Pasque Flowers Blooming in Tok

Observation by Amber Nashoba:

I saw some lovely flowers when I was up in Tok with family in May. Do we have observations on the earliest dates of pasque flower bloom?

Comments from LEO Editors:

According to the US Forest Service, the pasque flower (Pulsatilla patens var. multifida, also known as Anemone patens var. multifida) is a spring bloomer, often seen as early as April. The Alaska Center for Conservation Science at the University of Alaska Anchorage contributes to the Consortia of Pacific Northwest Herbaria's collection of pasque flower samples. In this collection, the pasque flower in Alaska has been documented blooming in May, but specific dates vary based on location.

Blooming times may be influenced by temperature. In September 2019, LEO received an observation of a late-blooming narcissus, which is also a species of anemone. In that case, the observer mentioned that she normally sees narcissus blooming in June around Hatcher Pass, but saw a secondary bloom in September. Staff at the Alaska Botanic Gardens connected the secondary bloom to sustained warm temperatures. The figure below shows above-average temperatures recorded in Northway during May.