However, the 2026 New Year Plant Hunt shows that hundreds of plant species are now flowering in midwinter. Picture: Dan RyanThis New Year’s plant hunters found an astonishing 663 different plant species in bloom in the first days of January. 3-year old Ezri Jones uses a magnifying glass to check flowers on her New Year Plant Hunt. Dandelions and daisies were the most commonly recorded flowering species in the first days of January. This year, it was the 33rd most frequent plant recorded on Irish New Year Plant Hunt lists.

Source: Irish Examiner January 28, 2026 14:18 UTC