Winter-Flowering Plants That Will Add Color To Your Yard

Come winter, you may think you have to close up shop and say goodbye to gardening until the weather warms up—but you don't. Instead of leaving your yard barren, choose from a wide range of winter flowering plants that thrive as the temperature drops. From climbing winter jasmine to romantic snowdrops, there's something to match every home, soil type, and level of sun exposure.

Winter Aconite

• Botanical Name: Eranthis hyemalis
• Sun Exposure: Full, partial
• Soil Type: Well-drained, organically rich
• Soil pH: Alkaline (Above 7.0)

During the gray days of late winter, winter aconite's vibrant yellow hue brings a much needed spot of sunshine. Also known as Eranthis hyemalis, this fragrant buttercup-like flower provides an early source of nectar for pollinators, a sign to all that spring is coming. Plant its tubers in drifts in a sunny or partially shaded spot with well-drained, alkaline soil in USDA plant hardiness zones 3-7. Important note: Winter aconite can cause harm if ingested, so make sure not to plant them anywhere pets or kids may wander.

Snowdrop

• Botanical Name: Galanthus nivalis
• Sun Exposure: Full, partial
• Soil Type: Organically rich clay or loam
• Soil pH: Neutral to alkaline (7.0 and above)

Aptly nicknamed for its white droplet flower heads, Galanthus nivalis grows only a few inches tall but still makes a beautiful statement when it starts blooming around February in zones 3-9. Snowdrops need a cold spell below 20 degrees Fahrenheit in the winter to germinate, so they may not last as long in the southern part of this range. For the best results, plant it in fall or spring under a tree or shrub so it has partial shade.

Japanese Quince

• Botanical Name: Chaenomeles japonica
• Sun Exposure: Full
• Soil Type: Well-drained loam, clay, or sandy soil
• Soil pH: Acidic to neutral (3.7-7.0)

Japanese quince, also referred to as Chaenomeles japonica, is a hardy shrub with delicate flowers that can be reddish-orange or warm white. They do their best in full sun from late winter to early spring, but can also tolerate a little shade and still grow to 3 feet. The flowers last just under two weeks and then produce tiny edible fruits. This plant is popular because it takes little watering, tolerates most soils in zones 5-9, and is generally easy to grow.

Algerian Iris

• Botanical Name: Iris unguicularis
• Sun Exposure: Full, partial
• Soil Type: Well-drained
• Soil pH: Neutral to alkaline (7.0 and above)

The Iris unguicularis is beloved for its violet flowers with yellow and white centers that can start blooming in late fall and continue on and off until early spring. Not as cold hardy as bearded irises, this iris is evergreen in zones 7-9. Plant it in well-drained soil in full or partial sun, then get ready to enjoy its sweet fragrance.

Eastern Cyclamen

• Botanical Name: Cyclamen coum
• Sun Exposure: Partial, dappled
• Soil Type: Well-drained, loamy
• Soil pH: Slightly acidic to slightly alkaline (5.5-8.0)
  

Cyclamen coum is just the pop of pink (or red or white) your winter needs. Just as perfect potted indoors as it is planted under a tree or shrub, the most important thing is that it has sufficient drainage and a little bit of shade. Cyclamen are adapted to living in dry soil in summer while they are dormant. The foliage emerges each year in late fall for the cooler weather and increased moisture. Enjoy its flowers from winter to spring, particularly in zones 4-8.

Winter Jasmine

• Botanical Name: Jasminum nudiflorum
• Sun Exposure: Full, partial
• Soil Type: Well-drained clay, loamy, or sandy soil
• Soil pH: Acidic to alkaline

Perfect for dressing a wall or trellis, winter jasmine (Jasminum nudiflorum) is famous for its yellow star-shaped flower heads that smell divine. The plant typically blooms in early January and can grow up to 15 feet tall in zones 6-10. All you have to do is position it in full or partial sun in any well-drained soil.

Winter Clematis

• Botanical Name: Clematis cirrhosa
• Sun Exposure: Full, partial
• Soil Type: Well-drained but moist, organically rich
• Soil pH: Mildly acidic to mildly alkaline (6.5-7.5)

A popular blooming vine, Clematis cirrhosa produces creamy, nodding flowers that can be freckled with rich purple. Unlike its spring-blooming relatives, this species will open its flowers in December. The fast-growing vine does best in zones 7-9, with fertile soil, full sunlight, and a trellis or some kind of support. Cut it back in spring after flowering is finished.

