Which are the most gorgeous winter flowers?
Winter doesn’t mean that your garden has to look brown, bare, and depressing. Many winter flowers bloom during the coldest, darkest times of the year, just when you need color the most. Some of them, such as bulbs, need to be planted in the fall to make flowers in the winter, while others can be planted in the early to late fall before cold temperatures set in for the year.
Winterberry and snowdrops are obvious choices—after all, they have those names for a reason. Gorgeous winter flowers like ornamental kale can bring lovely texture and unexpected color to your winter garden. And some varieties of shrubs like witch hazel and fragrant flowers like camellias bloom in the middle of winter.
This being said, whether you live in the sunny south or the snowy north, there’s a winter flower that will grow in your garden. It’s important, though, to ensure you’re planting shrubs or perennials that are suited to withstand the winter months in your USDS hardiness zone.
Without further ado, here are some gorgeous winter flowers that will thrive even when snow is on the ground. Check this out!
1. Winter aconite
Winter aconite is a lovely tuberous perennial that bursts from the ground in early February, when borders can be a little bare. The cup-shaped, upward-facing, golden yellow flowers are a welcome source of cheery color that is a sight for sore eyes. The foliage of rich green leaves emerges after the flowers.
These gorgeous winter flowers look best grown en masse under trees in a natural setting where they combine well with snowdrops. They can be tricky to establish, but once they settle, winter aconite will spread naturally.
2. Winterberry
It’s not really a flower, but the red berries of winterberry make this a must-have for any winter garden. A slow-growing shrub native to the eastern United States with a rounded upright growth habit, winterberry usually grows 3 to 15 feet tall and readily spreads and suckers to form large thickets.
Make sure to buy both a female and male plant (so that pollination occurs) if you want berries. Your garden will be lovely, even in winter!
3. Pansies and violas
These two are undoubtedly two of the most delightful of all flowers to grow. With their superbly, almost hand-painted-looking dainty flowers, they are a sight for sore eyes. You can find them in just about every color of the rainbow, with many having multicolored blooms. Pansies feature larger flowers and leaves than violas.
As some of the most gorgeous winter flowers, they bloom for most of the cold season in mild climates, and some varieties perk up in the spring in cold climates. They are technically annuals, but many types drop seeds, so they will pop up again the next spring.
4. Daffodils
Daffodils, also known by their botanical name, narcissus, are reliable and easy-growing flowers. These gorgeous winter flowers are usually the first ones to show up in the early spring, heralding the arrival of longer, brighter days ahead. However, depending on where you live, daffodils may bloom as early as February.
There are many different varieties, some blooming as early as January and others as late as May. They also come in many colors and forms, apart from the usual yellow trumpets, which are the most common.
With their star-shaped blooms and lovely yellow petals, these gorgeous winter flowers are bound to delight you even when the setting is dark and cold.
5. Lily-of-the-Valley shrub
If you want to give your landscape the perfect backdrop through the seasons, the lily of the valley shrub is the perfect match. This broadleaf, evergreen shrub has its name from the perennial lily of the valley, both of which feature pendulous chains of pickerel flowers.
While it may not be as fragrant as the lily of the valley, the bush has a sweet, light scent. It also blooms when least expected in mid- to late winter. Hundreds of bell-shaped flowers dangle from fine stems on this lovely evergreen shrub, sprucing up the whole setting.
Read on to discover other gorgeous winter flowers!
6. Camellia
The camellia is a charming flowering evergreen shrub with dark leaves and large, lush blossoms that crop up and bloom for a couple of weeks during the fall through early spring periods in warmer climates.
These gorgeous winter flowers are ranked as one of the best flowering shrubs, and we cannot help but agree! There are lots of varieties to choose from, with pink, red, and white flowers, which can either be single or double.
Make sure to pick a winter-blooming kind that is hardy in your part of the country.
7. Winter Jasmine
The golden yellow flowers of winter jasmine are a welcome distraction from dreary winter days. The hardiest of the jasmines, its blooms aren’t as fragrant as other members of the family, but they make up for this by emerging very early in the cold season—sometimes as early as January.
While generally pest and disease-free, this lovely vine occasionally suffers from aphids and mealybugs. A good insecticidal soap should do the trick. Apart from that, you don’t have to do something special because winter jasmine doesn’t require too much attention.
8. Primrose
The Primula genus contains at least 500 varieties and an almost infinite number of cultivars and hybrids. Most are short-lived perennials. They usually share a similar shape—rosettes of dark green leaves with outstanding umbrels of colorful flowers that arise in late winter to early spring, depending on your part of the country.
Of course, not every type can survive winter, so make sure you choose one that can withstand the cold temperatures in your USDA hardiness zone.
Primroses are some of the most gorgeous winter flowers you can have in your garden, and they will provide a carpet of color in a variety of sizes and forms to make an attractive feature of any area.
9. Crocus
Popping up from bulb-like structures called corms, crocuses are low-growing perennial flowering plants from the iris family that emerge year after year for at least five years. In many regions, they mark the arrival of spring.
These gorgeous winter flowers can often be seen peeking up through the snow before any other flowers come into sight in January, February, or March, depending on how harsh the winter is.
Carpets of the small purple, white, and yellow flowering corms make a lovely display from late winter onward, bringing a burst of color to the garden. They are favorites of digging rodents, though, so make sure to plant them inside a cage made of chicken wire or other bulbs that the unwanted visitors don’t like, such as daffodils and nearby.
If you’re looking for a good fertilizer to give your flowers a boost, here’s one that has received many good reviews.
10. Snowdrops
Some of the most gorgeous winter flowers, snowdrops, are a sight for sore eyes when emerging through the snow. They are often heralded as the first sign of spring, blooming as early as January and February.
Although known for their tiny, white bell-shaped flowers, there’s a wide range of snowdrops to grow. Snowdrop enthusiasts will collect different varieties, featuring flowers in different sizes and with different numbers of petals and color changes.
These gorgeous winter flowers must be planted in the fall for an early spring show. They look best in a rock garden or at the front of borders.
11. Hellebores
Hellebores are among the earliest flowers to bloom, welcoming spring with their lovely, rose-like blossoms. Their foliage is thick, and evergreen, and creates a low-lying climb with palm-like leaves and lobes.
Despite their delicate appearance, they are tough as nails, and with a good mix of varieties, you can have hellebores adorning your garden from Christmas through Easter.
If you liked our article on gorgeous winter flowers, you may also want to read 6 Best Plants to Keep Deer Away From Your Garden.
