Winter

What Blooms in December

4 plants

December flowers are a quiet miracle. Hellebores push buds before Christmas in zones 6 and warmer. Camellias carry on through hard frosts in the Southeast. Winter jasmine covers fences with small yellow flowers on bare green stems. Paperwhites bloom indoors on a windowsill with nothing but water and gravel. The garden in December rewards a different kind of attention: closer, slower, more appreciative of anything bold enough to bloom.

Year-round bloom calendar

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JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Native Witch HazelShrubOct-Dec
Native Witch Hazel
Spidery yellow flowers and intoxicating clove fragrance on bare branches in late fall. The last native shrub to bloom each year.
Z3-8
CamelliaShrubJan-Dec
Camellia
Glossy evergreen with rose-like blooms in the depths of winter.
Z7-9
Meyer LemonShrubJan-Dec
Meyer Lemon
Sweetly scented white blossoms appear intermittently year-round and set thin-skinned lemons.
Z9-11
Bird of ParadisePerennialMar-Dec
Bird of Paradise
Sculptural, crane-like flowers in orange and blue. Unmistakable.
Z9-10

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