11 Winter-Blooming Plants
Just because winter has arrived, it doesn’t mean your garden needs to go into hibernation! These 12 winter-blooming beauties won’t be hunkering down for a long winter nap; they’ll be growing and blooming, ready to brighten up your garden even on the darkest of winter days.
A herald of spring, the Snowdrop grows up to around 7-15 cm tall. Sprouting from bulbs, the drooping bell-shaped white flowers are accompanied by two slender, erect leaves. These flowers have been noted throughout history, with references going as far back as the fourth century.
Wintersweet (Chimonanthus praecox) is an Asian shrub or tree that is occasionally confused for allspice, though the two are not related. The pale yellow flowers of this vigorous tree bloom from winter and emit a pleasant, recognizable fragrance that makes them welcome in gardens.
Winter aconite (Eranthis hyemalis) is a flowering plant in the buttercup family and is found in woodland areas in Europe. Both its common name and its scientific specific epithet recognize it as an early blooming plant and a spring ephemeral that remains dormant through much of the year. All parts of the plant are toxic to humans and other animals.
The blooms of Japanese apricot are the sign of an upcoming spring in China. They bloom in late winter on bare branches, often appearing under a blanket of snow. The tree has an important cultural significance in East Asia, while its sweet, edible fruit has various culinary uses. Many varieties of Prunus mume are cultivated worldwide as ornamental trees.
Stinking hellebore (Helleborus foetidus) is an evergreen perennial that can grow to 2 feet tall. It blooms from winter to spring with clusters of fragrant, yellowish green, cup-shaped flowers. Attractive light green foliage and flowers grow in a weeping form. Leaves have an unpleasant smell when crushed giving this plant the name Stinking hellebore. It thrives in rich, well-drained soil in a semi-shady location.
Both the foliage and the flowers of Winter heath (Erica carnea) add welcome color to a winter garden. It is suited to borders, containers, rock gardens, and banks and will bloom profusely throughout the winter. Extremely hardy, it will even bloom beneath the snow and become visible only when the snow melts.
Christmas cactus is a flowering plant that blooms around Christmastime. It has bright colors and a large number of flowers, creating a rich and cheerful holiday vibe. Its flowers are terminal on stalk apexes and have a long flowering season of up to 3 months. The flowers are multi-colored, usually purple, white, orange, and bright red. Its stalk is also peculiarly shaped like a crab leg.
The Loquat is an evergreen tree that bears delicious fruit, which share its name. Its origins lie in China, but the tree has since been introduced to a variety of locations across Asia, southern Europe, and North America. The fruit is generally eaten raw, mixed into fruit salads, or turned into jam. The seeds, however, should not be eaten. In Italy, Loquat is used to make nespolino liqueur.
Witch hazel was used quite commonly in the 20th century for locating water sources. The practice, called dowsing or water witching, is still occasionally used. In dowsing, a forked stick of Witch hazel is held perpendicular to the ground and moved slowly over it. The belief is that when a water source is directly under the stick, it will dip or jump.
Persian cyclamen (Cyclamen persicum) is a flowering herbaceous perennial native to Turkey, Israel, northern Africa and some Greek islands. The Persian cyclamen root can be combined with lime and added to lakes in order to stun fish. This method of fishing is banned in many jurisdictions.
Originally from China, Winter jasmine is prized for its wispy branches and early blooming, bright yellow flowers. This shrub spreads easily; when the branches touch the ground, they will grow roots and form a new shrub. This makes it a great choice for ground cover on banks and it will trellis easily.