Plants in Bloom

The Brazilian plume flower, native to Brazil’s Atlantic Forest region, is a shade-loving shrub with spectacular flared pink blooms. 

Justicia carnea var. purpurea (Brazilian-plume) in the Tropical Pavilion. Photo: Lee Patrick.

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Actually an evergreen shrub, not a bamboo, Nandina domestica produces bright red berries in autumn that persist through winter.

Nandina domestica (heavenly bamboo) in the Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden. Photo: Michael Stewart.

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This evergreen succulent, native to South Africa and Lesotho, can grow up to 12 feet tall. It’s also known as “bitter aloe” in reference to its traditional medicinal use as a purgative. 

Aloe ferox (cape aloe) in the Desert Pavilion. Photo: Blanca Begert.

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This shrub’s iridescent clusters of berries persist after its leaves drop, providing winter sustenance for many species of birds.

Callicarpa dichotoma ‘Early Amethyst’ (beautyberry) in the Plant Family Collection. Photo: Blanca Begert.

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The genus Plumeria is known for its alluring and fragrant flowers, each with five petal lobes.

Plumeria ‘Dwarf Pink’ (frangipani) in the Entry House. Photo: Michael Stewart.

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Native to the Atlas Mountains of North Africa, this cultivar of the Atlas cedar is known for its silvery-blue needles. Its distinctive barrel-shaped cones sit upright on the branches.

Cedrus atlantica (Glauca Group) ‘Glauca’ (blue atlas cedar) in the Conifer Collection. Photo: Lee Patrick.

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This low-growing spruce is named for its spreading habit and attractive silver-blue needles. Gardeners appreciate it as an evergreen groundcover that is well-suited to dry and urban environments.

Picea pungens (Glauca Group) ‘Glauca Prostrata’ (prostrate blue spruce) in the Fragrance Garden. Photo: Lee Patrick.

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Snowdrops are usually the first bulbs to bloom and a sign of more to come. As the snow melts, these white blossoms appear, blanketing the Garden and other parks and gardens around Brooklyn.

Galanthus nivalis (snowdrop) in the Plant Family Collection. Photo: Michael Stewart.

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Witch-hazel blooms in winter, usually during a warm spell, but the flowers persist after the temperature drops back down. The ribbonlike petals curl up temporarily, and as soon as the temperature rises, they unfurl again.

Hamamelis mollis ‘Wisley Supreme’ (witch-hazel) in the Plant Family Collection. Photo: Michael Stewart.

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Pussy willows are starting to pop, including this pretty pink cultivar in the Water Garden. The fuzzy nubs are the male catkin flowers just before they fully blossom. They’re a delightful harbinger of spring.

Salix gracilistyla ‘Mt. Aso’ (Japanese pink pussy willow) in the Water Garden. Photo: Blanca Begert.

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The bare, bright crimson stems of many dogwood cultivars provide vibrant color in fall and winter.

Cornus alba Baton Rouge = ‘Minbat’ (PBR) (dogwood) in the Water Garden. Photo: Blanca Begert.

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Prunus mume produces beautiful, delicate, fragrant flowers over many weeks in winter just when we need them most. Because of its tiny flowers, the species has long been a favorite with bonsai practitioners; this tree in the Bonsai Museum is over 20 years old.

Prunus mume ‘Bonita’ (Japanese apricot ) in the Bonsai Museum. Photo: Michael Stewart.

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The gently curved flower clusters of Pachystachys lutea resemble a shrimp (if you squint a bit).

Pachystachys lutea (golden shrimp plant) in the Tropical Pavilion. Photo: Michael Stewart.

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Like many early-spring-blooming woody plants, magnolias have fuzzy bud scales to help insulate and protect the developing flower right up until it blooms. Their soft fur varies in color—sometimes dark, sometimes light, sometimes greenish gray.

Magnolia stellata bud (star magnolia bud) on Magnolia Plaza. Photo: Blanca Begert.

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The starburst clerodendrum, native to New Guinea and the Philippines, gets its name from the delicate white and pink blooms that fan out in a burst of welcome color.

