March 2016: White butterbur [Petasites albus] (Weisse Pestwurz): This picture tells us the February 2016 history of Central Europe: Most of February 2016 was much warmer than normal and the early spring plants continued to develop. Thus several of them unfolded their leaves or pushed up their blossom buds. The white butterbur started to bloom in early February already, but in the last days of February winter came back. Snow made the flowers bend forward instead of bumblebees. I wonder whether some insects could pollinate the flowers before the snow came - we will see as the plant will grow up to almost 1m sometimes when the seeds are released and spread by the wind.
