Early Blooming of Autumn's Harbinger Plant Observed on Carmel Coast

Shahaf Retter, director of the Hof HaCarmel Field School at the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel, documented the early blooming of the squill plant, a traditional sign of autumn, over the past weekend at the field school grounds in Ma'agan Michael. Retter explained that squills typically bloom in September around the Jewish holidays, but this year, the first flowers have already appeared along the Carmel coast. The plant's leaves perform photosynthesis during winter, storing energy in bulbs, which later supports flowering as days shorten and other plants finish blooming. This early flowering allows squills to benefit from reduced competition for pollinators. The observations highlight a shift in the plant's phenology, possibly linked to environmental changes.