Is March -- or even February -- too early for tulips to sprout up in the Chicago area? In 2024, it certainly doesn't seem that way.
In fact, one suburban tulip farm says this year, tulips are popping up "almost a month earlier than expected."
"The U-pick tulips are popping up ahead of schedule," Little Ducky Flower Farm in Barrington Hills, said in a March 5 Facebook post. "Almost a month earlier than expected! We've expanded our field this year to 12,000 tulips that we've lovingly hand planted."
The farm, which also raises sheep and ducks, expects to open for "U-Pick" tulips in mid-to-late April, with weather as a determining factor, the farm's website says.
"To stay up to date on when the field will be opening (because this weather is so unpredictable) please follow us on social media and/ or sign up for our newsletter on the front page our website to find out when we release tickets," the post added.
It's not the only location in the Chicago area where tulips were seen sprouting up early. In February, tulips were seen sprouting up on Michigan Avenue.
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According to NBC 5 Meteorologist Kevin Jeanes, tulips in particular are resilient to frost and cold temperatures in their early stages. "But if we continue to stay warm and they grow quickly, a March or April frost could be damaging," Jeanes said. "Colder temperatures and even a layer of snow would be a good thing to slow down the growing process."
Here's a breakdown of when the Chicago area sees its latest freeze, from the National Weather Service:
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Chicago: April 21
Kankakee: April 22
Dekalb: April 23
Rockford: April 27
Elgin: April 28
The latest last freeze on record in Chicago is May 25, which happened in 1992.
