Plants in Bloom
March highlights
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Early Flowering Cherry
Prunus hirtipes (early flowering cherry) in the Plant Family Collection. Photo: Michael Stewart.
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Star Magnolia
The star magnolia is one of the first magnolias to bloom. Each blossom has a dozen or more thin, ribbonlike tepals.
Magnolia stellata (star magnolia) in the Magnolia Plaza. Photo: Michael Stewart.
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Prunus × incam ‘Okame’
Prunus × incam ‘Okame’ (Japanese flowering cherry) is one of the earliest-blooming cherries in the collection, and its bloom marks the unofficial start to cherry blossom season at the garden. Photo: Ruiyan Xu.
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Japanese Pieris
The delicate early-spring blooms of Japanese pieris resemble blueberry flowers, and the plants are indeed related. They’re members of the heath family. A number of pieris cultivars can be found in the Rock Garden and Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden.
Pieris japonica 'Valley Rose' (Japanese pieris) in the Rock Garden. Photo: Blanca Begert.
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Daffodils
Narcissus 'Tittle Tattle' (daffodil cultivar) in the Rock Garden. Photo: Blanca Begert.
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Camellia ‘April Remembered’
Camellias bloom throughout the Japanese Garden in fall, winter, and into spring. This lovely pink-blossomed cultivar is one of the later ones to bloom in spring.
Camellia japonica 'April Remembered' (camellia) in the Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden. Photo: Blanca Begert.
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Paperbush
Edgeworthia chrysantha (paperbush) in the Washington Avenue Border. Photo: Blanca Begert.
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Dawn Arrowwood
In early spring, clusters of fragrant, light pink blossoms open from dark pink buds along the bare branches of this deciduous shrub.
Viburnum × bodnantense ‘Dawn’ (dawn arrowwood) in the Plant Family Collection. Photo: Michael Stewart.
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Dwarf Iris
These low-growing irises appear in late winter and early spring. This fragrant hybrid, ‘Katharine Hodgkin’, was introduced in 1958 by E.B. Anderson and named after the wife of fellow U.K. breeder Eliot Hodgkin.
Iris ‘Katharine Hodgkin’ (dwarf iris) in the Shakespeare Garden. Photo: Michael Stewart.
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Japanese Apricot
The Japanese apricot is one of the first flowering trees of the genus Prunus (which includes the famous cherries) to bloom each year. These delicate blossoms are a sign of more to come.
Prunus mume ‘Bonita’ (Japanese Apricot) in the Washington Avenue Border. Photo: Michael Stewart.
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Crocus
Crocuses begin popping up in small numbers at at first and soon start to blanket large stretches of lawns and beds all over the Garden. They’re a welcome sign of spring and also a source of nectar and pollen for hungry bees and other pollinators.
Crocus (crocus) in the Celebrity Path. Photo: Michael Stewart.
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Snowdrop
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.
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Misczenko Squill
One of the shorter plants in the Scilla genus, this Iranian native has relatively large, fragrant flowers. They grow along Celebrity Path, in the Overlook, and in large swaths along Belle's Brook.
Scilla mischtschenkoana (Misczenko squill) in the Water Garden. Photo: Michael Stewart.
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Chinese Witch-Hazel
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 (witch-hazel) in the Early Spring Garden. Photo: Michael Stewart.
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Japanese Pink Pussy Willow
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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Witch-Hazel ‘Jelena’
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 x intermedia ‘Jelena’ (witch-hazel ‘Jelena’) in the Rock Garden. Photo: Michael Stewart.
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Crocus
Crocus ancyrensis, 'Golden Bunch' (crocus) in the Perennial Border. Photo: Rebecca Bullene.
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Japanese Quince
This flowering Japanese quince shows off colorful blooms in mid- to late-winter. Though a different species than the common quince, it also produces a fragrant, but smaller, fruit in the fall.
Chaenomeles speciosa ‘Texas Scarlet’ (Japanese quince) in the Osborne Garden. Photo: Romi Ige.
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Pussy Willow
Pussy willows are actually flowers of certain willow species just before they fully bloom. The soft coating of hairs acts as insulation to protect these early bloomers from cold temperatures.
Salix discolor (pussy willow) along the edge of the Discovery Garden. Photo: Blanca Begert.
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Stinking Hellebore
Helleborus foetidus (stinking hellebore) in bloom—and attracting pollinators—in front of the Administration Building. Photo: Elizabeth Peters.
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Spring Heath
Spring heath is one of the first alpine shrubs to bloom in the Rock Garden. Its tiny, bell-shaped flowers blossom just before the azaleas and are a welcome sign of spring.
Erica carnea 'Springwood Pink' (spring heath) in the Rock Garden. Photo: Blanca Begert.
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Yulan Magnolia
The yulan magnolia has been cultivated in its native China for more than 1,000 years. Like many early blooming magnolias, it's precocious, which means its flowers appear before the leaves.
Magnolia denudata (yulan magnolia) in the Magnolia Plaza. Photo: Blanca Begert.
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Saucer Magnolia
The stunning early-blooming saucer magnolia blooms in varying shades of white, pink, and purple, and flowers reach up to eight inches across. The Garden has a dozen saucers in Magnolia Plaza.
