Plants in Bloom

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’ (reticulata iris) in the Shakespeare Garden. Photo: Michael Stewart.

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The double blossoms of this cultivar were bred to have up to 28 petals each. (Cherry blossoms naturally have five petals.) Among the last to bloom, ‘Kanzan’ represents the finale of cherry blossom season.

Prunus ‘Kanzan’ on Cherry Esplanade. Photo: Rebecca Bullene.

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Marsh-marigold, also known as “cowslip,” “king’s-cup,” or “meadow bright,” grows in wet or swampy places. Fittingly, their seeds can float. A member of the buttercup family, marsh-marigolds are often pollinated by hoverflies, which are beneficial insects that resemble hairless bees.

Caltha palustris (marsh-marigold) in the Native Flora Garden, Rock Garden, and Belle’s Brook. Photo: Blanca Begert.

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This native understory tree blooms in a vibrant pink show each spring. Redbuds are cauliflorous, an unusual botanical trait that means they can produce flowers directly on their branches and trunks. 

Cercis canadensis (eastern redbud) in the Discovery Garden. Photo: Blanca Begert.

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Native to the woodlands of eastern North America, the spotted geranium produces purple, five-petaled flowers that seem to light up the forest floor. The seed capsule produced after flowering resembles the beak of a crane, which is referenced by its other common name, “cranesbill.”

Geranium maculatum (spotted geranium) in the Native Flora Garden. Photo: Michael Stewart.

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This native spring ephemeral blooms a bit earlier than its Spanish counterpart. Flowers appear pink while in bud and then become blue as they open.

Mertensia virginica (Virginia bluebells) in the Plant Family Collection. Photo: Blanca Begert.

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Native to the eastern United States, moss phlox can be found blanketing wide-open clearings and rocky sites. Its flowers provide early-season nectar to moths, butterflies, and hummingbirds.

Phlox subulata (moss phlox) in the Native Flora Garden. Photo: Blanca Begert.

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Downy serviceberry is a small deciduous tree native to eastern North America. Its white spring flowers, which support early pollinators, are followed by berries that feed over 35 species of birds.

Amelanchier arborea (downy serviceberry) in the Woodland Garden. Photo: Blanca Begert.

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The name of this double-flowered cherry means “snow white.” The tree’s pink-tinted buds open to clusters of dazzling white, fragrant flowers.

Prunus ‘Shirotae’ in the Cherry Cultivars Area and Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden. Photo: Blanca Begert.

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The most popular cherry blossom in Japan, the Yoshino has five petals and is loved for its delicate, simple form. The pink buds become lighter as they open, and the petals soon become white.

Prunus × yedoensis (yoshino cherry) in the Cherry Cultivars Area and Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden. Photo: Blanca Begert.

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One of the earliest spring wildflowers, bloodroot—so named for its bright red sap—has flowers that emerge with leaves wrapped around them. The blossoms of this native plant last only a few days, but the leaves persist through summer. 

Sanguinaria canadensis (bloodroot) in the Native Flora Garden. Photo: Romi Ige.

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The flowers of this beautiful native tree are actually the small inconspicuous green structures in the middle. The showy white bracts surrounding them are modified leaves.

Cornus florida (flowering dogwood) in the Plant Family Collection. Photo: Steven N. Severinghaus.

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Thousands of tulips are planted throughout the Garden and typically bloom between April and May. You can find them most prominently in the Annual Border, Fragrance Garden, Osborne Garden, and Rose Arc.

Tulipa (tulips) in the Annual Border. Photo: Blanca Begert.

Cuttings of this variety were sent from Japan in 1929 from a tree near the Hirano Shrine in Kyoto. Soft-pink semidouble flowers contrast with a deeper pink on the backs and edges of the petals.

Prunus serrulata ‘Taoyame’ (flowering cherry cultivar) in the Cherry Cultivars Area. Photo: Blanca Begert.

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This native wildflower is a member of the Asteraceae, or aster family, and is one of the first to bloom. Its yellow flowers attract butterflies and bees.

