Mid Spring

What Blooms in April

125 plants

April is peak spring almost everywhere. Tulips hit their stride. Lilacs fill the air with a scent that lasts exactly ten days, then vanishes until next year. Bleeding hearts arc over the front of a bed with a drama that looks almost theatrical. Flowering dogwood blooms across the Southeast while cherry trees peak in the mid-Atlantic. This is the month worth planning a whole garden around.

Year-round bloom calendar

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JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
StockAnnualApr-Jun
Stock
Dense spikes of clove-scented blooms in soft pastels. Cool-season cut flower that fills a room with spicy perfume.
Z2-11
Sweet PeaAnnualApr-Jun
Sweet Pea
Ruffled, intensely fragrant climbing flowers in every pastel shade. Cool-season annual that hates heat.
Z2-11
AjugaGround CoverApr-May
Ajuga
Bronze-purple foliage with blue spikes. Fills bare shade in one season.
Z3-10
Creeping PhloxGround CoverApr-May
Creeping Phlox
An evergreen sun-loving groundcover that smothers walls, slopes, and rock gardens in dense pink, purple, blue, lavender, or white sheets every April and May.
Z3-10
DaffodilBulbMar-May
Daffodil
Cheerful trumpets that naturalize beautifully and return stronger each year.
Z3-10
HelleborePerennialJan-Apr
Hellebore
The Lenten Rose. Elegant nodding blooms that thrive in deep shade.
Z3-10
SnapdragonAnnualApr-Sep
Snapdragon
Vertical flower spikes with squeeze-open blooms. Kids love them.
Z3-10
Sweet AlyssumAnnualApr-Oct
Sweet Alyssum
Honey-scented carpet of tiny flowers. The best living edging plant.
Z3-10
ViburnumShrubApr-Jun
Viburnum
Fragrant snowball clusters in spring, then berries for birds in fall.
Z3-10
VincaGround CoverApr-Jun
Vinca
Evergreen mat with periwinkle-blue flowers. Tough shade ground cover.
Z3-10
Dwarf Crested IrisPerennialApr-May
Dwarf Crested Iris
Tiny lavender-blue iris flowers with gold crests on a spreading native ground cover. A spring woodland treasure.
Z3-9
Ice Follies DaffodilBulbMar-Apr
Ice Follies Daffodil
White petals frame a wide, ruffled cup that opens yellow and fades to cream. Multiplies fast.
Z3-9
King Alfred DaffodilBulbMar-Apr
King Alfred Daffodil
The classic golden trumpet daffodil. Naturalizes into massive sweeps that return for decades.
Z3-9
Mount Hood DaffodilBulbMar-Apr
Mount Hood Daffodil
Large pure white trumpets that age from cream to bright white. The classic white daffodil for naturalizing under trees.
Z3-9
OrnithogalumBulbApr-Jun
Ornithogalum
Star-shaped white flowers with green stripes on the back. Star of Bethlehem, naturalizes into drifts that take care of themselves.
Z4-10
Pacific Bleeding HeartPerennialApr-Aug
Pacific Bleeding Heart
Western native that blooms much longer than its eastern cousin. Ferny foliage all season.
Z3-9
Pink Charm DaffodilBulbMar-Apr
Pink Charm Daffodil
White petals around a creamy cup banded in coral pink. The most reliable pink daffodil for borders and naturalizing.
Z3-9
Tete-a-Tete DaffodilBulbFeb-Apr
Tete-a-Tete Daffodil
Miniature golden trumpets, two to three per stem, on a tiny plant. The earliest daffodil and the best one for containers and the front of the bed.
Z3-9
Thalia DaffodilBulbApr-May
Thalia Daffodil
Pure white, swept-back petals with two to three blooms per stem. Orchid-like elegance.
Z3-9
Wild ColumbinePerennialApr-Jun
Wild Columbine
Nodding red-and-yellow spurred flowers that hummingbirds love on a self-sowing native that naturalizes along woodland edges.
Z3-9
Angelique TulipBulbApr-May
Angelique Tulip
Double late tulip that looks like a small peony in soft pink and cream. Long-lasting blooms with light fragrance.
Z3-8
Anna's Red HelleborePerennialJan-Apr
Anna's Red Hellebore
Wine-red outward-facing blooms above silver-marbled foliage. Bred to face the viewer, not the ground, like older hellebores do.
Z4-9
Apeldoorn TulipBulbApr-May
Apeldoorn Tulip
Bold, goblet-shaped Darwin hybrid in scarlet with a black base. Strong stems and long-lasting.
