Flower Care Flower Facts Flower Information Seasonal Winter

22 Best Winter Flowers for Your Garden

Snowdrop flower blooming in the winter surrounded by snow

Cooling temperatures and frost don’t have to mean the end of your colorful garden until next year. We tend to associate winter with the browns and grays of empty tree branches and sleeping gardens, flowers waiting for the warm spring sun to rejuvenate them. But you can keep your garden alive and blooming even in these dreary months just by adding some of the best winter flowers. There are plenty of plants that love winter weather and produce colorful blooms and foliage while the rest of your garden is dormant.

Winter blooming flowers, especially perennials and bulbs, should be planted in fall so they have several weeks to establish themselves before the ground freezes. You can plant winter blooming bulbs along with your spring bulbs in early fall, and follow with perennials and annuals that will add color and texture to your garden throughout the drab winter months. Be sure to choose plants that are suited to your USDA hardiness zone, so your winter flowers will thrive year after year.

Whether you’re in for a snowy season or a milder southern winter, there’s a wide variety of flowers that bloom in winter and plants with beautiful foliage to liven up your outdoor spaces. If you’re unsure how a plant will do in your garden, check with your local university extension service. They can be a great resource for those tricky gardening questions – they’re like the librarians of the gardening world! So get inspired, because this is the perfect time to start planning and planting your winter garden.

English Primrose

Close-up of white primrose flower outside

Often sold as houseplants, evening primrose has a winter-hardy variety that typically blooms in March when planted outdoors. Its pale yellow blooms bloom cheerfully, preferring partial shade and growing 6 to 12 inches high and 8 to 9 inches wide.

Plant type: perennial

Exposure: partial shade

USDA hardiness zone: 4-8

Bloom time: late winter to early spring

Scilla

Close-up of blue scilla flower

These delicate bright blue flowers bloom in late winter and are popular as border flowers and in rock gardens. Also called Siberian quill flowers, scilla will grow just 3-6 inches.

Plant type: bulb

Exposure: full sun to partial shade

USDA hardiness zone: 4-8

Bloom time: late winter to early spring

Hellebore

Close-up of flowering hellebore

Hellebore is also referred to as Christmas rose or Lenten rose. The evergreen hellebore produces stunning rose-like blooms with double petals in early to late winter, depending on the climate. Warmer zones will see blooms in December, while in colder climates, blooms appear in late winter, during Lent. This showy winter flower grows 24 inches tall and wide.

Plant type: perennial

Exposure: partial to full shade

USDA hardiness zone: 4-9

Bloom time: mid to late winter

Leucojum

Close-up of white leucojum flowers

Also called spring snowflake flowers, these white bell-shaped flowers bloom in late winter, sometimes while the ground is still covered in snow. Versatile and hardy, leucojum does well in shade and in rock gardensPlant type: bulb

Exposure: shade to partial sun

USDA hardiness zone: 3-9

Bloom time: late winter to late spring

Winter Jasmine

Winter jasmine flowers on a branch

This shrub with bright yellow flowers is often mistaken for forsythia, but winter jasmine blooms earlier, and its blooms last longer, up to eight weeks. Winter jasmine is a versatile addition to your winter garden, as it can be used as a groundcover, or trained as a climbing shrub.

Plant type: shrub

Exposure: full sun to partial shade

USDA hardiness zone: 6-8

Bloom time: late winter

Winter Aconite

Winter aconite flowers growing outside

One of the earliest winter blooming flowers, winter aconite’s cheerful yellow blooms grow low, just 3-4 inches, and multiply freely once established. They make a sunny groundcover, and are especially striking next to other early bloomers like snowdrops.

Plant type: bulb

Exposure: full sun to partial shade

USDA hardiness zone: 3-7

Bloom time: February to March

Pussy Willow

Close-up of pussy willow branch

The bare branches of this shrub are dotted with small fuzzy flowers called catkins in late winter and early spring. Pussy willows are often seen as harbingers of spring, and branches full of catkins are popular in spring wreaths and flower arrangements.

