Plants in Bloom

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.

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.

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.

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

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

This 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 atop upright stems.

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

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.

This shrub’s downy, golden-gray buds hang in tight clusters from its bare branches. Lacking scales, these buds are naked, but they do have fine hairs to protect them. The hairs also give the buds a shimmery quality so they sparkle in the winter sun.

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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

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.

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

The century-old Caucasian wingnut specimen 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. Despite its age and delicate state, its branches are beautifully holding snow, having 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.

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.

This fast-growing tropical shrub, native to South Africa, belongs to the mint family.

Leonotis menthifolia (lion’s ear) in the Warm Temperate Pavilion. Photo: Michael Stewart.

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 (English holly) in the Shakespeare Garden. Photo: Michael Stewart.

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.

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.

Most camellias begin to bloom in late winter and continue through early spring (though there are fall-blooming cultivars, too). They’re seen as symbols of luck in Lunar New Year traditions.

Camellia japonica (common camellia) in the Washington Avenue Border. Photo: Michael Stewart.

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.

Wintersweet blooms when few other plants do. Look for this shrub’s butter-yellow, fragrant flowers on bare branches in January, and be sure to take in their sweet scent.

Chimonanthus praecox (wintersweet) in the Woodland Garden. Photo: Lee Patrick.

Camellia japonica 'Bernice Boddy' (camellia cultivar) in the Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden. Photo: Elizabeth Peters.

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

Though many North American conifers were called “cedar,” there are only four true cedar species; the cedar of Lebanon is one of them. Native to the mountains of Turkey, Syria, and Lebanon, this species 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.

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

Salvia mexicana (Mexican sage), 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.

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

Growth bud of Photinia davidsoniae (Mrs. Davidson’s photinia), in the willow area of the Plant Family Collection. Photo: Lee Patrick.

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

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

This South African bulb features fanciful pink-and-white flowers and can be found in swamps and roadside ditches.

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

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.