Packera aurea (heart leaved groundsel) in the Native Flora Garden. Photo: Steven N. Severinghaus.

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Ukon, which means “turmeric” in Japanese, refers to this cherry cultivar’s unusual color. Its large, semidouble flowers are pale green at first, changing to a light yellow and finally pink.

Prunus ‘Ukon’ (cherry ‘Ukon’) in the Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden. Photo: Blanca Begert.

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Azaleas are commonly pruned as shaped shrubs, but they can also be allowed to grow in a loose, natural style to encourage more flowering. This early-blooming species is native to Korea.

Rhododendron yedoense f. poukhanense (Korean azalea) in the Rock Garden. Photo: Blanca Begert.

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Snake’s-head fritillary is a member of the lily family. This bulbous perennial is easily recognized by its distinct checkered pattern, which resembles snakeskin.

Fritillaria meleagris (snake’s-head fritillary) in the Shakespeare Garden. Photo: Michael Stewart.

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This native spring ephemeral blooms in woodlands, soaking up the sunlight before the canopy trees leaf out. Yellow trout-lilies have curled petals and mottled leaves that (sort of) resemble trout.

Erythronium americanum (yellow trout-lily) in the Native Flora Garden. Photo: Michael Stewart.

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This weeping cherry is also called the Sendai spring cherry. It has red buds that open to double pink flowers on broadly weeping branches.

Prunus pendula ‘Yae-Beni-Shidare’ (double weeping higan cherry) in the Cherry Cultivars Area. Photo: Blanca Begert.

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A lovely weeping cherry, ‘Pendula’ is usually one of the earliest to bloom. Its delicate blossoms range from nearly white to pink in color.

Prunus pendula ‘Pendula Rosea’ (weeping higan cherry) in the Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden. Photo: Blanca Begert.

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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) on Magnolia Plaza. Photo: Blanca Begert.

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The stunning early-blooming saucer magnolia blooms in varying shades of white, pink, and purple, and flowers reach up to eight inches across. 

Magnolia × soulangeana (saucer magnolia) on Magnolia Plaza. Photo: Blanca Begert.

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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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An English hybrid first introduced in 1952, this tree bears clusters of semidouble, 12-petaled pale pink flowers that open from dark pink buds in early spring.

Prunus ‘Accolade’ (flowering cherry cultivar) in the Cherry Cultivars Area. Photo: Blanca Begert.

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The ‘Elizabeth’ magnolia may be the most famous of the magnolias bred at Brooklyn Botanic Garden. A cross between the yulan magnolia and the American cucumber tree, it was the first yellow-flowering magnolia ever bred.

Magnolia ‘Elizabeth’ (Magnolia ‘Elizabeth’ ) in the Osborne Garden. Photo: Blanca Begert.

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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) on Magnolia Plaza. Photo: Michael Stewart.

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Native to Taiwan and Japan, this deciduous shrub offers clusters of fragrant, pastel yellow flowers in early spring. 

Corylopsis pauciflora (buttercup winter-hazel) in the Plant Family Collection. Photo: Blanca Begert.

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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 that yield tasty summer fruits.

Prunus persica ‘Halehaven’ (Halehaven peach) in the Herb Garden. Photo: Blanca Begert.

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One of the yellow magnolias bred by Brooklyn Botanic Garden, ‘Lois’ has deep yellow flowers that, like most later-blooming magnolias, emerge along with or after its leaves.

Magnolia ‘Lois’ on Magnolia Plaza and Eastern Parkway, and in the Discovery Garden. Photo: Steven N. Severinghaus.

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A true harbinger of spring, this perennial bulb holds significant meaning and symbolism in both Eastern and Western cultures. Daffodils are also a popular choice among plant breeders, with over 32,000 registered varieties globally.

Narcissus cultivars (daffodils) on Daffodil Hill. Photo: Blanca Begert.

Once thought to be in the same genus as wild bleeding heart, a North American native, this species—native to Siberia, Japan, Korea, and northern China—blooms a little later, and its pendant-like flowers have a more distinct heart shape.

Lamprocapnos spectabilis (bleeding-heart) in the Plant Family Collection. Photo: Blanca Begert.