Plant type: shrub

Exposure: full sun to partial shade

USDA hardiness zone: 4-8

Bloom time: late winter to early spring

Camellia

Camellia flower frosted in winter

Another winter flower sometimes associated with roses, camellia is often called the Rose of Winter. Its rose-like flowers bloom as early as December in shades of red, pink, and white, and thrive in southern gardens, lasting into the mid-spring months.

Plant type: shrub

Exposure: partial shade, avoiding afternoon sun

USDA hardiness zone: 7-10

Bloom time: mid-winter to spring

Crocus
Field of purple crocus flowers

Blooming in late winter, crocus flowers are notorious for inspiring spring fever. The blue-purple blooms burst brazenly from the cold winter soil, providing a pop of contrasting color amongst its fellow early bloomers. Cheery crocus flowers spread readily once established, and will return year after year as an exhilarating reminder that spring is around the corner!

Plant type: bulb

Exposure: full sun to partial shade

USDA hardiness zone: 3-8

Bloom time: late winter to early spring

Snowdrops

Snowdrop flowers in snow

What’s in a name? Everything in this case. Snowdrops bloom early, often sprouting up through the winter snow, with delicate but striking snow-white flowers that face downward, as if they were falling to the ground like snowflakes. They join yellow winter aconite in the earliest of winter blooming flowers, bringing a joyful mood lifter in the dreariest part of the season.

Plant type: bulbs

Exposure: full sun to partial shade

USDA hardiness zone: 3-9

Bloom time: January to March

Japanese Pieris

Japanese pieris growing outside

This shade tolerant evergreen shrub shows up beautifully in the garden year round, but is at its peak brilliance in late winter. Cascades of long flower clusters resembling lily-of-the-valley cover the shrub in a blanket of white, pink, or deep rose. The blooms last for several weeks, and as they wane, new reddish bronze foliage appears, turning glossy green as the weather warms in spring. Japanese pieris is a reliable ornamental shrub, growing 9-12 feet tall, and 6-8 feet wide.

Plant type: shrub

Exposure: full sun to partial shade

USDA hardiness zone: 5-8

Blooming time: late winter to early spring

Reticulated Iris

Close-up of violet reticulated iris

This small iris grows only 3-6 inches tall, but is big on the wow factor with brilliant royal blue flowers accented with yellow and white. Reticulated iris is a bold presence in the garden when planted in clusters, but can be slow to naturalize, so it’s recommended to plant more bulbs every year at first.

Plant type: bulb

Exposure: full sun to partial shade

USDA hardiness zone: 5-9

Blooming time: March

Winter Heath

Bunches of pink and purple winter heaths growing outside

Evergreen winter heath is a popular ground cover, blooming in early winter, even blanketing the snow with winter blooming flowers in shades of red, pink, purple, and white. The low-growing shrub spreads quickly, with dense, needle-like foliage year round.

Plant type: shrub

Exposure: full sun to partial shade

USDA hardiness zone: 5-7

Blooming time: January to March

Witch Hazel

Branch growing yellow witch hazel flowers

Witch hazel is a striking ornamental shrub, growing 10 to 20 feet tall and producing spider-like flowers in red and yellow hues that are even more eye-catching sprouting from bare branches. Blooming from late winter to spring, even in colder climates, witch hazel has foliage the rest of the year, which turns in autumn to saturated shades of yellow, orange, and red.

Plant type: shrub

Exposure: full sun

USDA hardiness zone: 4-8

Bloom Time: January to March

Glory of the Snow

Violet glory of the snow flowers growing outside

Just as your earliest winter flowers are fading away, glory of the snow comes alive with vibrant blue and white star-shaped flowers that seem to sparkle in the morning frost. Growing 6-12 inches tall, these winter blooming flowers are stunning when naturalized in rock gardens, wooded areas, and lawns.