Clerodendrum quadriloculare (starburst) in the Tropical Pavilion. Photo: Michael Stewart.

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Most camellias begin to bloom in late winter and continue through early spring (though there are fall-blooming cultivars, too), often coinciding with Lunar New Year celebrations.

Camellia ‘Winter’s Star’ (camellia) in the Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden. Photo: Michael Stewart.

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The lovely berries of this native holly relative persist through winter, sometimes spring. These fruits are a welcome food for hungry birds as the weather cools and other options get scarce.

Ilex verticillata ‘Winter Gold’ (winterberry ) in the Discovery Garden. Photo: Michael Stewart.

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Witch-hazel blooms in winter, usually during a warm spell, but the flowers persist after the temperature drops back down. The ribbonlike petals curl up temporarily, and as soon as the temperature rises, they unfurl again.

Hamamelis × intermedia ‘Diane’ (witch-hazel ‘Diane’) in the Rock Garden. Photo: Michael Stewart.

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This witch-hazel cultivar has fragrant, multicolored flowers ranging from orange to dark copper, and a beautiful natural vase-shaped form. It blooms from January to March.

Hamamelis × intermedia ‘Jelena’ (witch-hazel) in the Rock Garden. Photo: Michael Stewart.

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This hybrid cultivar belongs to a genus of perennials that grow in low-lying woodlands. Their bloom produces a lovely fireworks show, with colorful trumpet-shaped flowers cascading off upright stems.

Clivia miniata × gardenii (natal-lily) in the Warm Temperate Pavilion. Photo: Lee Patrick.

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Known to bloom for long periods in Japan, this rather small tree flowers off and on throughout mild winters. The flower buds are pale pink, opening to white flowers.

Prunus ‘Fudan-zakura’ (everblooming cherry) on Cherry Walk and in the Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden. Photo: Michael Stewart.

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The lovely, enveloping fragrance of this unassuming shrub helps make the Warm Temperate Pavilion a winter highlight at Brooklyn Botanic Garden. 

Osmanthus fragrans (fragrant olive) in the Warm Temperate Pavilion. Photo: Michael Stewart.

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This shrub’s downy, golden-gray buds hang in tight clusters from its bare branches. The buds are protected by fine hairs that give them a shimmery quality so they sparkle in the winter sun.

Edgeworthia chrysantha (paperbush) in the Shakespeare Garden. Photo: Elizabeth Peters.

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Most other species of skullcap have blue-toned blossoms and are pollinated by bees, but these bright red, upright, tubular flowers attract hummingbirds.

Scutellaria costaricana (scarlet skullcap), blooming like fireworks in the Tropical Pavilion. Photo: Lee Patrick.

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These woody-stemmed climbers are known for their trumpet-shaped flowers. They produce a sweet fragrance, especially in the evening.

Solandra longiflora (chalice vine) in the Aquatic House. Photo: Michael Stewart.

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It’s hard to miss this iconic plant, whose flowers resemble a bright bird in flight. In its native South Africa, when endemic birds drink the nectar of Strelitzia reginae, its petals open to shower their feet with pollen.

Strelitzia reginae (bird-of-paradise) in the Warm Temperate Pavilion. Photo: Michael Stewart.

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This evergreen shrub produces fragrant white flowers that are followed by purplish-black berries. The berries are edible—but not particularly tasty.

Myrtus communis (common myrtle) in the Warm Temperate Pavilion. Photo: Michael Stewart.

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The century-old Caucasian wingnut is one of the most beloved trees at the Garden. It is 60 feet across—as wide as it is tall—and its trunk is nine feet feet in diameter. Its delicate branches have been carefully trimmed and supported by the Garden’s staff over the years.

Pterocarya fraxinifolia (Caucasian wingnut) in the Plant Family Collection. Photo: Michael Stewart.

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This is the holly species most commonly associated with Christmas, especially in England, where it is one of the few native evergreen plants. Its bright red berries ripen in winter and provide food for birds.

Ilex aquifolium ‘Balkans’ (English holly) in the Shakespeare Garden. Photo: Michael Stewart.

