Add these gorgeous spring plants to your landscape for a colorful show.
Coastal North Carolina has a stunning springtime. It may not last for long or show up when you think it will, but when the azaleas burst out in a riot of color and daffodils pop up seemingly overnight, it is a beautiful and welcome sight.
Many of us want to enjoy color in the landscape year-round, and we’re lucky to live in a place that makes that possible – a few flowers can be relied on to bloom throughout the winter, and plenty more thrive at the barest hint of warm weather. Camellias are show-stopping shrubs and different varieties will put out blooms from early fall to spring in reds, pinks and whites.
There are a few trees, shrubs and flowers that are quintessential to spring. Here are five of our favorites:
- Bridal Wreath or Baby’s Breath Spirea (S. prunifolia and S. thunbergii ):
These graceful, arching shrubs produce abundant white blossoms on arching canes. They grow from five to ten feet wide, and can make a nice addition to a perennial garden or as a specimen plant. They’re an old fashioned plant that will bloom for years without much fuss.
- Snowball Viburnum (Viburnum macrocephalum ‘Sterile’):
Like hydrangeas? Snowball viburnum produces a similarly shaped flower, starting off a pale green and opening to pure white. In our area, it is evergreen, and often blooms in late fall and again in the early spring. It’s a larger-sized shrub, so it needs some room to grow with afternoon shade and slightly acidic soil for best results.
- Saucer Magnolia (Magnolia x soulangeana):
This popular small- to medium-sized tree brightens up early spring with its candy pink blooms that are 5-10 inches in diameter. The leaves are a leathery dark green and contrast well with its silvery bark. The saucer magnolia will grow to 25′ feet or more, and makes a great addition to the landscape.
- Tulips (Tulipa spp.)
Many of spring’s flashiest flowers come from bulbs, resting quietly through the winter and emerging when the weather turns warmer and the days start to lengthen. Tulips are among the most popular of these. And although tulips are best treated as an annual in the Southeast, they are a beautiful garden addition for those willing to give them the proper coddling. Many bulb suppliers also sell varieties that are specially suited for the South.
- Azaleas (Rhododendron spp.)
Of course these staples would be on our list, as they light up this area every year with candy-colored red, pink and white blooms. Azaleas thrive in well-drained, acidic soil with dappled sunlight. They look great in their natural form, with just a bit of pruning needed to keep them healthy and full.
