biostudies-literatureLee BRNanjing Forestry UniversityNational Science Foundation7157https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC9684453biostudies-literatureUnknown13(1)Temperate understory plant species are at risk from climate change and anthropogenic threats that include increased deer herbivory, habitat loss, pollinator declines and mismatch, and nutrient pollution. Recent work suggests that spring ephemeral wildflowers may be at additional risk due to phenological mismatch with deciduous canopy trees. The study of this dynamic, commonly referred to as "phenological escape", and its sensitivity to spring temperature is limited to eastern North America. Here, we use herbarium specimens to show that phenological sensitivity to spring temperature is remarkably conserved for understory wildflowers across North America, Europe, and Asia, but that canopy trees in North America are significantly more sensitive to spring temperature compared to in Asia and EuNature communicationsWildflower phenological escape differs by continent and spring temperature.PMC9684453DEB1936877Metasequoia fundingDEB1936960DEB1936971Yang YHeberling JMPrimack RBRosche CLee BRKuebbing SEMiller TKfalseWildflower phenological escape differs by continent and spring temperature.Temperate understory plant species are at risk from climate change and anthropogenic threats that include increased deer herbivory, habitat loss, pollinator declines and mismatch, and nutrient pollution. Recent work suggests that spring ephemeral wildflowers may be at additional risk due to phenological mismatch with deciduous canopy trees. The study of this dynamic, commonly referred to as "phenological escape", and its sensitivity to spring temperature is limited to eastern North America. Here, we use herbarium specimens to show that phenological sensitivity to spring temperature is remarkably conserved for understory wildflowers across North America, Europe, and Asia, but that canopy trees in North America are significantly more sensitive to spring temperature compared to in Asia and Eu2022-01-01T00:00:00Z2022 Nov2026-06-03T13:20:06.112Z2025-04-19T04:20:47.281ZS-EPMC96844533641832710.1038/s41467-022-34936-9