Magnolia × soulangeana (saucer magnolia) in the Magnolia Plaza. Photo: Blanca Begert.
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Halehaven Peach
Peaches are closely related to cherries and many cultivars have similar ornamental blossoms. The ‘Halehaven’ peach tree in the Herb Garden produces gorgeous spring blossoms which also yield tasty summer fruits.
Prunus persica 'Halehaven' (peach) in the Herb Garden. Photo: Blanca Begert.
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Korean Rhododendron
Rhododendron mucronulatum (Korean rhododendron) in the Discovery Garden. Photo: Blanca Begert.
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Magnolia ‘Galaxy’
This deep pink magnolia hybrid blooms a little later than the precocious blooming hybrids, usually just as the leaves are emerging.
Magnolia × soulangeana (magnolia) in the Magnolia Plaza. Photo: Sarah Schmidt.
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Weeping Higan Cherry
A lovely, weeping cherry, ‘Pendula’ is usually one of the earliest cherries to bloom. Its delicate blossoms range from nearly white to pink in color.
Prunus subhirtella 'Pendula' (weeping higan cherry) in the Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden. Photo: Blanca Begert.
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Hellebore
Hellebores bloom in winter and early spring, when few other plants do. They are native to Europe and Asia, so they have no natural pollinators here. They can still be an emergency source of food for bees, flies, and other insects if no native flowers are available.
Helleborus sp. (hellebore) in the Osborne Garden. Photo: Blanca Begert.
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Camellia ‘Julia Drayton’
Camellia japonica ‘Julia Drayton’ (Camellia ‘Julia Drayton’) in the Bonsai Museum. Photo: Michael Stewart.
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Flowering Apricot
Part of the same genus as cherries, apricots also produce gorgeous, delicate spring blooms that are cherished in the Japanese culture. This specimen is located along the Shakespeare Garden and blooms just before most of the early blooming cherries.
Prunus armeniaca (flowering apricot) in the Shakespeare Garden. Photo: Blanca Begert.
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Kohlrabi
Brassica oleracea (kohlrabi) in the Discovery Garden. Photo: Michael Stewart.
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Camellia ‘Japanese Fantasy’
Camellia 'Japanese Fantasy' (Camellia 'Japanese Fantasy') in the Bonsai Museum. Photo: Michael Stewart.
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Japanese Apricot ‘Kobai’
Prunus mume ‘Kobai’ (Japanese Apricot ‘Kobai’) in the Bonsai Museum. Photo: Michael Stewart.
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Witch-Hazel ‘Diane’
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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Bird-of-Paradise ‘Mandela’s Gold’
This specimen, in bloom in the Warm Temparate Pavilion, was grown at BBG from seed provided by Kirstenbosch National Botanic Garden in Cape Town, South Africa. The cultivar is prized for its distinctive yellow sepals and named for Nelson Mandela.
Strelitzia reginae 'Mandela's Gold' (bird of paradise cultivar) in the Warm Temperate Pavilion. Photo: Sarah Schmidt.
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Starfish-Lily
Ferraria crispa (Starfish-lily ) in the Warm Temperate Pavilion. Photo: Rebecca Bullene.
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Orchid
Dendrobium anosmum (orchid) in the Aquatic House. Photo: Blanca Begert.
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Japanese Apricot ‘Bonita’
Prunus mume ‘Bonita’ (Japanese apricot 'Bonita') in the Bonsai Museum. Photo: Michael Stewart.
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Osa Pulchra
Osa pulchra is endangered in its native Costa Rica and Panama—there are only 30 plants left in the wild. In North America, it is found only in a few botanic gardens as it is difficult to propagate.
Osa pulchra (osa pulchra) in the Steinhardt Conservatory. Photo: Lee Patrick.
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Cape Buttercup
Sparaxis elegans (cape buttercup) in the Warm Temperate Pavilion. Photo: Sarah Schmidt.
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Dutch Crocus
Crocus vernus 'Jeanne d'Arc' (Dutch crocus) on the terrace outside the Steinhardt Conservatory. Photo: Blanca Begert.
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White Candle
Whitfieldia elongata (white candle) in the Tropical Pavilion. Photo: Blanca Begert.
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Cardinal’s Guard
Pachystachys coccinea (cardinal's guard) in the Tropical Pavilion. Photo: Blanca Begert.
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Higan Cherry Bonsai
Prunus subhirtella (higan cherry bonsai) in the Bonsai Museum. Photo: Blanca Begert.
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Flowering Quince Bonsai
Chaenomeles x superba 'Corallina' (flowering quince) in the Bonsai Museum. Photo: Blanca Begert.
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Stachyurus
Stachyurus praecox near the Home Composting Exhibit. Photo: Blanca Begert.
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Oregon-Grape
Mahonia x media 'Underway' (Oregon-grape) in the Woodland Shade Garden. Photo: Rebecca Bullene.
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Heartleaf Geranium
Pelargonium cordifolium (heartleaf geranium) in the Warm Temperate Pavilion. Photo: Uli Lorimer.