Z3-8
AppleTreeApr-May
Apple
Fragrant white to pink flowers in spring precede a fall crop of dessert apples.
Z3-8
Apricot Beauty TulipBulbMar-Apr
Apricot Beauty Tulip
Soft salmon-apricot single early blooms with a delicate sweet fragrance. One of the first tulips to flower in spring.
Z3-8
AzaleaShrubApr-May
Azalea
Explosive spring color in every warm hue. Acid-loving woodland classic.
Z5-10
Ballerina TulipBulbApr-May
Ballerina Tulip
Lily-flowered tulip with pointed petals in vivid tangerine. Sweetly orange-scented and one of the longest-blooming tulips you can plant.
Z3-8
BergeniaPerennialMar-Apr
Bergenia
Bold rubbery leaves provide year-round structure and turn burgundy in winter. Early pink flowers arrive with the hellebores.
Z3-8
Black Parrot TulipBulbApr-May
Black Parrot Tulip
Fringed and twisted petals in deepest maroon-black. Looks more like an exotic bird than a tulip and steals every spring arrangement.
Z3-8
Bleeding HeartPerennialApr-Jun
Bleeding Heart
Arching sprays of heart-shaped flowers for shady woodland gardens.
Z3-8
BrunneraPerennialApr-May
Brunnera
Clouds of tiny forget-me-not blue flowers over heart-shaped leaves. Thrives in dry shade once established.
Z3-8
California PoppyAnnualMar-Sep
California Poppy
Golden cups that carpet hillsides across the state. Closes at night and on cloudy days.
Z5-10
CamassiaBulbApr-Jun
Camassia
Tall spikes of starry flowers rise above strappy foliage in late spring.
Z3-8
ColumbinePerennialApr-Jun
Columbine
Delicate, spurred flowers that dance on wiry stems. Hummingbird favorite.
Z3-8
Coral HoneysuckleVineApr-Sep
Coral Honeysuckle
Non-invasive native honeysuckle with brilliant coral-red tubular flowers that hummingbirds hover at for months.
Z4-9
CrocusBulbFeb-Apr
Crocus
One of the first signs of spring, pushing through snow with jewel-toned cups.
Z3-8
Dutchman's BreechesPerennialMar-May
Dutchman's Breeches
Finely cut foliage and clusters of puffy white pantaloon-shaped flowers in early spring. A charming ephemeral that disappears by summer.
Z3-8
Eastern RedbudTreeMar-Apr
Eastern Redbud
Magenta flowers erupt directly from bare branches. Spring showstopper tree.
Z4-9
Elliott's BluestarPerennialApr-May
Elliott's Bluestar
Pale blue starry flowers in spring give way to feathery foliage that turns brilliant gold in fall. Two seasons of beauty for zero effort.
Z4-9
Firecracker PenstemonPerennialApr-Jun
Firecracker Penstemon
Spikes of scarlet tubular flowers that hummingbirds fight over. Southwestern native at its finest.
Z4-9
Forget-me-notPerennialApr-Jun
Forget-me-not
Clouds of tiny sky-blue flowers carpet the ground in spring. Self-sows freely under shrubs and around tulips.
Z3-8
ForsythiaShrubMar-Apr
Forsythia
A wall of golden yellow on bare branches. Spring's loudest announcement.
Z3-8
FritillariaBulbApr-May
Fritillaria
Checkered, nodding bells with an otherworldly pattern. A collector's favorite.
Z3-8
Glory-of-the-SnowBulbMar-Apr
Glory-of-the-Snow
Star-shaped blooms that appear as snow melts. Naturalizes into drifts.
Z3-8
Grape HyacinthBulbMar-May
Grape Hyacinth
Tiny grape-like clusters that spread into rivers of blue over time.
Z3-8
Greenland TulipBulbApr-May
Greenland Tulip
Viridiflora tulip with rose-pink petals brushed by a wide green flame. One of the longest-lasting tulips in the vase and the bed.
Z3-8
HyacinthBulbMar-Apr
Hyacinth
Dense, intensely fragrant spikes. One bulb can perfume an entire room.
Z3-8
Indian PaintbrushAnnualApr-Jun
Indian Paintbrush
Bright red to orange bracts surround small flowers and glow across spring prairies.
Z4-9
Ivory Prince HelleborePerennialJan-Apr
Ivory Prince Hellebore
Outward-facing ivory blooms blushed with pink and chartreuse. Compact, tidy, and one of the longest-blooming hellebores in the catalog.
