Last week’s recent warm weather in Michigan brought an abundance of blossoms to Hills- dale College campus.
Some of the blooms that can be seen around campus include apple blossoms, pear blossoms, and magnolias.
Damon Glei, owner and manager of Glei’s Orchards & Green- houses, said the trees at his orchard are blooming, four to five weeks ahead of when they normally do. Last year, the trees did not bloom until May 5, though they normally bloom around May 1.
“This is on target for blooming earlier than we can ever remember,” he said.
Glei said the earlier the blooms are, the greater the chance of them being harmed by frost. The tem- perature dipped below 32 degrees on the night of March 26, but he said there was not any noticeable damage.
“At this point, we’re worried about it, but nothing’s happened yet,” he said.
Glei said the orchard has always gotten away with not having any protection against the frost for their orchards, and at this point, they just have to wait and see how the plants will hold up against the weather.
“We’re at the mercy of Mother Nature,” he said.
Some of the Michigan blooms that can be seen around campus include apple blossoms, pear blos-
soms, and magnolias. The apple blossom, or the pyrus
coronaria, was named the state flower of Michigan in 1897 and is native to the state. Joint Resolution 10 of that year, the resolution that adopted the state flower, called the apple blossom “one of the most fragrant and beautiful species of apple.” (http://www.50states.com/ flower/michigan.htm)
The pear blossom, with its white five-petaled flowers, is marked by its unpleasant odor — a fishy smell.
And the magnolia typically blooms in late April or early May, though the warm weather has prompted the early blooms this year.
