Most gardens slumber under frost and snow during winters. However, certain resilient flowers not only survive but thrive in chilly temperatures. These remarkable botanical wonders turn winter into a season of vibrant bloom.
Cyclamen
Cyclamen is filled with shades of pink, white, and red and fills the gardens from November through April. These hardy perennials reach heights of 4 to 6 inches, making them perfect for planting along walkways or in pots. If you live in USDA zones 5-9, you can grow these plants outdoors as the temperatures don’t drop below -20°F. This plant can handle temperatures right down to the freezing point without dying.
Winter Jasmine
This climber grows during the winter from December through March. Growing 4 to 15 feet tall, the Winter Jasmine is a bright yellow color. It flourishes in zones 6-10. Although it is not a fragrant flower, this variety focuses on visual impact. It has flexible green stems that remain attractive year-round. You can train it along walls or allow it to spill over retaining walls.
Christmas Cactus
Christmas Cactus is an indoor plant that you can grow during winter. It produces tubular flowers in vibrant pink, red, white, or purple from November through January. Perfect for zones 9-11 outdoors or any zone as a houseplant, these epiphytes grow 6-12 inches tall and prefer bright, indirect light. Their segmented stems and long-lasting flowers make them an excellent choice to grow during the holiday season.
Winter Aconite
Winter Aconite are yellow-cut flowers that bloom from January through March. They grow to a height of 3-6 inches and they thrive in zones 4-7. These flowers naturalize readily in woodland settings and perform best in partial shade with rich and well-draining soil.
Dutchman’s Breeches
These woodland flowers grow as early as February in zones 3-7, reaching heights of 6-12 inches. Their distinctive white blooms resemble tiny pairs of pants hanging upside down. They appear above ferny blue-green foliage. You should keep this flower in partial or full shade. Dutchman’s Breeches are native perennials. They naturalize easily and bloom for 3-4 weeks in late winter to early spring.
Cornflowers
These azure flowers grow during chilly winters in zones 7-10. They grow from December through March when sown in autumn. Cornflowers grow 1 to 3 feet in length. They have striking blue flowers that provide essential nectar for early pollinators. They self-seed readily and perform best in full sun with well-draining soil.
Primrose
Primroses bloom from January through March in zones 4-8. They are known as harbingers of spring and grow 4 to 6 inches tall. Primroses form clusters of yellow, pink, purple, or white flowers. These woodland natives prefer partial shade and rich, moisture-retentive soil. They create carpets of color in late winter gardens.
Camellia
Camellias produce exquisite roses-like flowers from December through March. They grow 6 to 12 feet tall in zones 7-10. Camellias offer glossy evergreen foliage year-round. Their flowers range from pure white to deep red, with many varieties featuring formal double forms.
Pansies and Violas
Pansies and violas brighten the gardens from October through April in zones 4-8. They grow 4 to 8 inches in length and in countless color combinations of purple, yellow, white, and blue. These hardy plant varieties thrive through winter’s chill and add bright color to your pots, planters, and garden edges.
Snowdrops
Snowdrops emerge as early as January in zones 3-7, reaching heights of 4 to 6 inches. These nodding white flowers often push through snow and bloom for several weeks. When you keep them in partial shade and rich-well-draining soil, the bulbs multiply readily.
Hellebores
Known as Lenten Roses, these perennials grow from January through April in zones 4-9. Hellebores grow 12 to 18 inches tall and produce nodding flowers in shades of white, pink, purple, and green. Their leathery evergreen leaves add color and texture to shaded parts of your garden all year.
Witch Hazel
This spectacular winter-blooming shrub produces spidery yellow flowers from January through March. They grow 15 to 20 feet tall in zones 5-8. Witch Hazel offers fragrant blooms on bare branches. The flowers persist for weeks and provide a pop of color and a unique look to your garden when little else is blooming.
Crocus
Crocuses often grow through late winter snow in zones 3-8. They grow just 3 to 6 inches in length and produce goblet-shaped flowers in purple, white, or yellow. Crocuses bloom from February through March. These hardy bulbs naturalize easily and perform best in full sun to light shade.
Pieris
This elegant evergreen shrub produces cascades of white or pink bell-shaped flowers from February through April. They grow 6 to 8 feet tall in zones 5-8 and offer a year-round structure with their glossy leaves. The long-lasting flowers provide nectar for pollinators.
Mahonia
This evergreen flower lights up winter gardens with fragrant yellow flowers from December through March. They grow 3 to 6 feet tall in zones 5-9. Mahona combines holly-like foliage with clusters of bright flowers. They are followed by blue-black berries that attract birds.