Honeysuckle from buds to first leaves, Schenley, March 8 & 13 (photos by Kate St. John)

14 March 2026

As this week began it was as hot as May before temperatures returned to normal. Leaf and flower buds swelled and opened. Seen This Week were ….

The first Amur honeysuckle leaves (above) and Cornelian cherry tree flowers.

Cornelian cherry flowers: buds to fully open, Schenley, March 6 to 11, (photos by Kate St. John)

Swelling buds on ginkgo trees.

Ginkgo tree buds swelling, Schenley, 13 Mar 2026 (photo by Kate St. John)

Invasive Callery pear about to bloom.

Callery pear flowers buds swell, Schenley, 13 Mar 2026 (photo by Kate St. John)

Viburnum plicatum leaf buds swelling in Frick Park. (This shrub is invasive.)

Virburnum plicatum leaf buds, Frick, 8 Mar 2026 (photo by Kate St. John)

First flowers on forsythia.

Forsythia drooping after cold night, Schenley, 13 Mar 2026 (photo by Kate St. John)

Pale green branches on the willows … tiny leaves.

Willows turning green in Schenley Park, 12 Mar 2026 (photo by Kate St. John)

First goutweed leaves.

First goutweed leaves, Schenley, 11 Mar 2026 (photo by Kate St. John)

My husband’s allergies gave him a twinge early this week. Why? The American elm’s wind-pollinated flowers bloomed.

Pixel Weather screenshot, Pollen count, 10 Mar 2026

Leaves and flowers will get smacked down this coming Tuesday and Wednesday when temperatures drop into the low 20s. I cannot feel bad for half of those pictured here. Four of the featured plants are invasive aliens.