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This native shrub grows throughout the eastern half of North America and is an important host plant to 68 species of butterflies and moths. It takes time to flower—around six years—but growers are rewarded by a fragrant, creamy-yellow inflorescence and fruit for the birds. 

Hamamelis virginiana (witch-hazel) in the Plant Family Collection. Photo: Dave Allen.

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This South African bulb features fanciful pink-and-white flowers. In its native range, Wurmbea stricta is found in the clay soils of swamps, roadside ditches, and other seasonally wet areas.

Wurmbea stricta (wurmbea stricta) in the Warm Temperate Pavilion. Photo: Michael Stewart.

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Chinese juniper is an evergreen with scaly scented needles and brown bark that peels off in strips. Relatively salt-tolerant, it can thrive near roads and driveways.

Juniperus chinensis ‘Robust Green’ (Chinese juniper) in the Rock Garden. Photo: Michael Stewart.

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Photinia × fraseri ‘Birmingham’ (red tip photinia) in the Plant Family Collection. Photo: Michael Stewart.

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Though many North American conifers were called “cedar,” there are only four true cedar species. Native to the mountains of Turkey, Syria, and Lebanon, this true cedar is under severe threat from climate change as its range shifts upward. 

Cedrus libani (cedar of Lebanon) in the Plant Family Collection. Photo: Michael Stewart.

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The rice-paper plant, native to southern China and Taiwan, belongs to the ginseng family. The pith of its stems is used in Traditional Chinese Medicine, and to make rice paper veneer sheets and other products. 

Tetrapanax papyrifer (rice-paper plant) in the Warm Temperate Pavilion. Photo: Michael Stewart.

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Native to the east coast of Australia, this fragrant shrub is drought and salt-tolerant.

Westringia fruticosa (Australian rosemary) in the Warm Temperate Pavilion. Photo: Michael Stewart.

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Euphorbia baioensis (spurge) in the Desert Pavilion. Photo: Michael Stewart.

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The edible fruits from crabapple trees resemble tiny apples, though they’re much more tart. Birds, especially cedar waxwings, often feed on crabapples as the crop softens and ages. 

Malus cultivar (crabapple) in the Plant Family Collection. Photo: Lee Patrick.

Crassula lactea (flowering crassula) in the Desert Pavilion. Photo: Michael Stewart.

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Salvia mexicana, a member of the mint family, attracts pollinators with its brightly hued tubular blossoms.

Salvia mexicana (Mexican sage) in the Warm Temperate Pavilion. Photo: Michael Stewart.

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This member of the Fabaceae (pea) family, native to Australia, produces long climbing stems, leathery leaves, and pea-like purple flowers. 

Hardenbergia violacea (vine-lilac) in the Warm Temperate Pavilion. Photo: Michael Stewart.

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Aloe erinacea (aloe erinacea) in the Desert Pavilion. Photo: Michael Stewart.

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The deodar cedar, native to the Himalayas, is the national tree of Pakistan. It is monoecious—both male and female cones grow on the same tree—with drooping, graceful branches. 

Cedrus deodara (deodar cedar) in the Plant Family Collection. Photo: Lee Patrick.

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The first of the hellebores to bloom is the Christmas-rose, so-called because it blooms around Christmastime and has a flower arrangement that looks similar to that of a rose.

Helleborus niger ‘Hgc Josef Lemper’ (Christmas-rose) blooming near the Flatbush Avenue entrance. Photo: Lee Patrick.

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Medinilla multiflora is commonly known as the Malaysian-orchid, though it is neither a true orchid nor native to Malaysia. Native to the Philippines, this species (like many orchids) is an epiphyte: an “air plant” that grows on top of other plants, rather than putting roots in the ground.

Medinilla multiflora (Malaysian-orchid) in the Tropical Pavilion. Photo: Michael Stewart.

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The beautiful pale pink flowers of Prunus mume, seen here in the Bonsai Museum, bloom in January and February. 

Prunus mume ‘Andoh’s White’ (Japanese apricot ) in the Bonsai Museum. Photo: Rebecca Bullene.

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