20 Best Flowering Plants to Grow in the Wintertime

holly — Johnathan A. Esper, Wildernesscapes Photography

There's something beautiful about freshly fallen snow in the winter—everything looks clean and sparkles in the sun. While we love to see it, after a while, the gray skies can get a little dreary. Thankfully, some colorful blooms still make their way through the snow and ice, making the winter landscape look a little less bleak.

If you want to add some color to your garden in the winter, we've rounded up 20 flowering plants that will actually bloom in the snow. Read on for some of our favorites.

01 of 20

Daffodil

Botanical Name: Narcissus pseudonarcissus
Sun Exposure: Full sun
Soil Type: Rich, moist soil
Soil pH: 6.0

Perhaps one of the hardiest winter flowers is the daffodil. It springs up in bright yellow and orange tones, even through the snow. Just make sure you plant the bulbs in the fall, before the ground gets hard, for them to pop up in late winter/early spring.

02 of 20

Calendula

Botanical Name: Calendula officinalis
Sun Exposure: Full sun to shade
Soil Type: Well-draining soil
Soil pH: 6.0 to 7.0

Calendula flowers aren't necessarily winter flowers, but they tend to bloom earlier than others, especially in warmer temperatures. In the southern United States, they can start blooming in late winter through the spring. They can handle a bit of frost, but they won't do well buried under snow.

03 of 20

Winterberry

Botanical Name: Ilex verticillata
Sun Exposure: Filtered light, can tolerate shade
Soil Type: Moist soil
Soil pH: 3.5 to 6.0

While you should probably transplant a winterberry tree in the spring or fall, it will keep its bright red berries through the winter. In fact, it's a great plant to have around if you're a bird lover. The berries keep birdies fed through the cold temps, and it keeps you from having to go out and fill the feeders in frosty temps.

04 of 20

Snowdrop

Botanical Name: Galanthus
Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
Soil Type: Well-drained soil
Soil pH: 6.5 to 7.5

Planting snowdrops in the early fall ensures the bulbs don't go bad, as they often aren't sold as dried bulbs that can be stored. Once they're planted, they should begin to peak in January and February.

05 of 20

Holly

Botanical Name: Ilex opaca
Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
Soil Type: Loamy, well-drained, clay soils
Soil pH: 5.0 to 6.0

Most of us probably already think of holly as a winter plant and for good reason: the red berries and bright, glossy leaves are iconic against a white winter landscape. They tend to bloom (with teeny white flowers) in the spring, and then they hold on to their bright red berries through the winter.

06 of 20

Sumac

Botanical Name: Rhus
Sun Exposure: Full sun
Soil Type: Any well-drained soil
Soil pH: 4.5 to 7.5

Did you know that the red tips of the sumac branches are actually berry clusters? The plant flowers in the summer, and as time goes on, those flowers turn into berries that darken into the winter months.

07 of 20

Black Hellebores

Botanical Name: Helleborus niger
Sun Exposure: Part shade to full shade
Soil Type: Moist, well-drained loamy soil
Soil pH: 7.0 to 8.0

It's not recommended to plant any kind of plant in the winter (after all, it's not fun digging in the frozen ground). Plant black hellebores in the late fall while the ground is still soft, and they will emerge as pink-purple blooms in early spring that darken to a deep, almost black color.

08 of 20

Crab Apples

Botanical Name: Malus sylvestris
Sun Exposure: Full sun
Soil Type: Any well-drained soil
Soil pH: 5.0 to 6.5

The leaves may fall off a crab apple tree, but the fruit will stay on long into the winter. The tiny apples sort of look like little cherries hanging from the branches, and we love the way they look when covered in frost or ice.

09 of 20

Pussy Willow

Botanical Name: Salix discolor
Sun Exposure: Full sun
Soil Type: Any well-drained soil
Soil pH: 6.8–7.2

These fluffy flowers will appear in late winter and early spring. Pussy willows aren't they most colorful, but their texture adds a lot to a winter landscape. Plus, they're fast growers. Some can reach heights of 25 feet!

10 of 20

Lenten Roses

Botanical Name: Helleborus orientalis
Sun Exposure: Partial to full sun
Soil Type: Rich well-drained soil
Soil pH: 6.5 to 8.0

Hellebores are great winter flowers, and these lenten roses are no exception. Their blooms range from white to pink, and they will pop out of the snow in late winter or early spring.

11 of 20

Pansies

pansy — JACKY PARKER PHOTOGRAPHY/GETTY IMAGES

Botanical Name: Viola tricolor var. hortensis
Sun Exposure: Partial to full sun
Soil Type: Rich well-drained soil
Soil pH: 5.4 to 5.8

Despite the name, pansies are tough little flowers. These colorful blooms will grow and show off their petals all through the winter into the spring.

12 of 20

Primrose

Botanical Name: Primula vulgaris
Sun Exposure: Partial to full sun
Soil Type: Moist well-drained soil
Soil pH: 6.0 to 6.5

If you want to add a classic, dainty flower to your winter garden, look no further than the primrose. The small white blooms will begin to appear in late winter through the spring.

13 of 20

Mahonia

Botanical Name: Mahonia aquifolium
Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
Soil Type: Moist, well-drained soil
Soil pH: 5.0 to 8.0

Trailing yellow flowers are sure to make a statement in bleak winter landscapes. The mahonia flowers in late winter through the early spring, producing small, but fragrant, yellow blooms.

14 of 20

Cyclamen

Botanical Name: Cyclamen persicum
Sun Exposure: Partial to full sun
Soil Type: Rich well-drained soil
Soil pH: Around 5.8

While cyclamen often first appear in fall, they continue to show their heart-shaped blooms in winter, too. The bright pink flowers are hard to miss!

15 of 20

Crocus

Botanical Name: Crocus sativus
Sun Exposure: Full sun
Soil Type: Rich well-drained soil
Soil pH: 6.0 to 7.0

You've probably noticed tiny crocus flowers popping up out of the ground in the early spring or late winter, and the small blooms are often the first time spring is on its way.

16 of 20

Ornamental Cabbage

Botanical Name: Brassica oleracea
Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade
Soil Type: Moist, well-drained soil
Soil pH: 5.8 to 6.5

Who thought cabbage could be so pretty? These purple and green plants will keep their color through most of the winter, and they can survive temperatures as low as -5 degrees Fahrenheit.

17 of 20

Witch Hazel

Botanical Name: Hamamelis
Sun Exposure: Part shade to full sun
Soil Type: Acidic well-drained soil
Soil pH: 5.0 to 7.4

Not only does witch hazel bloom earlier than most plants in the fall, but it holds on to its bright yellow blooms through the winter. We love the cheery look of the small yellow flowers.

18 of 20

Winter Jasmine

Botanical Name: Jasminum nudiflorum
Sun Exposure: Full sun
Soil Type: Rich well-drained soil
Soil pH: Acid, alkaline, or neutral (about any pH)

As the name suggests, winter jasmine often blooms in January. The yellow blooms are set off by bright green leaves.

19 of 20

Siberian Squill

Botanical Name: Scilla siberica
Sun Exposure: Partial to full sun
Soil Type: Rich well-drained soil
Soil pH: 5.6 to 7.8

You'd think with a name like Siberian squill that a plant would have to hold up to the frost and snow. These purple flowers do, in fact, push through the snow and frost and bloom in late winter.

20 of 20

Winter Aconite

Botanical Name: Eranthis
Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade
Soil Type: Rich well-drained soil
Soil pH: 5.6 to 7.8

Winter aconite will bloom in February, but that doesn't mean it isn't picky. The flowers will open up in bright sun, but they'll close up when it's gray and dreary out.

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