The Spring season in the natural world is a time of rebirth and growth, brimming with potential for the year ahead; one whose first signs of arrival can be noticed with each of our five senses. The mention of springtime for many conjures images of daffodils, crocus and tulips.
For example, Plainsboro Preserve’s beautiful natives such as the aptly named spring beauty, whose delicate white and pink hued five petaled flowers can be seen poking up around field edges. While exploring the Preserve for a glimpse of the beauties, you may catch the smell of a more odiferous harbinger of spring, the skunk cabbage. Found in low-lying areas throughout Plainsboro, the skunk cabbage’s purple and white flower hoods can often be seen in the middle of a small clearing in the snow. The red maple gets its name from the red buds and flowers it produces in early spring. Red maple sap, which can be collected and reduced to make a delicious native maple syrup, begins flowing at the leading edge of spring. Another plant showing off its spring spirit is the often-disliked Greenbriar, also known as the thorn bush. For most of the year, this formidable vine is tipped with hard, woody spines that have left their mark on many a hiker. However, in early spring, the thorns on these early shoots are soft, pliable and no more dangerous than a green bean.
As nice as all of the other signs of spring are, none quite embody the joyous return of warmer weather quite like the chorus of the spring peeper frog. Often confused for crickets, the distinct rolling “Peee- Peep” call of this small tree frog can be heard at night echoing from beneath the red maples and amongst the skunk cabbage in low-lying areas – letting us all know that winter is over and spring has finally sprung!
Visit https://www.plainsboronj.com/245/Parks-Facilities for a listing of the parks and facilities located in Plainsboro.