Spring seems to be arriving a bit early this year—at least in my Atlanta backyard. My records show the first tulip poplar flower windfall appeared on day 84, about 13 days earlier than expected. It’s a small but telling sign that the season is shifting ahead of schedule.
To put this in perspective, I compared my observations with broader indicators like the National Phenology Network’s Spring Bloom Index. This model, based on flowering plants like lilacs and honeysuckles and seasonal temperature patterns, shows that the 2026 spring in Georgia’s Piedmont region is running a few days early compared to the 30-year average.
In other words, what I’m seeing locally matches the bigger picture—spring is getting a head start.
Other Atlanta nectar sources at this time (not shown):
- Chinese Wysteria (invasive)
- White Clover
- Spiderwort
- Amur Honeysuckle (invasive)
- Dandelion
| 1st Tulip Poplar Windfall | Day of Year |
|---|---|
| 10-Apr-2011 | 100 |
| 27-Mar-2012 | 87 |
| 19-Apr-2013 | 109 |
| 12-Apr-2015 | 102 |
| 15-Apr-2017 | 105 |
| 5-Apr-2018 | 95 |
| 11-Apr-2019 | 101 |
| 7-Apr-2021 | 97 |
| 6-Apr-2022 | 96 |
| 24-Mar-2023 | 83 |
| 6-Apr-2024 | 97 |
| 3-Apr-2025 | 93 |
| 25-Mar-2023 | 84 |
| median | 97 |
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