Spring Equinox: What Happens in Nature and Which Flowers Wake Up

Around 20 March comes the spring equinox, the astronomical start of spring in the Northern Hemisphere. Day and night are almost equal at that moment, and from then on daylight keeps growing until summer. Here is what happens in the sky, how different countries mark the day and which flowers wake up first.

Bring spring indoors with tulips and flowers in a box.

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What the equinox is

On the day of the equinox the Sun crosses the celestial equator, moving from the southern half of the sky into the northern. The date shifts between 19 and 21 March because the calendar year does not match the astronomical one exactly. Day and night are never perfectly equal, even then: the atmosphere bends sunlight, so the Sun stays visible a little longer and the day is slightly longer.

In the Southern Hemisphere it is the other way round: March brings the autumn equinox there, and spring arrives in September.

How the equinox is celebrated

• Nowruz. In Iran, Azerbaijan and Central Asia the New Year begins on the equinox; the table is set with sprouted wheat and spring flowers, especially hyacinths.
• Japan. The spring equinox is a public holiday. Families visit their ancestors’ graves, and cherry blossom season begins soon after.
• Chichen Itza. On these days the shadow on the steps of the Kukulkan pyramid in Mexico forms a crawling serpent, drawing thousands of visitors.
• Ukraine. Folk tradition “called in” spring with songs and biscuits shaped like larks.

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Which flowers wake up at the equinox

In central Ukraine, early flowers open in woods and gardens by late March. Many of them grow wild, so it is best to enjoy them where they grow and buy garden varieties for the home.

• Snowdrops (Galanthus). White nodding bells, among the very first, sometimes pushing through snow.
• Crocuses. Purple, yellow and white cups that open in the sun and close in the evening.
• Squills (Scilla). Blue stars that quickly carpet the ground under trees.
• Hellebores. They bloom from late winter and are very hardy in the garden.
• Primroses. Garden varieties in every colour are sold in pots and brighten a windowsill in March.

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If it is still cold outside, tulips, hyacinths and daffodils bring spring indoors; they appear in shops at just this time. Read more in early spring flowers and first spring flowers.

FAQ

When is the spring equinox this year?

Usually on 20 March, sometimes on the 19th or 21st. The exact time depends on your time zone.

Are day and night really equal at the equinox?

Almost. Because the atmosphere bends light, the day is slightly longer than the night.

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Author: Maria Svitlovir

Graduated from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Institute of Biology and Medicine (2001). BSc in Biology, MSc in Horticulture. Writes about plants, works at a garden centre selecting and repotting plants, and contributes to plant reference guides.