Kate's Mountain clover is a rare native wildflower found in parts of the Appalachian region, including areas of NoVA. It naturally grows in dry, rocky, limestone-rich soils, especially in open woodlands and shale barrens where few other plants can thrive. It helps improve soil health by fixing nitrogen, benefiting neighboring plants in tough growing conditions. Kate’s Mountain clover was once thought to be extremely limited in range and is still considered globally rare, making each small population especially important for conservation efforts in Virginia.

In NoVA, March is an ideal time to prune many woody native shrubs and small trees before new growth begins to sprout, encouraging fuller growth and more abundant flowering. Pruning allows gardeners to clearly see the plant’s structure, remove winter damage, and shape shrubs without disturbing nesting birds later in the season. Many natives bloom on new wood, meaning a March trim can actually enhance summer blooms while keeping plants healthy and vigorous throughout the growing season.

Lesser celandine is an aggressive invasive plant spreading rapidly across NoVA, especially in floodplains, lawns, and woodland edges. It emerges very early in late winter, forming dense green carpets that crowd out native spring wildflowers before they have a chance to grow. Because it reproduces mainly through underground tubers and small bulblets, it can quickly dominate moist soils and is difficult to fully remove once established. It was originally introduced as an ornamental plant, valued for its bright yellow, buttercup-like flowers—yet those cheerful blooms now signal one of our most persistent spring invasives.