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Writer's pictureCaroline Wilson

Liven Up Your Yard with Trees & Shrubs that Bloom in Cooler Months

Updated: Feb 21, 2023

After a long winter, early March blooms are always a welcome treat. Trees & shrubs that bloom in cooler months are a great way to incorporate late-winter flowers into your yard for years to come. Below are some of our favorite trees & shrubs that typically bloom this time of year.



Winter Daphne
Winter Daphne

Winter Daphne

An evergreen shrub with VERY fragrant blooms - a great shade garden option.



Japanese Magnolias

We carry both Ann (with slightly fragrant red-purple blooms) and Star Magnolias (with fragrant white blooms), which both bloom before leafing out. These large shrubs are a beautiful statement to the yard!



Eastern Redbud

This native small understory tree blooms pinkish-purple flowers on old wood and all along the branches. The blooms are rich in nectar and pollen - an important food source for early bees!



Japanese Andromeda, aka Pieris
Japanese Andromeda, aka Pieris

Japanese Andromeda, aka Pieris

A small to medium sized evergreen shrub in the heath family with long chains of blooms. A bee magnet, the blooms have a light, sweet smell.




Flowering Dogwood

We'll have varieties 'Spring Grove' (large white blooms) and 'Cherokee Brave' (red blooms that fade to soft pink with white center), and may have some additional cultivars later in the season. These showy native trees are a favorite for people and animals alike - in addition to the amazing spring blooms, they provide bright red berries for birds and the foliage turns a lovely deep red in fall.



Evergreen Azalea

A great foundation plant with many different blossom colors to choose from. The south's favorite shrubs!



Forsythia
Forsythia

Forsythia

A deciduous shrub with early yellow blooms, this is a tough and reliable option and a wonderful harbinger of spring!


Serviceberry
Serviceberry (Photo: NC State Extension)

Serviceberry

We carry Allegheny Serviceberry, Shadblow Serviceberry and Downy Serviceberry. All are small trees with lovely white blooms. The fruits are reminiscent of blueberries and quite tasty for humans as well as birds!



Camellias
Camellias

Camellia

This evergreen shrub is prized for its stunning blooms reminiscent of peonies, and we love it for the glossy foliage as well as such large showy blooms when most surroundings are still brown! Some varieties bloom late fall into early winter while others start in late winter to early spring.



Flowering Cherry
Flowering Cherry

Flowering Cherry

Painters is carrying several ornamental flowering cherry options this season. All bloom before leafing out and attract a wide range of pollinators. Loose blooms often "snow" down on the landscape on breezy days. The leaves of cherries turn shades of yellow/orange in the fall. A great specimen to add to your yard!


  • Prunus serrulata 'Kwanzan' - Some of the showiest blooms of all the flowering cherries, deep pink double-blossoms. Upright tree form.

  • Prunus serrulata 'Snowgoose' - Clusters of fragrant white blooms. Upright tree form.

  • Prunus x subhirtella 'Autumnalis' (aka Higan Cherry) - White/pink blooms on upright tree form.

  • Prunus x 'Okame' - One of the most desirable flowering cherries - this is the star of the "Cherry Blossom Festival" in Washing D.C.! Clusters of pink blooms with a soft fragrance on upright tree form.

  • Prunus x yedoensis 'Shidare-Yoshino Weeping Cherry' - Graceful weeping habit with clusters of bright white blooms.

  • Prunus subhirtella var. pendula 'Weeping Higan Cherry' - Graceful weeping habit with clusters of soft pink blooms.



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1 Comment


blstanley
Mar 09, 2022

I can't get the "available trees and shrubs" link to work. Will you have winter daphne for sale? I'm looking forward to seeing you soon!

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