Winter Bloomers: These plants bloom in winter

The garden is often gray and bare in winter - but not with winter flowers! You can find out which plants also produce flowers in winter in our overview of winter bloomers.

In winter the garden is often gray and dreary - but that doesn't have to be the case: winter bloomers provide colorful accents in winter and enchant us with their bright blossoms. In our article today we present you the most beautiful winter bloomers for your garden.

What are winter bloomers?

Plants that bloom from the end of November to the beginning of February are called winter flowering plants. However, these are not just winter-blooming perennials - trees and bushes can also be winter-blooming. What many winter-flowering plants have in common is their high robustness, especially with regard to low temperatures: Most winter-flowering plants are extremely cold-tolerant.

Tip: Winter-flowering plants are often themselves very robust against cold and wind, but their flowers are not always so. Anyone hoping for extraordinary blooms in winter should therefore look for a location that is as sheltered from the weather as possible.

What flowers bloom in winter

Flowers that bloom in winter? It really does exist - some plants wear colorful flowers even in snow and cold. We present the most beautiful winter bloomers among the flowers here.

1. Christmas rose (Helleborus niger)

The Christmas rose is a real classic among winter blooming flowers and a well-known favorite in the garden. The Christmas rose often shows its snow-white flowers in December, which is why it is one of the classic ones Christmas plants is counted. Although the winter-blooming perennial looks quite delicate, it proves to be surprisingly robust and often blooms even in snow and ice.

Only the right one Location for the Christmas rose Care should be taken: It prefers an alkaline to neutral soil rich in nutrients and humus that is neither too dry nor prone to waterlogging. In addition, a partially shaded location is ideal for this plant. If such a place can be offered to the white winter bloomer, the Christmas rose enriches every garden with its beautiful flowers. But not only people love the Christmas rose - due to its long, early bloom from December to March, the winter bloomer is an important source of food for bees.

2. Spring rose (Helleborus orientalis-Hybrids)

Closely related to the Christmas rose, the spring roses are also among the classic winter bloomers in the garden. Although the spring rose begins to bloom at the beginning of February (and earlier in mild weather) a little later than that of the Christmas rose, this is the case Particularly nice to look at: In addition to the classic white and creamy yellow flowers, there are also variants with bright pink or black and red Blossoms. The colorful spring roses not only beautify the garden, but also attract numerous beneficial insects such as bees and bumblebees, which find a good source of food there. If you want to plant the winter bloomers, you should put on a permeable, humus-rich clay soil with a slightly alkaline to neutral pH value. Lenten roses also prefer partial shade under deciduous trees or bushes.

3. Snow heather (Erica carnea)

Pink bell flowers are the hallmark of the Snow heather. From November onwards you can already see the colored flower buds clearly on the plant. However, the main blooming season of the pink winter bloomer does not begin until February and can then extend into March. This early and long flowering makes the winter-blooming heather an important source of nutrition for insects. But the snow heather, which actually belongs to the dwarf shrubs, is also popular with people: The Winter bloomer is equally suitable as a container plant on the balcony as it is for the garden or as a ornate Grave planting in winter.

In order for the snow heather to develop its full potential, a sunny to partially shaded location with moderately dry, well-drained soil is recommended. Particularly when growing the winter bloomer in the tub, care should be taken to ensure good drainage - the snow heather reacts very sensitively to waterlogging.

4. Early spring cyclamen (Cyclamen coum)

The early spring cyclamen is a pretty perennial among the winter bloomers: it enchants with its delicate white, pink or carmine-red flowers Cyclamen species Humans as well as bees, which find plenty of pollen and nectar in the plant. Depending on the weather, the early spring cyclamen sometimes shows its delicate flowers as early as December, but its flowering time usually extends from January to March. In order for the winter bloomer to feel comfortable, the location is particularly important: a permeable and humus soil, as well as a protected, partially shaded place in the garden are ideal for Early spring cyclamen. So you can grow the winter bloomer wonderfully in pots, if you pay attention to a protected location.

5. Snowdrop (Galanthus)

Snowdrops are common in our gardens. Yet did you know that there are 20 different ones Snowdrop species and there are almost 800 different types of snowdrop? This not only includes Early bloomer like the common snowdrop (Galanthus nivalis), but also real winter bloomers. The Queen Olga Snowdrop (Galanthus reginae-olgae) shows its white flowers from October to January, for example, and is partially hardy here too. The Voronov snowdrop is also one of the winter bloomers in the garden (Galanthus woronowii), which shows its pretty flowers from January to April. As typical forest plants, almost all snowdrop species prefer a sheltered place Deciduous trees where they are shaded in summer but enough light falls on them in winter and spring. In addition, the winter bloomers prefer a loose, humus-rich soil that does not dry out in summer. If you plant the snowdrop in such a location, it is usually extremely vital and robust.

Which bushes bloom in winter?

Some trees and bushes add a splash of color in winter when they suddenly open their buds. So it's no wonder that winter flowering shrubs and trees are popular with many gardeners. We have put together the most beautiful winter flowering trees for your garden in our list for you.

