Spring in Pop Culture
April Showers & Science
Flowers of the World
Commonly Missed Spring Facts
Brunch Season
100
Vivaldi devoted one‑quarter of “The Four Seasons” to this season
What is spring?
100
Rain clouds form when water vapor does this after cooling in the atmosphere.
What is condense?
100
This iconic flower of France is often mistaken for a lily but is actually a type of iris.
What is the fleur‑de‑lis?
100
Spring doesn’t actually start in March every year—its exact start date depends on this astronomical event.
What is the vernal equinox?
100
This brunch beverage proves that orange juice and champagne were always meant to meet before noon.
What is a mimosa?
200
This musical asks if “Springtime for Hitler” might not have been the best idea.
What is The Producers*?*
200
This term describes rain accompanied by thunder, lightning, and unsolicited pet panic.
What is a thunderstorm?
200
Japan celebrates the brief bloom of this flower with festivals, picnics, and deep philosophical acceptance of impermanence.
What is the cherry blossom (sakura)?
200
Spring allergies are caused more by this plant process than by flowers trying to ruin your life on purpose.
What is pollination?
200
This dish features poached eggs, English muffins, and hollandaise—which exists solely to test a cook’s confidence.
What is Eggs Benedict?
300
This famous line—“Hope springs eternal”—was written by this poet, not a motivational poster.
Who is Alexander Pope?
300
The smell after rain has a name—and no, it’s not “wet pavement vibes.”
What is petrichor?
300
South Africa is home to this striking flower that looks like a bird mid‑flight and clearly knows it’s the center of attention.
What is the bird of paradise (Strelitzia)?
300
Birds sing more in spring not because they’re happier, but mainly to do this very practical thing.
What is attract a mate (or defend territory)?
300
The word “brunch” is a portmanteau first popularized in the late 19th century, blending breakfast with this meal.
What is lunch?
400
This 1997 movie taught us that love, literature, and rainstorms all thrive in the spring.
What is Shall We Dance?* (or Before Sunrise *
400
This scale measures tornado intensity, not how much damage your patio umbrella takes.
What is the Fujita scale (or Enhanced Fujita scale)?
400
Native to Western Australia, this oddly named flower looks cute but is named after a nocturnal marsupial.
What is the kangaroo paw?
400
Though spring feels “longer,” this astronomical factor actually causes spring to pass faster than fall in the Northern Hemisphere.
What is Earth’s elliptical orbit around the sun?
400
This avocado‑based toast became a cultural phenomenon and was somehow blamed for killing the housing market.
What is avocado toast?
500
This 1998 romantic comedy set largely in spring helped redefine the modern rom‑com with weather‑appropriate optimism.
What is You’ve Got Mail*?*
500
Hail forms when updrafts repeatedly carry ice pellets back into freezing zones inside this kind of storm.
What is a supercell?
500
This rare corpse‑scented flower from Indonesia can take up to a decade to bloom—and then smells like regret and gym socks.
What is the titan arum?
500
The spring equinox does not give equal daylight everywhere on Earth because of this atmospheric effect.
What is atmospheric refraction?
500
Brunch became popular in the early 1900s largely because it solved this very human Sunday problem.
What is recovering from a late Saturday night (AKA hangovers)?