The Ephemeral plant is a plant that has several life cycles in a one growing season they can increase in numbers rapidly.
Ephemeral plants appear for only a short durations of time compared to other plants. There are three types of ephemerals based on their habitat: spring ephemerals, weedy ephemerals and desert ephemerals. For these plants most of their life is spent in a state of dormancy, waiting for ideal conditions so they can flourish. Sometimes they rest dormant as seed, or simply store food in bulbs or root nodules and the whole plant dies back to the root until conditions are right so the plant can emerge again.
Spring ephemeral: Lesser Cellendine: Plants like the lesser cellendine spring up really fast in spring time to take advantage of the short period when the leaves are still not grown on the trees but the light and temperatures are high enough to have pollinating insects out and about.
Weedy ephemeral: Ivy-leaved Speedwell, Veronica hederifolia, Small and weedy, an ephemeral which springs up, flowers and seeds within weeks, often managing several generations a year. Takes advantage of places no other plant can tolerate like very dry walls etc.
Desert Ephemerals: Desert sand verbena: This plant is a sticky, hairy plant with flower stalks that grow up to ten inches long and with stems that trail up to three feet. You can find this plant in the Mojave and Sonoran deserts in the southeastern part of California. These plants can be found in the desert following a rainstorm.
Ephemeral plants appear for only a short durations of time compared to other plants. There are three types of ephemerals based on their habitat: spring ephemerals, weedy ephemerals and desert ephemerals. For these plants most of their life is spent in a state of dormancy, waiting for ideal conditions so they can flourish. Sometimes they rest dormant as seed, or simply store food in bulbs or root nodules and the whole plant dies back to the root until conditions are right so the plant can emerge again.
Spring ephemeral: Lesser Cellendine: Plants like the lesser cellendine spring up really fast in spring time to take advantage of the short period when the leaves are still not grown on the trees but the light and temperatures are high enough to have pollinating insects out and about.
Weedy ephemeral: Ivy-leaved Speedwell, Veronica hederifolia, Small and weedy, an ephemeral which springs up, flowers and seeds within weeks, often managing several generations a year. Takes advantage of places no other plant can tolerate like very dry walls etc.
Desert Ephemerals: Desert sand verbena: This plant is a sticky, hairy plant with flower stalks that grow up to ten inches long and with stems that trail up to three feet. You can find this plant in the Mojave and Sonoran deserts in the southeastern part of California. These plants can be found in the desert following a rainstorm.