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This delicate, early-blooming perennial bulb is native to southwestern Turkey. 

Scilla forbesii (glory-of-the-snow) in the Rock Garden. Photo: Blanca Begert.

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Native to the mountains of western China, this rare species is one of the first cherry trees to bloom. Subtly fragrant flowers emerge in early spring, followed by fiery red foliage in fall.

Prunus hirtipes (early flowering cherry) in the Plant Family Collection. Photo: Michael Stewart.

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One of the newest additions to Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s collection, ‘Snow Goose’ is an early flowering, very fragrant cultivar with a distinctive upright, flat-topped form. White cup-like blossoms appear singly or in pairs.

Prunus ‘Snow Goose’ (Japanese flowering cherry cultivar ) in the Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden. Photo: Blanca Begert.

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‘Shimane-seidai’ is just one of the gorgeous and fragrant Japanese tree peonies at the Garden. These woody-stemmed cultivars have larger blossoms and bloom a bit earlier than herbaceous peonies.

Paeonia (Suffruticosa Group) ‘Shimane-seidai’ (Japenese hybrid tree peony) in the Tree Peony Collection. Photo: Blanca Begert.

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Bred by legendary French lilac breeder Victor Lemoine in 1913, the pink ‘Vauban’ lilac is among the early-blooming hybrids in the Garden’s collection.

Syringa × hyacinthiflora ‘Vauban’ (lilac) in the Lilac Collection. Photo: Sarah Schmidt.

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Fothergilla shrubs belong to Hamamelidaceae, the witch-hazel family. They’re known for whitish-yellow blooms in the spring and striking color in the fall.

Fothergilla × intermedia MAY BOUQUET = ‘Klmsixteen’ (witch-alder [May Bouquet] ) in the Plant Family Collection. Photo: Sarah Schmidt.

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‘Tama-usagi’ has giant, double-flowered blossoms of pure white. The tree peony collection was given to the Garden in 2002 by the city of Yatsuka-Cho in Japan as a memorial to the victims of the September 11 attacks.

Paeonia (Suffruticosa Group) ‘Tama-usagi’ (Japanese hybrid tree peony) in the Tree Peony Collection. Photo: Blanca Begert.

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One of the lilacs bred by famed early 20th-century French breeder Victor Lemoine, known for his double-flowered hybrids. These have two layers of petals on each floret, giving the blossoms a distinctly fuller look.

Syringa vulgaris ‘Léon Gambetta’ (lilac ‘Léon Gambetta’) in the Lilac Collection. Photo: Sarah Schmidt.

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Blooming alongside young, emerging leaves, the red buds of showy crabapple mature to white flowers in spring. In late summer, its fruit provides a favorite food among birds, squirrels, and other wildlife.

Malus floribunda (showy crabapple) in the Plant Family Collection. Photo: Michael Stewart.

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Japanese wisteria is a twining woody vine that grows by twisting around supports like trellises, fences, or arbors. Plants can grow aggressively (it’s considered invasive in some states) and may live more than 50 years.

Wisteria floribunda (Japanese wisteria) in the Osborne Garden. Photo: Michael Stewart.

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These sweet-smelling spring bulbs thrive in a bit of shade and are in bloom for about two weeks. The planting in Bluebell Wood includes over 50,000 individual plants.

Hyacinthoides hispanica ‘Excelsior’ (spanish bluebell) in Bluebell Wood. Photo: Blanca Begert.

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Belonging to the same genus as cherries, apricots also produce beautiful spring blooms. This tree is located along the Shakespeare Garden and blooms just before most of the early-blooming cherries.

Prunus armeniaca 'Moorpark Improved' (apricot 'Moorpark Improved') in the Shakespeare Garden. Photo: Blanca Begert.

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Native to southeastern Europe and the Caucasus region, Anemone blanda is a cheerful spreading perennial that blooms in early spring.

Anemone blanda ‘White Splendour’ (Grecian windflower) in the Discovery Garden. Photo: Blanca Begert.

