From the Midwest to the East Coast, temperatures that have stayed well above average have prompted an early show of color for flowers, particularly those that rise from bulbs.
Facebook, Instagram and other social media outlets are dotted with photos of what should be harbingers of spring -- crocus, violets and daffodils popping up on people's lawns and landscaping. Fall flowers, too, are finding an extended blooming season with the unseasonably warm weather.
The question now is how the plants will be affected once real spring arrives.
For some, like those fall mums or asters that are still displaying colors well beyond their expected shelf life, the effect will be minimal.
But for bulbs and flowering trees which have broken the cycle, next year will likely be a little less colorful, according to Mark House, a horticulturist with the Cincinnati Parks Department.
"Don't worry," House said. "They won't be completely depleted but it may diminish them."
House said the winter color display is certainly appreciated, if unexpected.
"I've seen amazing things in full bloom," he said. He recalled visiting a friend who took him into her backyard on Christmas Day to show off her winter jasmine in full bloom.
Not only should the plant not have been in bloom, House said he was shocked to find it was not only living but thriving in the area, a place where the climate is not suited for the vining plant. And since the plant was blooming that meant it was at least two-three years old and is apparently "happy" growing here,
"I was astonished," House said.
Flowers which have budded out are more prone to freezing when the temperatures dip into the 20s, he said, and that may happen within the next week. Those plants will have fewer flowers in the spring, he said.
Still, House said the late show for flowers doesn't mean spring will be without its own show.
"Don't worry," he said. "We're going to have plenty of blooms in the spring."
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