Z4-9
Jack-in-the-PulpitPerennialApr-May
Jack-in-the-Pulpit
Hooded green-and-brown striped spathe sheltering a hidden spadix. Woodland curiosity followed by red berries.
Z4-9
KerriaShrubApr-May
Kerria
Cheerful golden-yellow pompoms on bright green stems that stay vivid green all winter. One of the easiest shade-tolerant shrubs.
Z4-9
La Belle Epoque TulipBulbApr-May
La Belle Epoque Tulip
Vintage cafe-au-lait coloring with peach, cream, and dusty pink swirled together. The most photographed tulip of the last decade.
Z3-8
Lenten RosePerennialFeb-Apr
Lenten Rose
Nodding flowers in late winter when nothing else is blooming. Evergreen foliage adds year-round structure to shade gardens.
Z4-9
LilacShrubApr-May
Lilac
Intensely fragrant clusters that define spring in northern gardens.
Z3-8
Lily-of-the-ValleyPerennialApr-May
Lily-of-the-Valley
Tiny bell-shaped flowers with one of the most intoxicating fragrances in the plant world. Spreads into lush carpets under trees.
Z2-7
LungwortPerennialMar-May
Lungwort
Flowers open pink and turn blue on the same stem. Silver-spotted foliage looks great all season.
Z3-8
Mariette TulipBulbApr-May
Mariette Tulip
Lily-flowered tulip with elegant pointed petals in clear satin pink. One of the most graceful tulips for bouquets and the late-spring border.
Z3-8
Mount Tacoma TulipBulbApr-May
Mount Tacoma Tulip
Pure white double late blooms that look like peonies. The reliable white answer to Angelique with the same long vase life.
Z3-8
Onyx Odyssey HelleborePerennialFeb-Apr
Onyx Odyssey Hellebore
Fully double black-purple blooms that look almost theatrical. The darkest hellebore available, and worth the hunt to find one.
Z4-9
Penny's Pink HelleborePerennialJan-Apr
Penny's Pink Hellebore
Outward-facing rose-pink blooms with veined petals, held above marbled foliage. One of the showiest hellebores ever bred.
Z4-9
Pheasant's Eye DaffodilBulbApr-May
Pheasant's Eye Daffodil
Reflexed white petals around a tiny eye of yellow rimmed with red. Intensely fragrant heirloom, the latest daffodil to bloom each spring.
Z3-8
Princess Irene TulipBulbApr-May
Princess Irene Tulip
Glowing orange petals brushed with smoky purple flames. Mildly fragrant and one of the most unusual color combinations in any tulip.
Z3-8
Queen of Night TulipBulbApr-May
Queen of Night Tulip
The darkest tulip. Satiny, near-black maroon blooms that look almost unreal in late spring.
Z3-8
Queen of Sheba TulipBulbApr-May
Queen of Sheba Tulip
Lily-flowered tulip with pointed petals in glowing red edged with gold. Lights up the late spring border like a flame.
Z3-8
ScillaBulbMar-Apr
Scilla
Carpets of brilliant blue that naturalize under trees with zero effort.
Z3-8
Sea ThriftPerennialApr-Jun
Sea Thrift
Grassy tufts topped with round pink pom-poms. Loves lean soil and coastal conditions.
Z3-8
SpicebushShrubMar-Apr
Spicebush
Clusters of tiny yellow flowers appear on bare branches in early spring on a fragrant native shrub with blazing yellow fall color.
Z4-9
Spring Green TulipBulbApr-May
Spring Green Tulip
Viridiflora tulip with ivory petals brushed by a wide green flame. Florists adore it, gardens come alive with it, and it lasts for weeks.
Z3-8
TrilliumPerennialApr-May
Trillium
Three leaves, three petals, pure elegance. The jewel of eastern woodlands.
Z3-8
TulipBulbMar-May
Tulip
The classic spring icon in almost every color imaginable.
Z3-8
Virginia BluebellPerennialMar-May
Virginia Bluebell
Woodland ephemeral with sky-blue bells. Disappears by summer, returns faithfully.
Z3-8
Wild Blue PhloxPerennialApr-Jun
Wild Blue Phlox
Loose clusters of sky-blue flowers float above woodland floors in spring on a fragrant, mat-forming native.
Z3-8
Wild GeraniumPerennialApr-Jun
Wild Geranium
Soft pink blooms over deeply-cut foliage. A woodland edge staple.
