Perennial Flowers That Bloom in Winter

 7 Best Perennial Flowers That Bloom in Winter

Winter's shorter days and lower temperatures may reduce the amount of time we spend in the garden, but when we do get out and about in bundles, the sight of some colorful flowers can really brighten our outlook. Surprisingly, there are many perennials that bloom in the winter and early spring weeks, withstanding the cold temperatures and adding dazzling color to a drab landscape. Add some winter-blooming plants near a door, outside a kitchen window, or along a path that you can overlook during the colder months.

1. Pansies

Often grown as annuals, pansies (Viola spp.) are actually perennials, although they are short-lived because they don't tolerate high heat. Planted in fall, they bloom for several weeks, taking a break during the cooler months. Once the sun comes out and the temperature rises they will start blooming again. In warmer regions, pansies often bloom throughout the winter.

There are many varieties and color choices, but all have a unique cheerful flower that resembles a face. Plant pansies in full sun to partial shade and in well-drained soil. They add cheerful color and texture to the front of beds or in containers in USDA hardiness zones 3-9.

2 Snowdrops

Grown from bulbs, snowdrops (Galanthus spp.) offer the promise of spring as their bold little flowers make their way up through the cold winter ground, often through the snow. Their bell-shaped white flowers are composed of six petals; The outer three are pure white, and the inner three sport green tips. Common Snowdrop (Galanthus nivalis) blooms from January to March. It grows 6-9 inches tall, and each stem supports an inch-wide flower. Giant snowdrop (G. elwesii) blooms from February to April; Its one-and-a-half-inch flowers are borne singly on 12-inch tall stems.

Plant bulbs in fall in full sun or partial shade in moist, well-drained soil. They can be naturalized under trees or shrubs or planted in a rock garden to add winter interest. They are hardy in zones 3-8.

3. Wake Robin

Also known as the wood lily, many species of wake robin (Trillium spp.) are native to North America. The Giant wake robin (D. chloropetalum), shown here, has beautifully colored leaves on stems up to 2 feet tall. The red flower buds are usually visible in winter and open in early spring. The western wake robin (T. ovatum) has distinctive, white, three-petalled flowers that are a common sight in the shade of the mixed forests of the Pacific Northwest from late February through April. Growing on stems 8-12 inches tall, each elegant flower turns pink, purple, or red as it ages. Both of these types of wake robin are good choices for a woodland garden or shade border. The plants are dormant in summer and are hardy in zones 6-9 and 5-8, respectively.

4 Winter aconite

This small member of the buttercup family grows from a tuber. Winter aconite (Eranthis hyemalis) bears bright yellow flowers on short stems in late winter, sometimes pushing up through the snow. The deeply lobed leaves form clusters 3-6 inches tall and wide after flowering. This plant is excellent for a rock garden, the front of a border, or massed under trees or shrubs. Winter aconite tubers should be planted in late summer or fall in full sun or partial shade. They need rich, well-drained soil, and consistent moisture, and are hardy in zones 3-7.

5 Persian Violet

This tuberous plant is dormant in summer, but in fall its rounded dark green leaves, often marked with silver, remain attractive until spring. The Persian violet is actually cyclamen (Cyclamen coum) that begins to bloom in December but usually makes its best display in February and early March. Each delicate pink or white flower has five twisted petals and is borne on a slender stalk. This 3-6 inch tall perennial grows in zones 5-9 in deep shade. It is drought tolerant once established.

6 Winter iris

Soft lavender to deep purple or white, sweet-scented winter iris flowers (Iris angular) appear from late November to March, although blooms are slower in cooler weather. Plants are 12 to 18 inches tall and each flower is 2-3 inches across. Waterfall

7 Christmas rose

These evergreen perennials bloom from winter to early spring depending on where you choose and where you live (mostly early winter in warmer areas and very cold in late February or March). Even when not blooming, the Christmas rose (Hellephorus niger) offers elegant mounds of leathery, dark green leaves. The plant self-seeds and spreads slowly to become an attractive landscape. Plants grow 12 inches tall and 12 to 18 inches wide. Their long-lasting white flowers fade to pink and make wonderful cut flowers for indoor arrangements. The variety 'Cliffwood' has variegated leaves; 'Double Fantasy' has semi-double flowers. The Christmas rose prefers shady locations and loamy soil. They are easy to grow in zones 3-8 and are deer resistant.