Christmas Rose

• Botanical Name: Helleborus niger
• Sun Exposure: Partial, dappled, full shade
• Soil Type: Well-drained
• Soil pH: Slightly acidic to alkaline (6.5-7.5)

While it's formally referred to as Helleborus niger, the Christmas rose or lenten rose gets its name for how the rose-like hybrid can flower even in mid-winter. Plant it in a partially to fully shaded area in zones 3-8 with well-drained soil, and it should grow to up to 15-inches tall and can slowly spread as a groundcover. It can handle occasionally dry soil, but may need supplemental watering in summer. Fun fact: This evergreen perennial is also deer- and rabbit-resistant.

Winter-Flowering Heather

• Botanical Name: Erica carnea
• Sun Exposure: Full, partial
• Soil Type: Well-drained, sandy
• Soil pH: Acidic to neutral (7.0 and below)

Bright pink and purple flowers define the low-growing Erica carnea plant, which can be planted in the ground or in pots. Flowering Heather is fairly low maintenance, but does do best in zones 5-7 in a sunny spot with acidic or neutral soil. Avoid heavy clay soils, and amend with grit or peat if needed.

Pansies

• Botanical Name: Viola x wittrockiana, Viola spp.
• Sun Exposure: Full, partial
• Soil Type: Well-drained, organically rich, loamy, sandy loam
• Soil pH: Acidic (5.4-5.8)

Pansies are obligatory for brightening our days during the Southern winter. Their cheerful, often multi-colored faces beam at us from planters and borders from fall until frost, and then new blooms emerge just as the weather begins to warm again in late winter or early spring. Deadheading will encourage the plants to develop more blooms. Grow pansies in zones 6-10.

Witch Hazel

• Botanical Name: Hamamelis virginiana
• Sun Exposure: Full, partial
• Soil Type: Well-drained but moist, organically rich
• Soil pH: Acidic (4.5-6.8)

The golden yellow flowers of this native shrub are a ray of sunshine from late fall into winter. The leaves turn yellow and drop before the blooms appear. You can also find Hamamelis relatives of Asian origin in garden centers. Most witch hazels grow very tall and wide and are well-suited for planting as a screen. They can grow in full sun in the South in moist soil, or be planted in light shade.

Winter Daphne

• Botanical Name: Daphne odora 
• Sun Exposure: Full, partial
• Soil Type: Well-drained, sandy loam, organically rich
• Soil pH: Slightly acidic to neutral (6.5-7.0)

The wonderfully fragrant white, pink, or lavender flowers of winter daphne appear in mid or late winter. Some versions of this small, evergreen shrub have variegated leaf margins. Winter daphne requires very good drainage and moderate moisture. Though these shrubs can be short-lived, their sweet-scented perfume charms gardeners throughout zones 7-9.

Camellia

• Botanical Name: Camellia spp.
• Sun Exposure: Full, partial
• Soil Type: Well-drained, loamy, organically rich
• Soil pH: Slightly acidic (5.8-6.5)

Most Southern yards in zones 7-9 have at least one beautiful camellia shrub, and for good reason. They are easy to grow, flower in shadier areas, and have showy blooms when little else is happening in the garden. Different cultivars bloom at different times of the year, from late fall to late winter, so check the label when purchasing. If you plant one in a sunny spot, make certain it gets shade during the hottest part of the day. Camellias can be grown as a hedge or pruned into shrub form or a small tree.

Mahonia

• Botanical Name: Berberis spp.
• Sun Exposure: Partial, dappled
• Soil Type: Well-drained, loamy, organically rich
• Soil pH: Species dependent

Most mahonia shrubs have glossy, holly-like leaves and produce long, grape-like clusters of berries. Many species send out their yellow blooms in winter. The deceptively named "Oregon grape" mahonia (Berberis bealei) is not native and considered invasive in the Southeast. Fortunately, there are less seedy hybrids of this drought-tolerant, shade-loving family of shrubs, such as 'JC Raulston' (zones 6-8) and 'Winter Sun' (zones 6-9).