Woodie’s Picks: Plants Budding Now & Blooming Soon
With just a little over four weeks until spring, you are likely feeling eager for the explosion of blooms that comes with the start of the season. If you are looking to secure some of the earliest spring bloomers in your landscape, you’ve come to the right place.
In this week’s installment of Woodie’s Picks, we decided to highlight four plants that are covered in buds and will be the first to bloom in early spring! Just as the early bird gets the worm, the early gardener gets the blooms! Keep reading to learn more about bloom timing and our favorite March and April early blooming plants!
How Do Plants Know When to Bloom?
Ever wondered how plants seem to know precisely when to flower? You’re not alone! Before we unveil our favorite early spring bloomers, let’s take a quick look at the fascinating science behind bloom timing.
For over 80 years, scientists have studied how plants synchronize their flowering patterns. It turns out that a combination of molecular events, circadian rhythms, and seasonal changes in sunlight all play a role. Like humans and animals, plants follow an internal biological clock that aligns with Earth’s 24-hour day/night cycle and its 365-day orbit around the sun. This built-in timing mechanism is coded into their DNA!
In addition to their natural circadian rhythm, plants use a light-sensitive protein called FKF1 to detect changing day lengths. This protein activates only at specific times of the day, triggering a genetic chain reaction when daylight hours extend. This process signals the plant that spring has arrived, and it’s time to bloom!
4 Early Spring Bloomers You’ll Love
1. Pieris ‘Mountain Fire’ – A Fiery Start to Spring
For a shrub that sets your garden ablaze with color, look no further than Pieris ‘Mountain Fire’. This stunning evergreen is a two-season showstopper featuring fiery red new growth that gradually matures to a deep, glossy green. In early spring, it bursts into bloom with cascading clusters of delicate, white, bell-shaped flowers. Right now, our Pieris ‘Mountain Fire’ plants are loaded with bead-like buds—ready to explode into beauty in just a few weeks!
2. April Dawn Camellia – Cold-Hardy Elegance
The April Dawn Camellia is a must-have for any spring garden. This evergreen shrub thrives in USDA zones 6-9, producing fragrant double blooms with white and pink candy-striped petals. Unlike many other plants, it holds its buds through chilly conditions, ensuring a spectacular floral display even in unpredictable spring weather. Not only is this camellia breathtaking, but
it’s also deer-resistant, drought-tolerant, and adaptable to various soil types and light conditions—making it a perfect low-maintenance choice!
3. Purple Beauty Creeping Phlox – A Carpet of Color
For effortless ground coverage with a pop of deep purple, plant Purple Beauty Creeping Phlox! This hardy perennial creates a lush, low-growing carpet that thrives on hillsides, slopes, and garden borders.
Not only is it drought-tolerant and deer-resistant, but it also attracts essential early-season pollinators. If you’re looking for a low-maintenance way to add early spring color, this creeping phlox is a top pick!
4. Edgeworthia Chrysantha – The Stunning ‘Paper Bush’
Last but certainly not least, meet the Edgeworthia Chrysantha, commonly known as the Paper Bush.
This unique deciduous shrub boasts smooth brown branches adorned with spherical buds that soon unfurl into fragrant golden-yellow blooms. Its striking, almost sculptural appearance makes it a standout in any regenerative landscape. For best results, plant Edgeworthia in moist, well-drained soil with partial shade, either as a focal point or in mass plantings for an unforgettable early-season display.
Shop Early Bloomers & Jumpstart Your Spring Garden!
Why wait for April showers to bring May flowers when you can enjoy stunning blooms even sooner? Get a head start on spring by shopping our early-blooming trees, shrubs, and perennials today. Your dream garden is just a few clicks away—order now and bring vibrant color to your landscape as soon as the season begins!