Early spring blooming ‘Jelena’ witch hazel. Photo courtesy Monrovia
A lot of people think this is the time of year when there’s nothing going on in the landscape. Let’s take a look.
What you might see: A shrub with fragrant flowers, perennials blooming in the snow, and a few of those hardy, magnificent, early blooming spring bulbs. Here’s the rundown.
Native witch hazel (Hamamelis virginiana). (C) Photo lianem/123rf.com
Witch hazel
The shrub with fragrant flowers is witch hazel. In early to mid-winter, witch hazel has lovely strands of yellow, orange or reddish flowers that perfume the landscape. There also are witch hazels that bloom in late fall and early winter (Hamamelis virginiana).
Some of those blooming this time of year are native witch hazels (H. vernalis), or varieties ‘Squib’, ‘Dishi’ or Orange Sunrise. Most are in the 8 to 10 foot tall and wide range. ‘Little Suzie’ and ‘Quasimodo’ are about half that size.
Another group of witch hazels that blooms this time of year is H. x intermedia, a hybrid of Chinese and Japenese species.
Most witch hazels have beautiful fall color as an added benefit.
Lenten Rose
Cinnamon Snow on a Februry day. (C) Photo Jo Ellen Meyers Sharp
The common name for this winter-blooming perennial gives away its prime bloom time. It’s not uncommon for lenten rose, also called hellebores (Helleborus spp.), to bloom in snow as early as February.
These hardy, evergreen perennials do well in part sun to part shade. They are tolerant of deep shade, but will have more flowers with a bit of sun. There also are hellebores that bloom in late fall and early winter.
Some gardeners snip off winter damaged leaves this time of year to reveal the flowers, while others let nature be. The flowers can be cut for indoor use. They are especially lovely floating in bowls of water.
One of the earliest blooming native perennials is skunk cabbage. (C) tirnanognaturals/Pixabay.com
One of Indiana’s earliest bloomer is skunk cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus), a native perennial. This plant thrives in wet areas and is one of the earliest bloomers. It has yellow flowers, called spathes, which emerge from reddish-green leaves.
Early Blooming Bulbs
Not to be out done by a shrub or perennial, early blooming spring bulbs also add beauty to the season. These bulbs are planted in fall but enjoyed in spring. At the top of the list are spring beauties, cute little native spring ephemerals that can be found in many wooded areas.
Other spring bulb flowers this time of year can be found on early-blooming daffodils and crocus, dwarf irises and winter aconite. Each of these naturalize well without being invasive. Snip a few for indoor enjoyment.
Dwarf iris (I. reticulata) bloom among ‘February Gold’ daffodils. Photo courtesy Netherlands Flower Bulb Information Center
Color Up the Season
If you’d like to add late-winter and early spring beauty in your landscape, consult with a Holeman professional to guide the process and make recommendations for your specific site.