, no complete plant is contained in the tuber. The tuber is a thickened part of the plant that serves as a reservoir. When the plant begins to grow, it uses the stored substances here, and the tuber softens and darkens. Offspring tubers are formed for the following year.
→ Crocuses and lesser celandine are early bloomers with tubers.
Early Bloomers with Rhizomes
The third form of underground storage is the rhizome. It consists of frequently branched horizontally growing stem axes. The buds, from which the plant develops, sit at the front end. The soil sprout tips grow a little further each year, and the hind end dies off.
→ Primroses and wood anemones are early bloomers with rhizomes.
Early Bloomers Overview
| Type of Storage | Examples |
|---|---|
| with bulbs | Snowdrops, snowflakes, crocuses, tulips, hyacinths, daffodils, blue stars |
| with tubers | Crocuses, lesser celandine |
| with rhizomes | Primroses, wood anemones |
Frequently Asked Questions about Early Bloomers
Transcript Early Bloomers
It's February and Newton is busy collecting pollen and food. How wonderful that even with cold and snow some flowers have started blooming! But how can that happen? Let's look at the trick that allows the "early bloomers" to grow so soon in the year. We can look at a flower called a snowdrop to learn more! At the very bottom are the roots. The roots take in water and food called nutrients. Above them, the early bloomers have a bulb. The bulb holds the food that the plant needs to grow. Out of the bulb grows the stem. On the stem comes a leaf. There may be many leaves. At the top sits the flower. Now let's look at another early bloomer called the crocus. Can you help us find the parts: bulb, leaf, roots, stem and flower? Here they are! All in order! But what happens before spring comes? In the fall the roots and bulb lie underground. In the winter a baby green stem sprouts from the bulb. As soon as it gets warmer, it quickly grows out of the ground. And, a snowdrop with a flower and leaves bloom! By summer, the snowdrop begins to wilt. But how are the early bloomers able to grow so early in the year? The secret is in the bulb, because food nutrients are stored there. It's like a backpack that the plant uses to pack everything it will need until next spring. Once the early bloomer grows, the stem acts like a straw, bringing water and food up to the top. The leaves collect sunlight. From this, the plant makes new food nutrients. This new food is stored in the bulb! This is how the early bloomer packs its backpack for next year. But not all flowers have a bulb. The poppy does not. Since the poppy has not packed a backpack, it must work very hard to gather all the food again during the year. This takes time, so it grows much slower and blooms much later in the year. When the poppy slowly comes out of the ground, the season for early bloomers is almost over. But because the early bloomers awaken before anything else in the year, Newton can find them first! Hey! Where is Newton anyway? Before we find out, let's remember! An early bloomer has roots, a bulb, a stem, a leaf, and a flower. The bulb is a special tool for early bloomers. This is where important food nutrients are stored for the year. These nutrients help the early bloomer grow first in spring. Oh, there's Newton! Oh no! Newton can't fit!
Early Bloomers exercise
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Can you label the plant?
HintsEarly bloomers have bulbs that store everything they need to grow. The bulb is near the bottom of the plant.
The flower and leaves come from the stem.
Roots are underground.
SolutionHere is the correctly labelled plant.
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What are the names of these early bloomers?
HintsSnowdrops have white flowers.
Daffodils are usually yellow and have a trumpet in the centre of the flower.
Hyacinths have many small flowers close together.
SolutionHere are the early bloomers with their names.
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How do early bloomers grow?
HintsIn autumn, the bulb is lying underground and nothing has sprouted yet.
When the weather gradually starts to get warmer, a shoot appears.
After the flower has bloomed, the plant will wilt.
SolutionHere are the correctly sequenced images.
- In autumn, the roots and bulb are lying underground and nothing has sprouted yet.
- In winter, a baby green stem sprouts from the bulb.
- As soon as it gets warmer, it quickly grows out of the ground.
- A snowdrop with a flower and leaves blooms.
- By late spring, after the flower has bloomed, the snowdrop will wilt.
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Which of these plants are early bloomers?
HintsThink about what time of year you might see these flowers and plants in parks and gardens.
What do all early blooming plants have to store all of the energy they need?
They all have a bulb. If the plant has a bulb it is an early bloomer.
SolutionThe early bloomers all have bulbs to store all of the energy they need to bloom earlier in the year.
Early bloomers
- snowdrop
- daffodil
- hyacinth
- crocus
- sunflower
- poppy
- hydrangea
- strawberry plant
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What do all early bloomers have?
HintsThis part could be described as a backpack where everything the flower will need to bloom is stored.
This is the part of the plant.
SolutionAll early bloomers have a bulb.
Here is the bulb of the snowdrop.
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What do you know about early bloomers?
HintsCan you remember what each part of the plant is called? What are the parts that are underground called?
What is the part of the early blooming plant that stores energy called?
Which part of the plant collects sunlight?
SolutionAt the very bottom of the plant are roots. These take up water and nutrients.
Above the roots is a bulb. This holds food the plant needs to grow.
The bulb is like a backpack the plant uses to pack everything it will need until next spring.
Once the plant grows, the stem acts like a straw, bringing up food and water. The leaves collect sunlight.
From this, the plant makes its own food or nutrients. The new food is stored in the bulb for next year.
I liked the end when the bee got stuck in the dirt because he was trying to be a bulb! HaHa!
cool