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‘Jugatsu-zakura’ begins blooming around October, continues sporadically into December, and finishes in the spring with a last burst coinciding with new foliage. 

Prunus × subhirtella ‘Jugatsu-zakura’ (flowering cherry) in the Cherry Cultivars Area. Photo: Elizabeth Peters.

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Trilliums are a plant of threes: They produce a blossom with three petals sitting atop three leaves. This spring ephemeral, native to the forests of the northeastern United States and southern Canada, thrives in woodland gardens. 

Trillium grandiflorum (white wake-robin) in the Native Flora Garden. Photo: Michael Stewart.

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Umbels of deliciously fragrant, tightly packed tubular flowers light up these deciduous shrubs in early spring. In a practice dating back to 16th-century Japan, its bark is used make specialty, high-quality paper.

Edgeworthia chrysantha (paperbush) in the Fragrance Garden. Photo: Blanca Begert.

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One of Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s famous yellow-flowered magnolias, the ‘Yellow Bird’ hybrid was introduced in 1981. Like the other BBG hybrids, this one blooms later in the season than most of the collection, and blossoms appear along with the leaves.

Magnolia × brooklynensis ‘Yellow Bird’ on Magnolia Plaza. Photo: Blanca Begert.

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A succulent perennial with spiraling leaves, Euphorbia myrsinites produces delicate yellow-green flowers in the spring.

Euphorbia myrsinites (donkey-tail spurge) in the Rock Garden. Photo: Blanca Begert.

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In spring, the Chinese pear’s pink buds mature into airy white flowers with dark pink anthers. Native to northeastern Asia, this tree is one of the largest and hardiest pears.

Pyrus ussuriensis (Chinese pear) in the Plant Family Collection. Photo: Michael Stewart.

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Sometimes called the redbud crabapple, the dark pink buds of this hybrid blossom into fragrant flowers that fade from pink to white.

Malus × zumi (crabapple) in the Osborne Garden. Photo: Steven N. Severinghaus.

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Flowering quinces, known for their early-spring blooms, belong to the rose family.

Chaenomeles × superba ‘Cameo’ (flowering quince) in the Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden. Photo: Blanca Begert.

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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 Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden and the Rock Garden.

Pieris japonica (Japanese pieris) in the Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden. Photo: Blanca Begert.

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This flowering bulbous perennial attracts bees with its tubular flowers rich in nectar. Muscari armeniacum is a member of the Asparagaceae, or asparagus family.

Muscari armeniacum (Armenian grape-hyacinth) in the Perennial Border. Photo: Michael Stewart.

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Carica papaya (papaya) in the Tropical Pavilion. Photo: Lee Patrick.

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The heart-leaved pelargonium, a perennial with lightly-scented pink flowers, is native to a highly biodiverse shrubland region of South Africa.

Pelargonium cordifolium (heart-leaved pelargonium) in the Warm Temperate Pavilion. Photo: Uli Lorimer.

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Maidenhair trees (or ginkgos) are dioecious, meaning they produce pollen and seeds on separate trees. Here you can see the pollen cones on a male tree among its young leaves.

Ginkgo biloba (maidenhair tree) on the Overlook. Photo: Steven N. Severinghaus.

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Azaleas have long been a popular ornamental plant, with bright tubular flowers and scented displays that vary across thousands of cultivars. The azalea display in the Osborne Garden was originally designed by landscape architect Alice Recknagel Ireys in 1947.

Rhododenron cultivar (azalea cultivar) in the Osborne Garden. Photo: Blanca Begert.

Also known as kaufmanniana tulips, this species has short stems and large flowers with multicolored petals.

Tulipa kaufmanniana (water-lily tulip) in the Shakespeare Garden. Photo: Sarah Schmidt.

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Prunus × subhirtella (higan cherry) in the Bonsai Museum. Photo: Blanca Begert.

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Willow flowers, called catkins, aren’t your typical flower. They have no petals—that color you see is all pollen. Salix discolor supports an array of native wildlife, including around 18 species of butterflies and moths. 

Salix discolor (pussy willow) in the Discovery Garden. Photo: Blanca Begert.

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