25 Beautiful Flowering Plants That Bloom in Winter (2024)

Just because there is a chill in the air doesn’t mean that we must live in a colorless, flowerless world for the next few months. There are quite a number of flowering plants that prefer the chill of winter and will happily show off their prettiest colors while everyone else in the garden is sleeping.

Winter and early spring blooming plants ensure that it is possible to have a colorful garden year-round. If you are searching for ways to brighten up your winter garden, look no further.

Let’s take a deeper look at some of our favorite winter flowering plants that will make other winter gardeners green with envy!

Amaryllis

	botanical name Amaryllis
	plant type Perennial, Bulb
	sun requirements Full Sun to Part Sun
	hardiness zones 7-10

Amaryllis are exceptionally popular during the winter months, and especially in December. It’s hard not to encounter at least a handful of these interesting winter bloomers in a wide variety of retailers surrounding the winter holidays. They are a much-beloved plant because of the ease with which they bring a huge amount of color in a small, easy-to-maintain package.

Typically sold as a bulb in a decorative winter container. They are happiest sitting in a sunny window and produce beautiful flowers with little to no attention at all. Amaryllis bulbs make a charming hostess gift around the holidays.

Once they have bloomed and are spent, the bulbs can be dropped in the garden in a spot that gets a few hours of sun, and not only will they come back year after year, but they will also multiply over time as well!

Calendula

	botanical name Calendula
	plant type Perennial, Annual
	sun requirements Filtered Sun
	hardiness zones 9-11

These little flowers are pure rays of sunshine in the late fall and early winter. They are members of the aster family, and they are widely known for their use in skin-soothing preparations and teas. Calendula flowers also make beautiful cloth dyes with their brilliant yellow and orange petals.

Calendula are perennial in zones 9-11 and will continue to bloom through the winter months in these zones. Farther north, they should be planted in fall, and they will provide pops of color until the temperature reaches 25°F. Deadheading will encourage this plant to produce lots of flowers.

Camellia

	botanical name Camellia
	plant type Shrubs
	sun requirements Part Sun
	hardiness zones 7-10

Known as the Winter Rose, I hold a special place in my heart for these stunning winter-blooming shrubs. Camellias are very hardy and evergreen. They are also prolific bloomers in the fall and winter months. Considered hardy to zone 7, there are a handful of more cold-tolerant varieties that will be perfectly happy in zone 6.

The two most popular species are C. sasanqua, which produces smaller flowers, in great numbers, from about October through December, and C. Japonica which picks up right as C. Sasanqua is dropping its blooms, and produces larger, sometimes fragrant blooms from December through April in some cases. Camellias bring a major wow factor to the winter landscape.

Christmas Cactus

	botanical name Schlumbergera bridgesii
	plant type Succulent, Cactus, Perennial
	sun requirements Bright Indirect Light
	hardiness zones 9-11

Christmas Cactus grows better as a houseplant in most climates, but in 9-11 it can grow outdoors, year-round. It also makes a beautiful hanging plant. As long as you don’t mind bringing it in when the weather drops, it will reward you handsomely with an explosion of blooms throughout December and into January.

This interesting succulent has segmented stems that each terminates in a significantly sized bloom, usually in red, white, pink, yellow or purple. They are very easy to care for, with moderate water and light requirements, and they are lovely year-round, as they are evergreen, provided that they don’t freeze.

Crocus

	botanical name Crocus
	plant type Bulb
	sun requirements Full Sun
	hardiness zones 3-8

Crocuses are a true winter flower in every sense. Plant these small bulbs in the fall. Without a doubt, they will be among the first little leaves pushing up through the snow in late winter to early spring. Pollinators are especially fond of these plants as they provide the first bits of food after the winter’s dearth.

Crocuses like well-drained soil and will come back year after year, quickly multiplying to bring even more color to the winter garden. These flowers need a period of cold weather before they will bloom, so be sure to get them in the ground several weeks before the ground freezes. When these little violet flowers peek through the snow, they are certain to delight.

Cyclamen

	botanical name Cyclamen
	plant type Tuberous Perennial
	sun requirements Bright Indirect Light
	hardiness zones 5-8

There are different varieties of cyclamen, some of which make great houseplants and others that need cooler temperatures to produce their pretty flowers. Cyclamen like moderate watering and good drainage.

