Spring blooming gardens give hope and faith for a colorful year. Its blooms burst through the snow and cold to give way to the warmth of a new season, giving hope to both gardener and passersby. Below are excellent choices for spring blooming native plants.
Amsonia tabernaemontana Walt. (Eastern Bluestar)
Kingdom Plantae – Plants
Subkingdom Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
Superdivision Spermatophyta – Seed plants
Division Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants
Class Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons
Subclass Asteridae –
Order Gentianales –
Family Apocynaceae – Dogbane family
Genus Amsonia Walt. – bluestar
Species Amsonia tabernaemontana Walt. – eastern bluestar
Bluestar is a perennial that grows up to 3 ½ feet, with wonderful light blue star-like flowers coming all through mid and late spring. It also has long leaves and will fruit with interesting displaying pod-like fruits. This is a great addition to any garden.
Arabis georgiana Harper (Georgia Rockcress)
Kingdom Plantae – Plants
Subkingdom Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
Superdivision Spermatophyta – Seed plants
Division Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants
Class Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons
Subclass Dilleniidae –
Order Capparales –
Family Brassicaceae – Mustard family
Genus Arabis L. – rockcress
Species Arabis georgiana Harper – Georgia rockcress
This is a perennial that takes full sun to partial shade. It will flower from March to April with white or yellow 4-petaled flowers. It is found in shaded limestone riverbanks. Rockcress was first collected in 1841 by Boykin near the Chattahoochie River.
Bignonia capreolata L. (Crossvine)
Kingdom Plantae – Plants
Subkingdom Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
Superdivision Spermatophyta – Seed plants
Division Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants
Class Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons
Subclass Asteridae –
Order Scrophulariales –
Family Bignoniaceae – Trumpet-creeper family
Genus Bignonia L. – bignonia
Species Bignonia capreolata L. – crossvine
This fast growing plant is an evergreen vine that reaches up to 15 feet in length. It has tubular flowers; red on the outside and yellow on the inside when in the wild, orange/red/purple range when cultivated. It will bloom from late April to May. It prefers full sun.
Camassia scilloides (Raf.) Cory (Atlantic Camas, Wild Hyacinth)
Kingdom Plantae – Plants
Subkingdom Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
Superdivision Spermatophyta – Seed plants
Division Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants
Class Liliopsida – Monocotyledons
Subclass Liliidae –
Order Liliales –
Family Liliaceae – Lily family
Genus Camassia Lindl. – camas
Species Camassia scilloides (Raf.) Cory – Atlantic camas
A lovely tiny 6-petal star-like flower from the Lily family, this will flower in blues or lavender (rarely white) from April to May. It has a very short bloom time, but will bloom early and is still worth a thought in your garden. It has grass-like leaves from 1-3 feet high and 1-2 foot spread. Wild hyacinth prefers light shade and is found near streams.
Cardamine concatenata (Cutleaf Toothwort)
Kingdom Plantae – Plants
Subkingdom Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
Superdivision Spermatophyta – Seed plants
Division Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants
Class Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons
Subclass Dilleniidae –
Order Capparales –
Family Brassicaceae – Mustard family
Genus Cardamine L. – bittercress
Species Cardamine concatenata (Michx.) Sw. – cutleaf toothwort
Named for its toothlike projections on the underside of the stems, this flower grows to 12 inches high and needs a spacing of a foot across. Cutleaf Toothwort prefers partial to full shade and moist soil. You will love its dainty white/pink/lavender bellshaped flowers that will appear mid-spring. The leaves are 2-5 inches across and are deeply lobed. It is a nice flower that will please you and your garden.
Clintonia umbellulata (Michx.) Morong (White Clintonia)
Kingdom Plantae – Plants
Subkingdom Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
Superdivision Spermatophyta – Seed plants
Division Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants
Class Liliopsida – Monocotyledons
Subclass Liliidae –
Order Liliales –
Family Liliaceae – Lily family
Genus Clintonia Raf. – bluebead
Species Clintonia umbellulata (Michx.) Morong – white clintonia
This perennial grows on 8-18 inch stems and is abundant with blooms. It will usually have 5-30 small white flowers with purple spots during its bloom season of mid to late spring. It has wonderfully shiny foliage and dark bluish black berries.
Epigaea repens L. (Trailing Arbutus)
Kingdom Plantae – Plants
Subkingdom Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
Superdivision Spermatophyta – Seed plants
Division Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants
Class Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons
Subclass Dilleniidae –
Order Ericales –
Family Ericaceae – Heath family
Genus Epigaea L. – trailing arbutus
Species Epigaea repens L. – trailing arbutus
This evergreen perennial has 3-5 clusters of white/pink/red blooms. You’ll find the best display around early to mid spring and is fragrant. It has late summer berrylike fruits. It is low creeping and makes a great ground cover, but is not drought tolerant. This plant prefers partial shade.
Iris fulva Ker-Gawl. (Copper Iris)
Kingdom Plantae – Plants
Subkingdom Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
Superdivision Spermatophyta – Seed plants
Division Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants
Class Liliopsida – Monocotyledons
Subclass Liliidae –
Order Liliales –
Family Iridaceae – Iris family
Genus Iris L. – iris
Species Iris fulva Ker-Gawl. – copper iris
This will reach up to 4 feet high and have a spread of 9-12 inches. It likes full sun or partial shade. The blooms range in the rose/orange/gold/yellow/bronze color scheme. It will bloom in mid spring and is good in a water garden. BEWARE: parts of this plant are poisonous if ingested.
