We all want our gardens and yards to come alive in the spring. Spring is when many of us (especially in seasonally transformed places) emerge from our own hibernation of being indoors for months. Native bees and butterflies are doing this same break from dormancy. With the help of some native plants, we can watch flowers bloom while giving some much-needed food for awakening pollinators. Scroll on to find some spring native favorites.
Spring is consistently the boom-time for gardening and gardeners. Plant nurseries become verdant circuses of flowers, shrubs, and trees. Excitement for the season can sometimes turn into feeling overwhelmed very quickly! Thatโs one reason why committing to planting native makes garden decision-making much easier.
Having a spring garden that looks great is very easy to accomplish when you commit to planting native. There are dozens of spring natives that emerge as temperatures start to rise. Not only that, planting native is the easiest, least work-intensive way to landscapeโway easier than a lawn! Here are some reasons why planting native spring plants is worth it:
- Native plants have been thriving in our areas for thousands of years. They donโt need special fertilizers or careโonce they are established, native plants are happy with rain.
- Iconic butterflies and native bees need native plants to surviveโespecially at transition times like the spring and fall. Native plants give food and habitats crucial for survival. Planting native helps wildlife survive.
- Planting native returns YEARS of fuss-free beauty. All the plants listed here are perennials, meaning plant once and theyโll come back year after year. Enjoy some time back while you watch your garden thrive.
Some of the earliest spring bloomers are…trees!
Weโve all become accustomed to envisioning spring flowers being close to the ground and diminutive. Spring favorites like daffodils and tulips can make springtime gardening seem somewhat small. (Sadly, neither tulips nor daffodils are native to North America.)
The reality is native trees put entire gardens in the sky in the spring, thanks to springtime flowering. When planting a spring garden, make sure to include some incredible statement trees. Some of these treesโlike redbudsโare the first to flower (even before tulips!)
Favorite spring native trees
Here are some spring-flowering native trees that will bring color and pollinators to their branches as the temperatures start to rise.
Redbuds
Once youโve seen a redbud tree in bloom, you will not forget it. Redbuds cover their branches and their trunks with tiny pink-purple flowers. They do this at the very beginning of spring, making this show stand out dramatically against the gray-and-brown drabness of early spring. And after they bloom, they have HEART-SHAPED leaves! A must for landscaping.
Dogwood trees
There are twelve dogwoods native to North America, and each of them puts on a show in the spring. The image here is of a North American favorite: the eastern flowering dogwood. Itโs a favorite of landscapers because its multi-season beauty just wonโt quit for generations (these trees can live 80+ years!)
Fringe trees
This is an absolutely stunning native tree. Fringe trees look like they are covered in elegant confetti every springโand the blooms can smell amazing. Walk by and youโll hear the pollinators buzzingly contendedly. They stay small (as trees go) topping out around 30 feet. This makes them perfect statement trees: they wonโt overcome houses and look amazing paired with other native flowers around their base.
Native trees put entire gardens in the sky in the spring.
There are other spring-favorite natives, too!
Here are all the spring-blooming natives; visit each to learn more about their care and planting tips.
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We all want gardens filled with flowers in the spring (and the garden centers know it!) Planting native springtime favorites ensures we have gorgeous, flowering landscapes with minimal workโespecially compared to lawns or planting non-native. Plant native flowers like wild columbine, false blue indigo, and creeping phlox alongside stunning native trees that put gardens in the sky, like redbuds, Fringe trees, and Southern Catalpas. (And plant a few pawpaws for crazy spring flowers and tasty fall fruits!) Planting native gives years and years of springtime beauty. Happy planting!
Sources
- Nelson, Gil. Best Native Plants for Southern Gardens: A Handbook for Gardeners, Homeowners, and Professionals, (2010).
- Harstad, Carolyn. Go Native! Gardening with Native Plants and Wildflowers in the Lower Midwest. (1999), 209-210.
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