Top 10 Winter Flowering Bulbs to Plant This Season
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Don’t you think winter is the best choice to enjoy the natural phenomena? Because the winter condition brings out the true essence of nature. And to make that happen, you need to plant some beautiful winter flowering bulbs in your garden.
It not only enhances the overall view of your garden in winter but also makes you feel lively. Planting wintering bulbs is a good start to brighten up your garden during cold weather conditions. But make sure you are selecting an appropriate bulb and planting them with adequate preparation time for faster and more effective blooms.
Thankfully, there are wide varieties of winter flowering bulb options available. But in this article, we have covered 10 wintering flowering bulbs for your garden that are easy to grow, fast-growing, and resilient to frost.
Let’s discuss in detail the varieties and when to plan them.
Winter Flowering Bulbs for Your Garden
If you are looking for the best 10 winter flowering bulb options, then here you go.
1. Snowdrops
Snowdrops are an excellent choice as a flowering winter bulb. It appears with small white blooms. Moreover, they are even capable of blooming even if there is snowfall. The snowdrops should be planted in early fall; otherwise, you may not see them blooming in your garden for at least two years. So, make sure you are planting them early.
When to Plant Them: Early Autumn is the best time to plant these beautiful snowdrops. They are sold as undried bulbs. So prefer to buy them early, as they will only be available for a limited time in Autumn.
Botanical Name |
Galanthus nivalis |
Size |
3-6inches tall |
Blooming Season |
Late winter to early spring |
Sun Exposure |
Full sun to partial shade |
2. Hyacinths
The Hyacinths come in different varieties of colours, such as white, blue, pink, purple, and cream. With their lush green foliage and strong stems, these plants are incredibly sturdy. Most importantly, you should always use gloves when working with Hyacinth bulbs as they contain oxalic acid, which can cause irritation to your skin.
When to Plant Them: Prefer to plant these Hyacinth bulbs in the fall so that they can begin to bloom by the end of winter.
Botanical Name |
Hyacinthus |
Size |
6-12inch tall |
Blooming Season |
Spring |
Sun Exposure |
Full, partial |
3. Crocus
Crocus is one of the most popular varieties among all these wintering bulbs. Its a low-growing perennial flowering plant. The crocus flower comes in different colours, such as pink, purple, red, yellow, blue, and orange. They are fully resistant to frost and grow well in partial shade to full sun. Apart from the garden, it can be grown in various conditions like suburban lawns and woodlands as well.
When to Plant Them: Crocus, being early spring bloomers, should be planted in the early fall, depending upon the temperature shift.
Botanical Name |
Crocus Sativus |
Size |
6inch tall |
Blooming Season |
Spring |
Sun Exposure |
Full sun, partial shade |
4. Winter Aconite
Winter Aconite is a perfect flower for winter since it is too hardy. It appears with butter-cup-like flowers and skirt-like leaves just under the flower head. Basically, these winter aconites are a tuber, and they are not bulbs. It stores nutrients to sustain the plant during winter, just like the bulbs do. Moreover, they are toxic to humans as well as animals. So stay alert while planting these beauties.
When to Plant Them: The winter aconite should be planted in the early spring days.
Botanical Name |
Eranthis Hyemalis |
Size |
6inch tall |
Blooming Season |
Spring |
Sun Exposure |
Full sun, partial sun |
5. Daffodils
Daffodils are another brightly colored winter bulb varieties that are undoubtedly beautiful. They are easy-to-grow spring flowering perennials. They have trumpet-shaped cup flowers with strappy leaves. They are mostly found in yellow, but you can come across other different colors as well, such as orange, pink, white, and bicolor cultivars. And it is also harmful to animals and humans.
When to Plant Them: Planting Daffodils in the fall is always an ideal choice so that you can enjoy the bright flowers in winter.
Botanical Name |
Narcissus spp. |
Size |
6-30inch tall |
Blooming Season |
Late Winter, Spring |
Sun Exposure |
Full, partial |
6. Anemone
Anemones are famous for their bright and beautiful colored petals. And the color varies according to the species as well, so you can plant any one of them. Being the fastest-growing perennial, it flowers in the first season only. And the amazing thing is a single plant can give around 20 flowers of different colors. Its a perfect addition to any garden in winter.