1. Scented snowball ‘Dawn’ (Viburnum x bodnantense ‘Dawn’)

With its light pink flowers, which also spread a pleasant aroma, the Dawn ’scented snowball is a real eye-catcher in the garden. As a winter bloomer, the Dawn ’scented snowball shows its flowers from January to April, in mild winters often even from November. The winter blooming shrub with pink flowers not only enchants people - insects are also attracted by the fragrant flowers. With a size of almost three meters, the shrub is suitable for almost any garden if you give it the right one Location can offer: Sunny or partially shaded and sheltered from the wind should be the ideal location for the Dawn ’scented snowball be. In addition, a permeable, nutrient-rich soil is an advantage, even if the winter flowering shrub is considered to be very robust and adaptable.

2. Winter honeysuckle (Lonicera x purpusii)

The winter honeysuckle shows its creamy yellow tubular blossoms as early as January and is a beautiful sight in the garden. But the winter-flowering honeysuckle is not only something for the eyes - the nose also enjoys the intense honey scent that the flowers exude from January to April. Even early wild bees, butterflies and bumblebees are literally attracted by the sweet scent of the yellow winter bloomer, which is why it is an important bee pasture. With a maximum height of two meters and compact growth, the winter honeysuckle is also well suited for smaller gardens. This is where the winter bloomer feels most comfortable when it is provided with a partially shaded place with loose, humus-rich soil.

3. Chinese winter bloom (Chimonanthus praecox)

the Chinese winter bloom opens her bright flowers from January to March (in mild winters even from December). The winter bloomer with the yellow star flowers also impresses with its vanilla scent, which floats through the garden on sunny days. In contrast to many other winter flowering shrubs, the Chinese winter flowering is completely through to pollination Beneficial insects, which is why they have plenty of nectar and pollen for early-flying bees, bumblebees and butterflies ready.

The approximately two meter high shrub thrives particularly well if it is planted in a sunny to partially shaded location. In addition, the place should be protected as much as possible, as the plant can react sensitively to temperatures below -10 ° C. A loose, sandy-loamy soil with balanced soil moisture makes the location perfect for the Chinese winter bloomer.

4. Slimeberry (Sarcococca confusa)

Even if the names slime berry or meat berry sound daunting at first glance, Behind it is an evergreen winter bloomer, which is definitely an asset to the garden proves. The filigree, cream-colored flowers - which the shrub shows from mid-January to March - make the plant a real eye-catcher. With a height of only 50 to 150 cm, the slime berry is particularly suitable for small gardens. Partially shaded or shady locations are ideal for the plant, but it prefers acidic to neutral soil, which can be well moist, permeable and rich in nutrients.

If you are looking for a winter bloomer among the bushes, you cannot ignore the ‘Winter Sun’ mahonia: the bush lives up to its name and adorns itself from January to March with numerous bright yellow Flower clusters. In addition to their ornate appearance, the flowers also have a sweet honey scent and are considered valuable bee pasture. With a maximum size of 1.50 meters, the Oregon grape is also suitable for smaller gardens - here the winter bloomer with its evergreen leaf decoration also proves to be more attractive in summer Garden dwellers.

In order for the Oregon grape ‘Winter Sun’ to feel comfortable, a partially shaded or shady location protected from the wind is necessary, even in winter. As far as the soil is concerned, the winter bloomer is quite tolerant, even if it prefers nutrient-rich, humus-rich soils.

6. Winter cherry (Prunus subhirtella ‘Autumnalis’)

For many gardeners, cherry blossoms are one of the most beautiful sights of the year. The winter cherry, which opens its first pre-blossoms in November and finally blossoms into May, makes many hearts beat faster. The winter-flowering ornamental cherry impresses with its numerous pink-colored buds and delicate white flowers, which are adorned with striking pink-colored calyx tubes. With a height of up to six meters and the picturesquely spreading crown, the winter blooming tree is wonderfully suitable as a decorative house tree. In the right location, the tree is also extremely robust. A sunny place with fresh, chalky clay soil is ideal for the winter cherry, which is generally considered to be quite undemanding. The winter bloomer is not only popular with humans - insects also appreciate the plant as an early source of food.

7. Japanese witch hazel (Hamamelis japonica)

The Japanese witch hazel is probably one of the best-known representatives of the winter flowering shrubs. No wonder, after all, the three-meter-high shrub with its thread-like, primrose-yellow flowers from January to March is a real eye-catcher. Insects in particular are attracted to the witch hazel because the winter bloomer promises plenty of food. who the Plant witch hazel should pay attention to the right location: sunny or shady, the plant is ideally placed in a sheltered place in the garden. In addition, the Japanese witch hazel prefers fresh, nutrient-rich and well-drained soil with a weakly acidic to neutral pH value.

Not only winter bloomers can decorate our garden with their colorful flowers. We reveal in our article about which plants convince with their blooming splendor Spring bloomer.