Everybody's Easter flower

This yellow flower is always one of the first to welcome spring in Southeast Missouri. It is not a native flower, but it has been with us so many years that by now, it is considered to be naturalized. It is an easy flower to grow and is very hardy. It sometimes can be found at very old homesites deep in the woods where almost all other evidence of a homestead has disappeared.

Most years, this bastion of spring will be peeking its first spears out of the ground by mid-February or even earlier. Called Easter flower by many, it is known by other names such as Lent lily, jonquil, wild daffodil and narcissus. Narcissus is the most accurate, a name for the flower that is linked hundreds of years in the past to Greek history.

The very early origins of this basic yellow flower date to the days of the dinosaurs. Today, hybrids of the narcissus come in many colors, forms and names. From native origins in the woodlands of Southwest Europe and North Africa, humans have distributed it worldwide.

In Southeast Missouri this flower is a true narcissus, believing itself so beautiful that it can scream, "Happy Easter!" well in advance of Easter time. Most years the flowers have long since wilted when Easter arrives.

Happy Easter, everyone.