As of today, out of season, returns ~October. Earth Exhibit tracks the live conditions and flags it the moment it is on.
On the first hard freezes of autumn, while the ground is still unfrozen, a handful of plant species perform a quiet bit of magic.
Sap drawn up the stem freezes and splits the stem lengthwise, and water keeps wicking out through the cracks and freezing into wafer-thin curls and ribbons of ice — 'frost flowers,' 'ice ribbons,' or 'rabbit ice,' scientifically crystallofolia.
They look like spun glass or carved butter blooming from the base of dead-looking stems on a frosty morning, and they melt within an hour or two of the sun reaching them.
Only about 30 plant species worldwide do this — most famously frostweed (Verbesina virginica) in the American South and Midwest.
The display happens only on the first few freezes, before the ground freezes solid and the stems' water supply is cut, which is what makes it so fleeting and easy to miss.
Where to see it
A taste of where to see it. The full map, exact coordinates and the best timing for each spot live in the app.
| Viewing spots |
|---|
| Shaw Nature Reserve (Missouri) |
| Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center (Texas) |
| + 1 more spot, with exact coordinates and timing, in the app → |
This is the short version
This page shows a taste. The app has the full list of where to see this, the exact timing, and live conditions for 1,000+ natural phenomena worldwide, so you know the moment one is genuinely worth the trip.