Z3-8
WisteriaVineApr-May
Wisteria
Cascading, fragrant racemes that create a dreamy canopy. Needs structure.
Z5-10
AubrietaPerennialApr-May
Aubrieta
Purple cascades spilling over walls and rocks in spring. Shear after bloom for a fresh flush of foliage.
Z4-8
Basket-of-GoldPerennialApr-May
Basket-of-Gold
Bright golden-yellow cascades over walls and rock edges in spring. Cut back after flowering to stay tidy.
Z3-7
Bigtooth MapleTreeApr-May
Bigtooth Maple
Mountain West maple with brilliant orange-red fall color and rugged drought tolerance.
Z4-8
Bloom-a-Thon AzaleaShrubApr-Sep
Bloom-a-Thon Azalea
Repeat-blooming azalea with waves of color spring through fall. Evergreen in mild climates.
Z5-9
Callery PearTreeMar-Apr
Callery Pear
Masses of white flowers in early spring on a tough, adaptable urban tree.
Z5-9
Common FigTreeApr-May
Common Fig
Large lobed leaves and sweet late-summer fruits give a Mediterranean feel to the garden.
Z7-11
CrossvineVineApr-May
Crossvine
Tubular orange-red trumpets line this vigorous semi-evergreen vine in spring, attracting every hummingbird in the neighborhood.
Z5-9
Desert MarigoldPerennialMar-Oct
Desert Marigold
Cheerful desert wildflower that blooms almost year-round in warm climates. Thrives on neglect.
Z7-11
DogwoodTreeApr-May
Dogwood
Iconic spring bloomer with fall berries and winter bark. Four-season beauty.
Z5-9
Encore Autumn AzaleaShrubApr-Oct
Encore Autumn Azalea
Spring blooms plus a full fall encore. Multiple color options in the Encore series.
Z6-10
EpimediumPerennialApr-May
Epimedium
Delicate fairy-wing flowers above leathery foliage. One of the toughest dry shade groundcovers.
Z4-8
Fawn LilyBulbMar-May
Fawn Lily
Mottled leaves and nodding white flowers with swept-back petals emerge in early spring from Pacific Northwest woodlands.
Z4-8
FothergillaShrubApr-May
Fothergilla
Fragrant white bottlebrush flowers in spring give way to some of the best orange-red fall color of any small native shrub.
Z4-8
Highbush BlueberryShrubApr-May
Highbush Blueberry
Bell-shaped spring flowers are followed by sweet blue berries and excellent fall color.
Z3-7
HonestyPerennialApr-Jun
Honesty
Purple spring flowers turn into translucent silvery seed pods like full moons. Biennial cottage classic that self-sows everywhere.
Z5-9
MagnoliaTreeMar-May
Magnolia
Goblet-shaped blooms on bare branches. One of spring's most dramatic moments.
Z5-9
Marsh MarigoldPerennialApr-May
Marsh Marigold
Glossy buttercup flowers in early spring along streams and wet areas. One of the first wetland bloomers.
Z3-7
Oregon GrapeShrubMar-Apr
Oregon Grape
Holly-like evergreen with yellow flower clusters followed by blue berries. Tough, shade-loving native.
Z5-9
Paperbark MapleTreeApr-May
Paperbark Maple
Cinnamon-colored peeling bark and good fall color provide strong four-season interest.
Z4-8
PeachTreeMar-Apr
Peach
Early spring pink blossoms smother the branches before juicy peaches develop.
Z5-9
Piedmont AzaleaShrubMar-Apr
Piedmont Azalea
Fragrant pale pink to white flowers open before the leaves in early spring, filling lowland forests with sweetness.
Z5-9
Prairie SmokePerennialApr-Jun
Prairie Smoke
Nodding wine-red flowers transform into feathery pink seed plumes that persist into summer. Native prairie gem.
Z3-7
Prairifire CrabappleTreeApr-May
Prairifire Crabapple
Deep pink-red flowers on a disease-resistant crabapple. Persistent small fruit feeds winter birds.
Z4-8
ServiceberryTreeMar-Apr
Serviceberry
White spring clouds, edible berries, and blazing fall color. Four-season native tree that deserves more attention.
Z4-8
Shooting StarPerennialApr-Jun
Shooting Star
Nodding flowers with swept-back petals resemble tiny shooting stars in spring meadows.
Z4-8
Texas Blue StarPerennialApr-May
Texas Blue Star
Fine foliage and pale blue starry flowers are followed by golden fall color.
