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Top 9 Flowering Plants Offering Winter Appeal

9 Evergreen Plants That Enhance Winter Charm in Your Garden

Top 9 Perennials Offering Visual Appeal During Winter's Chill
Top 9 Perennials Offering Visual Appeal During Winter's Chill

Top 9 Flowering Plants Offering Winter Appeal

As your garden prepares for winter's hibernation and eagerly awaits the emergence of spring bulbs and shrubs, you don't have to endure a barren landscape. Introducing perennials for winter interest can add another layer of allure to your garden's design, even if you only get to enjoy them through yourwindowpane on a frosty winter day.

Many perennials can adapt to the chilly months and complement your existing shrubs and evergreens. These plants often maintain an upright shape throughout winter, offering height and texture, while dried seedheads add another level of charm. Some perennials even thrive during the colder weather months.

When selecting perennials, ensure they are capable of enduring freezing temperatures in your USDA zone (look up your zone here). Additionally, pay attention to a plant's mature size so you don't place it too close to existing plantings, resulting in overcrowding and maintenance difficulties down the line.

Now, let's dive into the best perennials for winter interest in the Southern regions.

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Top 9 Vibrant Perennials Offering Winter Allure

Hellebore

  • Botanical name:Helleborus spp.
  • Sun exposure: Dappled sun to mostly shade
  • Soil type: Well-drained, rich

Hellebores boast the most enchanting flowers nodding atop waxy evergreen foliage. Also known as Lenten roses since they bloom around Lent before Easter, these flowers last from winter's depths to early spring. They are also resistant to deer, rodents, and rabbits, while gradually forming an evergreen carpet, especially underneath deciduous trees.

Varieties for the South: Winter Dreams, Flower Girl, Confetti Cake

Top 9 Flowering Plants That Maintain Appeal throughout Winter

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Bergenia

  • Botanical name:Bergenia crassifolia
  • Sun exposure: Full sun to full shade
  • Soil type: Moist, well-draining, rich

Bergenia is a clumping perennial with lustrous cabbage-like leaves and appealing pink or purple flower clusters that appear in late winter, though they may bloom as early as December in warm climates. Some varieties even boast burgundy foliage. An interesting side note: Its common name, "pigsqueak," stems from the squealing sound made when a leaf is rubbed between two fingers!

Top 9 Flowering Plants Offering Winter Attraction

Varieties for the South: Bressingham Ruby, Winterglow, Peppermint Patty

03of 09

Carex

  • Botanical name:Carex spp
  • Sun exposure: Shade to part shade
  • Soil type: Well-drained, moist
Top 9 Flowering Plants with Captivating Winter Appeal

The vibrant green, golden, or white variegated foliage of these mounding grasses adds pops of color to the landscape throughout the year. They are ideal for lining pathways, bordering gardens, or creating large plantings.

Varieties for the South: Everillo, Everest, Eversheen

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Hardy Cyclamen

Top 9 Flowering Plants Offering Visual Appeal Throughout Winter
  • Botanical name:Cyclamen coum
  • Sun exposure: Part shade
  • Soil type: Moist, well-draining, rich

There are various species of cyclamen, but the winter-blooming type is Cyclamen coum. This variety features pretty heart-shaped leaves, often streaked with silver. The butterfly-like blossoms appear in early to midwinter and last for weeks. In summer, the plant goes dormant but emerges again when temperatures cool once more in the fall.

Varieties for the South: Cyclamen coum white, Cyclamen coum pink, Cyclamen coum marble-leaved

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Top 9 Flowering Plants Offering Winter Allure

Cordyline

  • Botanical name:Cordyline spp.
  • Sun exposure: Full sun to part shade
  • Soil type: Well-drained, moist

Cold-hardy variants of tropical cordyline provide year-round color in gardens in the Middle and Southern regions of the United States. With its strong, upright presence and pink or burgundy bladed leaves, it offers a striking contrast to the garden's more muted shades of green.

Varieties for the South: Design-A-Line, Charlie Boy

Top 9 Bloomers Offering Winter Allure

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Beautyberry

  • Botanical name: Callicarpa americana
  • Sun exposure: Full to part sun
  • Soil type: Well-drained, moist

Originating from the Southeastern United States, beautyberries are actually shrubs, but the brilliant purple jewel-like berries, which appear in clusters in fall and winter, make them a must-have for winter landscapes. This plant is often deer-resistant, and you can even make a flavorful jelly by harvesting the berries before the birds do.

Top Outstanding Evergreens Offering Winter Allure

Varieties for the South: Pearl Glam

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Japanese Aralia

  • Botanical name:Fatsia japonica
  • Sun exposure: Part shade or shade
  • Soil type: Moist, well-draining
Top 9 Flowering Plants Offering Captivating Winter Attraction

This striking evergreen boasts giant palmate leaves with breathtaking variegation that changes throughout the season and matures with age. The eye-catching, round clusters of white flowers emerge in mid-fall, providing pollinators with blooms when other plants have faded. It makes a spectacular specimen plant or works well in a mixed border.

Varieties for the South: Spider's Web

08of 09## Heath

  • Botanical name: Erica spp
  • Sun exposure: Full to part sun
  • Soil type: Well-drained, sandy; does not tolerate clay

This evergreen shrub provides an appealing texture throughout winter in the Upper and Mid South regions. However, what truly captivates is the explosion of pink blossoms that emerge late winter to early spring. There's a variety of options, so be sure to examine the plant tag thoroughly to select a winter-blooming type. This plant is frequently mistaken for heather, which belongs to the same family (Ericaceae), but heather is classified under the Calluna genus and is more tolerant of cold conditions.

Southern Options: Springwood White, Springwood Pink

Coneflower

  • Scientific name:Echinacea species
  • Light exposure: Full sun to partial shade
  • Soil type: Well-drained, suitable for most types

The vibrant, daisy-like flowers of coneflower come in a wide range of colors, from fiery pink to vibrant coral, to brilliant yellow or pristine white. Although this hardy perennial blooms during the summer through fall, the dried seedheads contribute an interesting texture to the winter scenery and are also a favorite among birds.

Southern Options: Crazy Pink, Kismet Intense Orange

After exploring various gardening ideas, you might consider incorporating SouthernLiving's recommended outdoor plants for winter interest. Perennial plants like Hellebore, Bergenia, Carex, Hardy Cyclamen, Cordyline, Beautyberry, Japanese Aralia, Heath, and Coneflower can add charm and color to your garden during the chilly months. Coneflower, for instance, with its vibrant daisy-like flowers and dried seedheads, offers an appealing texture even in winter. Be sure to select perennials that are suitable for your USDA zone and consider their mature size to avoid overcrowding and maintenance difficulties.

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