December 2024

This month, I’m excited to highlight a captivating natural phenomenon that can be spotted in many home gardens, roadsides, hay fields, and prairie preserves: frost flowers. Also known as ice flowers, ice ribbons, or rabbit ice, these delicate ice formations are often mistaken for pieces of plastic or fluffy seed pods. Despite their name, frost flowers aren’t actual flowers—they’re stunning ribbons of ice crystals.

Frost flowers form in late fall to early winter when freezing air temperatures meet soil that’s still warm enough for a plant’s roots to absorb moisture. As moisture moves from the roots into the stem, it freezes, and ice crystals push through cracks or splits in the plant stem. Depending on the size of the opening, the ice may form thin, ribbon-like strands or curling sheets. These ethereal structures typically appear in the early morning and melt quickly as sunlight or rising temperatures warm the area.

While frost flowers occur in various parts of the world, only a few plant species produce them. In Northwest Arkansas, the most commonly seen plant for frost flowers is frostweed (Verbesina virginica), a member of the Asteraceae family. Frostweed is a tall, robust plant with winged stems. Other plants known to produce frost flowers include dittany (Cunila origanoides), which forms later in the season due to its cold tolerance, and sweetscent (Pluchea odorata).

Take a morning stroll in your garden or visit us at the Botanical Garden of the Ozarks to witness this fleeting wonder of nature. It’s a beautiful reminder of the intricate and ever-changing world around us!

Berni Kurz

Director of Horticulture

Botanical Garden of the Ozarks