CHARLOTTE, N.C. — May is here and with it some of your favorite flowers. In fact, nearly 4,000 native flowering plants grow every year in North Carolina. But many of them bloomed last month, right?
Without fail, on rainy days in April, most of us say "April showers bring May flowers." The old adage dates back hundreds of years, but does it ring true for the Carolinas?
According to the folklore, May is traditionally when some expect to see them flourish. That is of course if you believe April showers are truly responsible for May flowers.
Here is a closer look at the rain totals since the start of meteorological spring.
10 wet days in April versus 13 wet days in March
Record rainfall occurred on a single day in April. 1.74 inches of rain fell on April 18th in Charlotte, breaking the record of 1.70 inches previously set back in the year 1900.
But a surplus of rain occurred just one month before in March. 6.05” inches of rain fell over a span of 13 days (about 2 weeks), which was more than 2 inches above the monthly average.
In other words, it was wetter in March than April.
So, when some flowering plants such as azaleas, forsythia, redbuds, snowball viburnum and the native dogwood to name a few bloom earlier than normal, will you re-write history and say March showers bring April flowers?
Dryness has less of an impact on whether they bloom. Yes, moisture is necessary, but through warm and cold spells, temperatures have a huge influence on early blooms.
For a comprehensive list of flowers, you may see in your neighborhood, check out the NC State Extension Plant Toolbox online.
Contact KJ Jacobs at kjacobs3@wcnc.com and follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.