When watering, avoid pouring water over the flowers and foliage. Instead, water from below if potted, and water the ground if planted in the earth.

Cyclamen are known for their lovely leaves and upturned flowers that bloom from late fall through winter. The tropical cyclamen sold as houseplants are only tolerant down to 40°F. However, there are many varieties that are frost tolerant and will hold onto their blooms even in snowy weather. Hardy Cyclamen typically have smaller flowers than their tropical counterparts.

Daffodil

	botanical name Narcissus pseudonarcissus
	plant type Bulb
	sun requirements Full Sun or Part Shade
	hardiness zones 3-9

Daffodils are another late winter bloomer in colder zones, although some varieties are December bloomers when kept indoors and will pop up early in zones 8-9.

Also known as narcissus, these lovely flowers will come back year after year, bringing new friends along with them, creating a whole crowd of sunshine yellow-, white-, orange- and combination-colored blooms.

Drop these bulbs in the garden during the fall. If you plant them a few weeks before the first freeze, they will be in full swing by March. They have to be, after all, as they are the March birth flower! The delicate shape and gentle fragrance make these a wonderful cut flower as well. My flower girl carried a bouquet of these pretty blooms and spent the entire day with her little nose in her bouquet.

Daphne

	botanical name Daphne odora
	plant type Broadleaf Evergreen Shrub
	sun requirements Part Sun
	hardiness zones 7-9

The name Daphne calls to mind more than one literary allusion. If you’re a Bridgerton fan, you know her as the Diamond of the season. If you’re a Greek mythology buff, she is the infatuation of Apollo, a nymph associated with bodies of freshwater, and the reason laurel wreaths come to be awards of great accomplishment.

In real life, Daphne is a beautiful, evergreen plant that blooms not only in winter but spring and sometimes summer as well. These shrubs are known for their clusters of wonderfully fragrant, colorful blossoms. Daphne likes a bit of shade, and is a lovely, small shrub at maturity. They are slow growers, but very rewarding once established.

Distylium

	botanical name Distylium
	plant type Broadleaf Evergreen Shrub
	sun requirements Full Sun to Part Shade
	hardiness zones 7-9

Distylium are a relatively new plant in terms of popularity, but they are catching on quickly, particularly in the Southern United States. These compact evergreen shrubs have attractive, year-round foliage and are very tolerant of different soil conditions.

In December, they produce lots of small reddish flowers that last through the winter months. The Coppertone variety produces coppery red, new foliage, adding even more color to the garden. These plants are very hardy and have few known pests and diseases.

Dutchman’s Breeches

	botanical name Dicentra cucullaria
	plant type Herbaceous, Perennial
	sun requirements Full Sun to Part Sun
	hardiness zones 3-8

Technically a spring bloomer, Dutchman’s Breeches blooms early in the season and the plant remains attractive in the winter months. The foliage is feathery and fernlike, and the flowers look like small white pants hung out to dry.

This is a low-maintenance perennial plant that blooms easily. It likes a fair amount of sun and goes dormant after the flowers fall, making room for late spring and summer flowers. All parts of Dutchman’s Breeches are toxic to humans and most animals, so it’s best to keep this one out of reach of children.

Glory of the Snow

	botanical name Chionodoxa forbesii
	plant type Bulb
	sun requirements Part Sun
	hardiness zones 3-8

Glory of the Snow gets its name for being one of the earliest bloomers of the year and is known to pop right up through the snow if it gets the inkling that spring is on its way. This is another bulb flower that will come back year after year, and if it’s happy in its space, it will multiply and give you a great return on your investment.

The flowers are small and peer upwards toward the sun. These star-shaped blooms usually have periwinkle blue petals that fade to white in the center. There are pink varieties as well if you like a mix of colors in your garden. These pretty blossoms appear in sprays of 5-10 flowers. Give these flowers space and you will quickly have a wonderful cluster.

Lenten Rose

	botanical name Hellebores
	plant type Evergreen, Perennial
	sun requirements Full Sun to Full Shade
	hardiness zones 4-9

Hellebore, also known as Lenten Rose, is not actually a rose at all. But rather, it is a hybrid member of the buttercup family. It gets its name from its habit of blooming in late winter, around the time known to the Christian faith as Lent. It comes in a wide variety of colors and has the appearance of a small garden rose.

