First Flowers of Spring: 12 Early-Blooming Flowers

Spring flowers bloom early in the spring before the days lengthen and temperatures warm. One of the earliest and most optimistic signs of the end of winter is the appearance of spring flowers. While flower species can bloom throughout the year's warmer months, spring flowers generally appear between March and June, depending on the hemisphere.

Whether you are looking for signs of spring in the park or around the neighborhood, or you’re deciding what to plant in your garden, consider this list of early spring flowers:

1. 1. Bleeding heart: The bleeding heart (Lamprocapnos spectabilis) features distinctive pink, small, heart-shaped flowers, and lobed green foliage. These spring blooms lose flowers quickly and go dormant for the rest of the year. Plant bleeding hearts near other flowering plants for a fuller garden.
2. 2. Creeping phlox: Phlox is a group of perennial and annual plants in the Polemoniaceae family that grow panicles, or branching flower clusters. Found across North America, these fragrant flowers grow in star-shaped blooms. Their growth pattern makes them an excellent choice for ground cover and rock gardens. Creeping phlox blooms from early spring through early summer, while garden phlox blooms from late summer through early fall.
3. 3. Crocus: Crocuses are perennial flowering plants of the Iridaceae family. Gardeners plant them in the fall so the crocus flowers can bloom just as winter ends—sometimes popping up even before the snow has completely melted. No more than two to five inches in height, these plants have grass-like leaves and flowers that come in a variety of colors and fragrances. Crocus plants grow out of corms (crocus bulbs) and sprout new flowers every year in the right conditions.
4. 4. Daffodils: Vibrant and hardy, daffodils are a great option for spring gardens or as cut flowers. These colorful flowers from the Narcissus genus are perennial in USDA hardiness zones three through eight, which means they’ll grow back year after year and “naturalize,” or spread in an area to give it an organic look. Daffodil flowers are a wonderful spring bulb plant and a great early bloomer for your flowerbed.
5. 5. Forsythia: Forsythia (Forsythia vahl) is a flowering shrub in the Oleaceae family, or olive family. This deciduous flowering shrub, nicknamed golden bells, is best known for its bright yellow flowers, which grow along the length of arched branches and bloom in early spring.
6. 6. Glory-of-the-snow: Glory-of-the-snow (Chionodoxa forbesii) features star-shaped, violet to light blue flowers and grows up to six inches in height. These plants grow best in partial shade to full sun in slightly acidic soil. Glory-of-the-snow appears before the last snowmelt and is independent in USDA zones three through eight.
7. 7. Hyacinth: Hyacinths are scented, beautiful flowers that can be a welcome addition to your spring garden. Many hyacinth varieties are animal-resistant (though toxic to pets), and easy for first-time gardeners to grow. If you want to spruce up your garden’s aesthetic or add a strong floral scent to your backyard come bloom time, you can try growing your own hyacinths. Grape hyacinth is a particularly eye-catching early spring variety that grows bunches of deep blue, grape-like flowers from small green stalks.
8. 8. Lenten rose: Lenten rose (Helleborus orientalis) can reach up to twenty-four inches tall, making it more visible at a distance than many other early-spring flowers. The blooms range from pink to purple to yellow, often muted and mixed. Lenten roses bloom early but stick around for several weeks into late spring, making them a generous addition to your garden. They grow best in partial shade with plenty of moisture and are hardy enough to withstand late snow.
9. 9. Siberian squill: Siberian squill (Siberica scilla) is a bulb plant that produces star- or bell-shaped blue flowers. These plants naturalize easily and do not require much care once established. Feeding them fertilizer at the beginning of the growing season can boost the bloom.
10. 10. Snowdrops: Snowdrops (Galanthus spp.) are very early-blooming flowers that can pop up through the snow in late winter, like crocuses. The plants and their flowers are small and can grow up to six inches in height. The white flowers are delicate, bell-shaped, and drooping. You can plant these early spring flower bulbs in the ground or window boxes.
11. 11. Tulips: Tulips, of the genus Tulipa, are perennial flowers from the lily family. These springtime bloomers grow from bulbs and produce large, dazzling cup-shaped flowers in a range of vibrant colors. Although tulips are technically perennials, many varieties struggle to produce flowers after their first spring. As a result, gardeners typically grow them as annuals and plant new bulbs the following year. Single early tulip varieties, including 'Apricot Beauty' and 'Candy Prince', bloom especially early and come in orange, red, white, pink, and yellow.
12. 12. Winter aconite: Winter aconite (Eranthus hyemalis) is a small early-spring bloomer with yellow, cup-shaped flowers. The small plants, which grow from three to six inches, grow best in well-draining alkaline soil and thrive in hardiness zones three to seven. This is another flower that naturalizes easily.

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