Z6-10
WallflowerPerennialApr-Jun
Wallflower
Velvety blooms in burnished sunset tones with a sweet violet fragrance. The forgotten cottage staple worth bringing back.
Z6-10
Wild AzaleaShrubApr-May
Wild Azalea
Sweetly fragrant pinwheel flowers on a deciduous native azalea that grows from New England to Georgia. Earlier and more cold-hardy than most.
Z4-8
Anemone de CaenBulbMar-May
Anemone de Caen
Poppy-like flowers in jewel tones bloom in mid-spring over ferny foliage.
Z7-10
Coral BeanShrubApr-Jun
Coral Bean
Bold spikes of tubular red flowers in spring attract hummingbirds before bean pods form.
Z7-10
DrabaPerennialMar-Apr
Draba
Tiny alpine cushion plant smothered in bright yellow flowers in early spring. Perfect miniature scale.
Z4-7
Fruiting CherryTreeApr-May
Fruiting Cherry
Showy white spring flowers mature into sweet cherries that attract people and wildlife.
Z5-8
Green-and-GoldPerennialMar-Jun
Green-and-Gold
Bright yellow star flowers appear for months above mat-forming foliage. The best spring ground cover for the Southeast.
Z5-8
Japanese MapleTreeApr-May
Japanese Maple
Small flowers are modest but foliage is the star. Hundreds of cultivars from laceleaf to upright. The connoisseur's tree.
Z5-8
JasmineVineMar-Aug
Jasmine
A vigorous twining vine with intensely sweet-scented white or yellow star-shaped flowers, the scent of warm southern evenings.
Z7-10
Persian ButtercupBulbMar-May
Persian Buttercup
Ruffled, rose-like blooms in vivid colors brighten cool spring beds and pots.
Z8-11
PierisShrubMar-Apr
Pieris
Chains of lily-of-the-valley flowers dangle over colorful new growth. Year-round structure for shady borders.
Z5-8
Red Flowering CurrantShrubMar-Apr
Red Flowering Currant
Among the first shrubs to bloom in Pacific Northwest gardens, dripping with rosy-pink racemes that hummingbirds arrive for before anything else has opened.
Z6-9
SaxifragePerennialApr-May
Saxifrage
Mossy cushions dotted with dainty flowers. Tucks into rock crevices where little else will grow.
Z4-7
Sweet OliveShrubMar-Nov
Sweet Olive
Small clustered flowers perfume the garden with an apricot-like scent over a long season.
Z8-11
Yoshino CherryTreeMar-Apr
Yoshino Cherry
Clouds of pale blossoms cover the tree in early spring, later followed by small bird-edible cherries.
Z5-8
BougainvilleaVineMar-Nov
Bougainvillea
Explosive cascades of papery magenta, hot pink, or coral bracts that smother walls, fences, and pergolas with nonstop color from spring through fall in zones 9 to 11.
Z9-11
California LilacShrubMar-May
California Lilac
Electric blue flower clusters on an evergreen California native. Hummingbird and bee magnet.
Z8-10
Carolina JessamineVineFeb-Apr
Carolina Jessamine
One of the first vines to bloom each year, smothering itself in fragrant bright yellow tubes in late winter and early spring.
Z7-9
Coral AloePerennialFeb-Apr
Coral Aloe
Flat coral-orange rosettes produce vivid flower stalks in late winter. One of the hardiest aloes.
Z9-11
Gulf Coast PenstemonPerennialMar-May
Gulf Coast Penstemon
Nodding tubular flowers in soft lavender shades brighten moist woods of the Gulf Coast.
Z7-9
Hawaiian HibiscusShrubMar-Nov
Hawaiian Hibiscus
Large tropical blooms in vivid colors appear repeatedly from spring through fall.
Z9-11
Meyer LemonShrubJan-Dec
Meyer Lemon
Sweetly scented white blossoms appear intermittently year-round and set thin-skinned lemons.
Z9-11
Oregon IrisPerennialApr-May
Oregon Iris
Small purple iris flowers with yellow signals on wiry stems. A tough, underappreciated Pacific Northwest native.
Z6-8
RosemaryPerennialMar-May
Rosemary
Aromatic evergreen herb with tiny blue flowers loved by early bees. Needs excellent drainage.
Z8-10
Bird of ParadisePerennialMar-Dec
Bird of Paradise
Sculptural, crane-like flowers in orange and blue. Unmistakable.
Z9-10

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