Hellebore are easy to care for and likes partial to full shade. This frost-friendly perennial prefers a bit of shelter for its foliage from freezing winds. All parts of this plant are toxic to humans.

Mahonia

	botanical name Mahonia
	plant type Shrub
	sun requirements Full Sun to Part Shade
	hardiness zones 6-9

Mahonia is an evergreen sometimes referred to as Dull Oregon Grape. There are about 70 species of this versatile plant. It makes a wonderful shrub with its glossy, year-round foliage which resembles holly.

Mahonia blooms at the end of winter, an early sign of spring’s arrival. When in bloom, it is very showy and cheerful. It produces lots of small yellow flowers with a wonderful fragrance. Mahonia prefers a spot that is partially shaded.

Pansies

	botanical name Viola tricolor var. hortensis
	plant type Perennial, Annual, Biennial
	sun requirements Full Sun
	hardiness zones 4-10

Pretty pansies conjure those silly talking flowers that Alice encounters on her Adventures in Wonderland. They are also my favorite edible flowers to decorate holiday cookies with.

These delicate, colorful flowers will bloom from fall through spring in warmer climates, and in cooler climates, though they take a break for the coldest months, they will be some of the earliest colors in springtime.

Pieris

	botanical name Pieris japonica
	plant type Broadleaf Evergreen Shrub
	sun requirements Full Sun to Part Sun
	hardiness zones 4-8

Pieris, or Andromeda as it is sometimes called, is another wonderful evergreen that puts out the most effort in late winter. This highly ornamental shrubby plant has broad, ovate leaves that grow in a spiral pattern on its stems. The leaves are brightly colored in shades of red and yellow, when they first appear in late spring.

Large clusters of flowers show up in late winter and early spring. The flowers are green to pink, and bell shaped, and downward facing. These flowers give way to fruit which splits to drop seeds. Pieris likes a bit of shade and a bit of shelter from cold, harsh winds that would damage its early flowers.

Poinsettia

	botanical name Euphorbia pulcherrima
	plant type Shrubs
	sun requirements Bright Indirect Light
	hardiness zones 9-11

Poinsettias are a favorite flower of the winter holiday season. It’s difficult to walk into a grocery store or nursery that time of year without tripping over a display of these brilliant, bold blooms.

Like amaryllis, Poinsettias are fun to enjoy indoors and in containers during the winter months. If you live in zones 9-11, you can plant them directly in the garden and they will come back year after year.

Poinsettias are not tolerant of cold weather, but in zone 8 I have some that come back year after year, even when the frost gets them. Poinsettias come in more than one color, although red is the most popular, there are variegated, white, yellow, and orange varieties that are equally as beautiful.

Primrose

	botanical name Primula vulgaris
	plant type Part Shade
	sun requirements Perennials
	hardiness zones 4-8

Primrose is a wonderful genus of over 500 species that may remain evergreen in the zones where they are hardy. While very cold tolerant, if the temperature is cold for very long periods of time, primrose can go dormant, but it will spring back to life as soon as things start to warm up.

Their pretty, delicate flowers grow in clusters atop rosettes of leaves and come in a variety of colors such as red, pink, blue, orange, white, yellow, and purple. They prefer partial shade, although some varieties can handle more sun than others. Primrose plants will clump and multiply over time.

Scilla

	botanical name Scilla
	plant type Bulbs, Perennials
	sun requirements Sun or Shade
	hardiness zones 4-8

Scillas, also known as wood hyacinths, are late winter to early spring bloomers. They show up around the same time as crocus. These delicate, bright blue flowers are bulb plants, so they will multiply year after year, creating a beautiful cerulean carpet.

They prefer full sun but will tolerate part shade. They can survive in full shade, but they will not produce near as many flowers without a fair amount of sunlight.

Scilla is a great addition to the winter bulb garden, with their unusual color. They are winter hardy all the way to zone 4. They are small at only 4” tall, but they make up for their stature in quantity as they reproduce quickly.

Snowdrops

	botanical name Galanthus
	plant type Perennial Bulb
	sun requirements Part Shade
	hardiness zones 3-7

Snowdrops are a true cold weather flower; they are hardy to zone 3! However, they do not tolerate warm winters, so south of zone 7 they aren’t very happy. Snowdrops, or Galanthus, are bulb flowers that need to be planted while green. They don’t like to be left out to dry.

