I was delighted to see this delicate Spring flower in abundance at the onset of the Palisades creek trail. The small nodding white flowers with extended yellow stamens looked like tiny bells for a woodland fairy. This perennial often hides its flowers with the terminal leaves, but they were highly visible on these plants. They were a most welcome sight after a very long, white winter. Spring has arrived and the bells are ringing!

Just the Facts
Prosartes trachycarpum, Fairybells
Synonym Disporum trachycarpum
Family Liliaceae
Height 1-2′ tall
Blooms May through July
Berries yellow to orange to red, velvety warty skin
Habitat–Moist soils in meadows and forests, montane
Key ID’s–Leaves alternate with prominent veins running parallel to the leaf margin. Nodding bell shaped flowers, often in pairs.