11 Flowers That Bloom In March To Celebrate Spring

Bloodroot

A native wildflower, bloodroot is a perennial that thrives in shaded areas but makes itself known with two-inch wide bright white flowers with 8 to 12 petals. A cultivar, ‘Multiplex,’ is double-flowered for even more drama. The name comes from the bright red root sap that can be used to dye wool.

• Botanical Name: Sanguinaria canadensis
• Sun Exposure: Deep to partial shade
• Soil Type: Loamy, organically rich
• Soil pH: Slightly acidic to neutral (6.0-7.0)

Carolina Jessamine

Drive along a Southern road in March, and you’ll see bright yellow flowers hugging a fence or trailing off the bare tree branches. That is Carolina Jessamine, a vine so significant it is the state flower of South Carolina.

Fragrant, funnel-shaped, yellow flowers appear on the semi-evergreen vine in late February through May, depending on your climate. While it can be used as a ground cover, the vine is best grown on a trellis where you can enjoy the pollinators it attracts.

• Botanical Name: Gelsemium sempervirens
• Sun Exposure: Full sun, partial shade
• Soil Type: Nutrient-rich, well-draining
• Soil pH: Neutral (6.5-7.5)

Creeping Phlox

Carpet your garden with hundreds of pink, white, purple, or variegated blooms by planting creeping phlox. Also known as moss phlox, this eastern North American native thrives in sunny spots to bring spectacular color to often dreary March weather.

• Botanical Name: Phlox subulata
• Sun Exposure: Full sun, partial sun
• Soil Type: Sandy, loamy, organically rich, well-drained
• Soil pH: Acidic to alkaline (6.0-8.0)

Crocus

Tiny but beautiful, crocus blooms in white, yellow, or purple make a statement when massed in a rock garden or along a woodland path. The flowers don’t last long but are a welcome sight in March, and the bulbs will naturalize and bloom again next year.

• Botanical Name: Crocus
• Sun Exposure: Full sun, partial shade
• Soil Type: Loam, sand, well-draining
• Soil pH: Slightly acidic to neutral (6.0-7.0)

Daffodils / Jonquils

I spent many March mornings picking daffodils from the old homesite of my great-grandparents. The bulbs naturalized through the years, and the field was full of bright yellow single and double-bloom flowers. These hardy bulbs come in a wide range of flower sizes and colors, from yellow to white and cream to orange and gold. Jonquils are perhaps the most widely adapted to clay soils in many southern gardens. The bulbs can produce multiple flowers per stem and have narrow, dark green foliage. Plant daffodils in mass in the fall for a big show in March.

• Botanical Name: Narcissus hybrids
• Sun Exposure: Full sun, partial shade
• Soil Type: Clay, loam, sand, well-draining
• Soil pH: Acid (<6.0)

Dwarf Iris

Dwarf iris bulbs grow just 5 to 6 inches tall and produce delicate blue, purple, or white flowers that naturalize and spread. Deer-tolerant, they are a perfect choice for woodland areas, near ponds, or in rock gardens. They tolerate summer drought but should be kept moist during the growing season.

• Botanical Name: Iris reticulata
• Sun Exposure: Full sun, partial shade
• Soil Type: Nutrient-rich, well-draining
• Soil pH: Neutral (6.5-7.5)

Giant Snowdrop

A bulbous perennial in the amaryllis family, Giant Snowdrops produce large, solitary white flowers. Best planted in drifts, they bloom in early March and go dormant during the summer. They are perfect for planting in woodland gardens, rock gardens, or along paths in front of hedges.

• Botanical Name: Galanthus elwesii
• Sun Exposure: Full sun, dappled shade
• Soil Type: Organically rich loam or clay
• Soil pH: Neutral (6.5-7.5)

Grape Hyacinths

Even though the common name is grape hyacinth, cultivars of this easy-to-care-for perennial bulb can produce blooms beyond purple. You can find white, pink, or yellow varieties that produce clusters of tiny, fragrant, bell-shaped flowers. Best planted in the fall, the grass-like foliage will appear first before the blooms appear. The perfect companions to taller flowering bulbs and perennials, the plants are deer and rabbit-resistant.

• Botanical Name: Muscari spp.
• Sun Exposure: Full sun, partial shade
• Soil Type: Clay, loam, silt, well-draining
• Soil pH: Acid to neutral (<6.0-7.5)

Hellebores

Commonly known as Lenten roses, hellebores are the perfect selection for March blooms. They are hardy and bloom in shades of white, pink, red, purple, green, and yellow in shady locations requiring little sunlight during a month of often cloudy weather. After blooming, they drop seeds, and new plants will appear later in the spring. As the plants grow and become crowded, divide them in late summer or early fall to replant in the garden.

• Botanical Name: Helleborus spp.
• Sun Exposure: Partial, dappled shade
• Soil Type: Loamy, organically rich, well-draining
• Soil pH: Neutral to alkaline (7.0-8.0)

Tulips

Whether you plant wild (botanical) or hybrid tulip bulbs in the fall, you won’t regret the effort because they require little maintenance. Look for hybrid varieties like Pink or Red Impression, Van Eijk, Othello, Bastogne, or Oxford that are early bloomers to fill your garden with color.

• Botanical Name: Tulipa 
• Sun Exposure: Full sun
• Soil Type: Nutrient-rich, well-draining
• Soil pH: Neutral (6.5-7.5)

Winter Heath

Winter heath is a low-growing evergreen shrub or ground cover that produces white, pink, or purple blooms in March and attractive year-round foliage. It is particularly eye-catching when planted on a slope to create a mass of color.

• Botanical Name: Erica carnea
• Sun Exposure: Full sun; partial shade
• Soil Type: Well-draining to dry
• Soil pH: Acid to neutral (<6.0-7.5)