Snowdrops are one of the earliest blooming flowers each year. They make a beautiful edge for a path or flower bed and are just as enchanting as can be with their small, white flowers that have a weeping quality. These pretty plants will multiply by offsets, which tend to clump. After a couple of years, these should be dug up and spaced out to give them room to grow.

Spring Starflower

	botanical name Ipheion uniflorum
	plant type Bulb
	sun requirements Part Sun
	hardiness zones 5-11

This pretty little plant is native to South America and blooms in early spring. A mid sized bulb flower, the blooms are expectedly, starlike, and stunning. They have 6 delicate petals which open fully to reveal a small sprinkling of stems in the center. The petals are a periwinkle blue fading to white at the center.

These pretty plants have fragrant flowers as well as foliage. The stems and leaves are reminiscent of garlic in scent. These are wonderfully resistant to pests and disease and will come back year after year, multiplying freely.

Viola

	botanical name Viola
	plant type Annual, Perennial
	sun requirements Full Sun to Part Sun
	hardiness zones 4-9

Violas and Pansies are very close cousins, coming from the same genus of plants, Violas are a wider ranging species that encompasses Pansies. In warmer climates, these sweet flowers can bloom continuously through the winter and reseed themselves, so they appear to be perennials. In colder climates, they can be planted as soon as the ground thaws, and act as flowering annuals.

Violas are commonly used as decorations on baked goods. Unfortunately, in my experience they are also a tasty treat for squirrels, but they bloom freely so they typically rebound quickly if an animal decides to snack on them.

They go dormant only in the warmest months and can bloom for more than half of the year in temperate climates.

Winter Aconite

	botanical name Eranthis hyemalis
	plant type Bulbs, Perennials
	sun requirements Full Sun
	hardiness zones 4-7

These cheerful yellow flowering plants are members of the buttercup family. They are native to Asia and Europe and are typically found in the wild at the boundaries of woodland areas. They grow in clumps of about 3”-6” tall and are one of the earliest blooming flowers of the year.

The flowers are bright yellow and resemble a strawberry blossom, but the plant is toxic, so steer children and pets away from this pretty plant. Aconite dies back completely in summer, at which time it is dormant, but it will return in the spring with little rays of golden sunshine.

Winter Heath

	botanical name Erica carnea
	plant type Shrubs
	sun requirements Full Sun
	hardiness zones 5-7

Winter Heath is a true winter bloomer, producing its stunning purple red blooms from December through February. It’s a mounding plant that sends up spikes topped with clusters of purple bell-shaped flowers with a burgundy protrusion in the center. This is a hardy and easy to grow winter wonder.

A wonderful groundcover for sunny spaces, Winter Heath is native to Europe where, in the wild, it grows on rocky terrain. It loves well drained and slightly sandy, acidic soil.

The plant is evergreen, so it retains its attractive green foliage year-round. Very low maintenance, Winter Heath is resistant to pests and attractive to pollinators.

Winter Jasmine

	botanical name Jasmine nudiflorum
	plant type Climbers, Shrubs
	sun requirements Full Sun to Part Shade
	hardiness zones 6-10

Winter Jasmine can bloom as early as January, and its brilliant yellow flowers will chase away the gloomiest of winter days. While this variety has none of the scent that is loved in most varieties of jasmine, it has all the looks, and it is very easy to grow.

Native to China, Winter Jasmine is nicknamed Yingchun, which translates to ‘The flower that welcomes spring.’ It is considered a vining plant but has more of a draping habit than truly climbing.

Keep an eye out for aphids and mealybugs who love this plant for its availability in a period of dearth. Neem oil or other insecticidal soaps make a good treatment for these insects.

Witch Hazel

	botanical name Hamamelis
	plant type Shrubs, Trees
	sun requirements Full or Filtered Sun
	hardiness zones 3-8

You may recognize this plant as an ingredient in many cosmetic products where it is prized for its astringent and anti-inflammatory properties. The North American Witch Hazel is commonly called winterbloom for its habit of blooming… in the winter! It actually begins blooming in late fall and is commonly the last of the fall flowers.

Witch Hazel has fun and interesting flowers. The blooms are bright yellow with very thin, delicate petals. The flowers are faintly fragrant as well as visually interesting. This plant has a rich history of use in many facets of human use among Native Americans as well as early American settlers.