Plant type: bulb

Exposure: full sun to partial shade

USDA hardiness zone: 3-8

Bloom time: February to March

Hardy Cyclamen

Pink cyclamen flower growing in the snow

Cyclamen is better known as a houseplant, but the hardy cyclamen, also called winter cyclamen or Persian violet, thrives outdoors, waiting patiently until winter sets in to come out in all its glory. Staying dormant throughout summer, winter cyclamen emerges first with heart shaped leaves, then delicate white or pink flowers, as early as December. Growing to just 3-4 inches, winter cyclamen self-sows and naturalizes easily, and makes a lovely winter groundcover.

Plant type: bulb

Exposure: partial to full shade

USDA hardiness zone: 4-8

Bloom time: December to March

Pansy

White pansy flower growing outside

Planted in autumn, pansies produce a riot of saturated color to your garden from fall until spring in milder climates. Though they usually stop blooming after a hard frost, pansies are known to be especially resilient, and will bloom again in late winter or early spring, giving you two seasons of this winter blooming flower.

Plant type: annual

Exposure: full sun to partial shade

USDA hardiness zone: 6-10

Bloom time: autumn, winter, spring

Ornamental Kale and Cabbage

Ornamental cabbage growing outside

These plants are all foliage, yet they bring dramatic flair to your winter garden, like one big flower, growing 12-18 inches tall and just as wide. Ornamental kale is sometimes called flowering kale because of its richly colored, frilled foliage that forms a large rosette. The leaves range in color from bluish-white to red-violet and purple, becoming deeper and richer as the temperatures drop. Though ornamental kale is edible, it’s bitter than kale that’s cultivated for food, and more often used as an edible garnish.

Plant type: Annual or biennial

Exposure: full sun to partial shade

USDA hardiness zone: 2-11

Bloom time: fall to early winter

Viola

White and violet violas growing outside

Violas are the smaller, daintier cousins of pansies, and much like pansies, are resilient enough to survive the winter or return in early spring. And just like their cousins, violas come in an impressive array of rich color combinations. They don’t do well in summer heat, so it’s best to plant them once autumn temperatures have set in.

Plant type: annual

Exposure: full sun to partial shade

USDA hardiness zone: 4-9

Bloom time: fall, winter, spring

Mahonia

Yellow mahonias flowering outside

This evergreen shrub has large, frond-like leaves and blooms in late fall to early winter, with sprays of sunny yellow blooms. They bring a splash of bright color just as the last of the fall flowers are waning. Later in winter, the flowers give way to glossy blue-black berries.

Plant type: shrub

Exposure: partial sun

USDA hardiness zone: 5-9

Bloom time: fall, winter, spring

Ipheion

Ipheion flowers growing outside

This star shaped winter flower has grassy foliage and delicate, fragrant, pale to dark blue blooms. Growing 6-8 inches, each bulb produces multiple blooms that naturalize easily.

Plant type: bulb

Exposure: full sun to partial shade

USDA hardiness zone: 5-9

Bloom time: late winter to early spring

Red Twig Dogwood

Bushes of red twig dogwood growing outside

Another one that’s not a flower, but packs a real punch in your winter landscape. Just as the name suggests, the branches of this dogwood shrub are bright red, a striking statement plant for your winter garden. Cut branches work well in winter flower arrangements and wreaths.

Plant type: shrub

Exposure: full to partial sun

USDA hardiness zone: 3-8

Decorate and Celebrate with the Best Winter Flowers

Flowers that bloom in winter truly transform outdoor spaces, bringing warmth and vibrance to your garden. Bring the winter garden indoors with winter flower arrangements incorporated into your home decor. Celebrate special occasions with a winter bouquet or plant delivery, and if you have winter birthdays on your list, the field of choices opens up. Start by checking out December’s birth flowers, and you’ll see the variety of ways to celebrate a birthday with flowers, from season to birth month to zodiac sign!

Make sure your winter bouquets and plants are fresh and will last as long as possible by ordering from The Bouqs. Our commitment to sustainability not only means sourcing from sustainable farms, fair compensation for workers, and reducing our carbon consumption, it also means you receive the freshest, longest lasting flowers, directly from the farm to your door. We’re proud to provide a range of options for every occasion, from small celebrations to big events, in every season!

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