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Take some time this month to notice spring flowering ephemerals — you’ll be mesmerized by their magic. These plants have a short bloom period, go dormant, and then reappear the next spring.

Typically, spring ephemerals are perennial woodland wildflowers that develop stems, leaves and flowers in early spring, quickly bloom before deciduous trees leaf out, and produce seed.

Then comes the disappearing act. The parts you can see wither before the heat of summer, leaving only unseen underground structures (roots, rhizomes or bulbs) for the remainder of the year.

Feed the birds (and butterflies)

The early blooms of ephemerals provide a marvelous early nectar source for insects, butterflies and hummingbirds. It’s a symbiotic relationship, since these creatures pollinate the flowers and help spread the seeds.

Two attractive Virginia natives you might consider are Virginia Bluebell (Mertensia virginica) and Spring Beauty (Claytonia virginica).

The foliage of Virginia Bluebell emerges deep purple, but turns green in the blink of an eye. Leaves are oval and smooth with prominent veins, growing up to eight inches wide.

The flowers, which last about three weeks, start as purplish pink buds and then open downward as sky blue bells. Their tubular shape attracts bumblebees, long-tongued bees, butterflies and hummingbirds.

The plants have few pests and are deer-resistant. Mature clumps can grow up to one foot wide and two feet high.

A more delicate and diminutive ephemeral, Spring Beauty has clusters of pink or whitish flowers, striped in bubblegum pink. You won’t notice the small plants until, hocus pocus, they start blooming from March through May. The star-shaped flowers attract bees, flies and butterflies.

Spring Beauty is a charming plant in rock gardens. Only about five inches tall, it is best enjoyed when planted in large groupings. Its grass-like foliage will last longer than the blooms, though it, too, will fade away before summer.

Buy and plant soon

Buy and plant ephemerals now through early summer when you can find them for sale. Look for nursery-propagated plants at nurseries that specialize in native plants.

Virginia Bluebell is considered threatened in parts of its native range, so do not transplant them or collect seeds from the wild.

Ironically, though their blooms are short-lived, the plants themselves can take years to establish in your garden, so be patient. Trilliums, another ephemeral, might take as long as seven years from seed to flower.

To conjure the appropriate spot for ephemerals, select a site that has the attributes of a woodland: rich soil, spring moisture and summer shade. The soil should be well-draining, be enriched with compost, and have a neutral pH.

Although most ephemerals look best in mass plantings, start with a few plants. They will naturalize and you can buy more once you ensure they’re happy.

You should include plants to fill in as the ephemerals fade. Astilbe, hosta, ferns, bugbane (Actaea simplex) and Solomon’s seal are some choices to interplant with ephemerals as they thrive in the same growing conditions.

The best time to mulch with compost or shredded leaves is in very early spring, before ephemerals make their appearance. However, if you plant them now, mulch when you plant. You’ll be bewitched by your spring surprises each year.

Lela Martin is a Master Gardener with the Chesterfield County office of the Virginia Cooperative Extension.