When to Plant Them: Either in fall or in spring, both are perfect conditions to plant Anemones.
Botanical Name |
Anemone spp. |
Size |
6inch tall (varies by species) |
Blooming Season |
Spring, Summer, Fall (Varies by species) |
Sun Exposure |
Full to partial sun |
7. Cyclamen
Cyclamen is commonly known as a houseplant. It can be grown both from the tubers as well as bulbs. It carries sweet-scented, small blooms on long stems. However, these perennials can withstand harsh cold temperatures. The flowers of Cyclamen come in various colors, such as red, purple, pink, and white. And while planting, make sure to handle with care as these are toxic to both humans as well as animals.
When to plant Them: To see the blooms appearing at the right time of winder, prefer to plant them in late summer.
Botanical Name |
Cyclamen persicum |
Size |
6-9inch tall |
Blooming Season |
Spring, Summer, Fall (Varies by species) |
Sun Exposure |
Full to partial sun |
8. Paperwhites
Paperwhites are the easiest perennial to grow. Once bloomed, it appears the same throughout the entire season, which makes it a perfect gift choice for anyone. The trumpet-shaped flowers scent amazingly. In order to bloom perfectly, it requires adequate sunlight. Its beautiful white petals make it an ultimate option to grow both indoors as well as outdoors.
When to Plant Them: Late fall is a good-to-go option while planting these beautiful paperwhites so that they bloom near the end of winter.
Botanical Name |
Narcissus Papyraceus |
Size |
8-24inch tall |
Blooming Season |
Spring |
Sun Exposure |
Full, partial |
9. Jonquils
Jonquil is the best option to brighten any landscape design. It gives an enticing look when you plant these lovelies in your garden. It is completely easy to take care of it, but few preparations are required before planting it. There is another species that looks like Jonquil, its Daffodils. However, planting these is always a good idea, as it blooms earlier than Daffodils.
When to Plant Them: You can plant them from the mid of the winter till the mid of the spring.
Botanical Name |
Narcissus spp. |
Size |
8-12inch tall |
Blooming Season |
Late April to May |
Sun Exposure |
Full sun |
10. Grape Hyacinths
Grape Hyacinths, known as Muscari, is a very small bulbs with a cluster of tight blue flowers. It completely looks like mini versions of regular hyacinths. It comes with varieties of colors, such as white, purple, pink, and blue. But in general, it appears in blue color. As they produce large quantities of blooms, they just prefer to spread them out perfectly.
When to Plant Them: Plant them in the fall to get beautiful flowers of it.
Botanical Name |
Muscari |
Size |
6-9inch tall |
Blooming Season |
Spring |
Sun Exposure |
Full, partial |
Summing It Up
All in all, the winter season is a great time to plant a few of these winter flowering bulbs in containers, pots, and, most importantly, in your garden beds. However, to bring a bright pop of color to your garden, you can add any of these 10 wintering bulbs to it. There are a few expectations for this plant variety, so please read the complete article before you plant bulbs. Just explore ways to brighten up your garden during the cold months with lots of color and cheer.
So, is there a bulb you prefer among these winter beauties? Let us know in the comments below!
Frequently Asked Questions
What Are the Best Winter Flowering Bulbs?
Wintering flowering bulbs are the ones that add colour to your garden in cold temperatures. There are different varieties of winter flowering bulbs available such as Snowdrops, Hyacinths, Daffodils, Grape Hyacinths, Jonquils, Paperwhites, Cyclamen, Anemone, and many more.
When to Plant Bulbs?
The average planting time for these winter flowerings bulb is Spring. For example, you can plant them in between September to October, October to early November, November to early December, and late December to early January. These are the best planting time.
Can You Plant Summer Bulbs in Cold Weather?
No, you cannot plant summer bulbs in cold weather. Basically, summer bulbs are not tolerant to cold temperatures. And they can easily be planted once the ground warms up and there is no threat of frost. But if you have already purchased them, then make sure to keep them in cool storage places until you plant them safely.