More early spring bloomers 

Last week in this space we looked at some early spring blooming flowers, shrubs, and trees-all which gloriously signal the end of the winter and have the ability to delight us out of our winter gloom. This week we examine a few more of these early spring bloomers.  

First up is the Eastern Redbud. The Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis) is a premier early-spring, native, deciduous tree in Georgia (Zones 6-8), renowned for its vibrant, magenta-pink flowers that bloom on bare branches from February to April. It is highly adaptable to Georgia’s red clay and diverse soil types, thriving in full sun to partial shade. 

Bloom & Appearance: Flowers bloom before the heart-shaped leaves emerge. The tree grows 12–25 feet tall and 10–20 feet wide, making it ideal for small yards.

Popular Cultivars: ‘Forest Pansy’ (wine-red foliage), ‘Merlot’ (drought-tolerant with dark purple leaves), and ‘Ruby Falls’ (weeping form) are popular choices.

Planting: Performs best in well-drained soil, though it tolerates various soil conditions.

Maintenance: While generally hardy, it can be short-lived and susceptible to pests like scale and diseases like Botryosphaeria canker.

Wildlife: It is a vital early food source for pollinators, specifically bees. 

The ever-dependable camellia is next. Early spring-blooming camellias in Georgia (late winter to April) are dominated by Camellia japonica and various hybrids, which thrive in zones 6-9 and offer large, showy, cold-hardy flowers. Recommended, long-blooming varieties for the region include ‘Kramer’s Supreme,’ ‘Debutante,’ and the ‘April’ series. 

April Series (‘April Blush’, ‘April Dawn’, ‘April Tryst’). Extremely cold-hardy (Zone 6) and ideal for North Georgia.

‘Kramer’s Supreme’ (Japonica). Features large, fragrant, peony-form red flowers.

‘Debutante’ (Japonica). A classic, heat-tolerant shrub with soft, light-pink peony-style blooms.

Native from Virginia and Florida west to Arkansas and east Texas and south to Guatemala, Carolina Jessamine (Gelsemium sempervirens) is a twining, evergreen vine, 10-20 ft. long, that will climb trees, scramble over fences and structures, or develop a mound of tangled stems if left to its own devices. Lustrous, dark-green foliage develops a slight yellow or purple cast in winter. Axillary clusters bear very fragrant, yellow, trumpet-shaped flowers. The fruit is a 1 1/2 inch-long capsule.

This high-climbing vine is very common in parts of the South, frequently found in abandoned fields and climbing high into the canopies of pine forests. It is quite adaptable and tenacious, with no serious disease or insect problems. These qualities, along with its glossy, evergreen leaves and waxy, trumpet-shaped flowers, have made it a mainstay of the suburban landscape in the Southeast. The flowers, leaves, and roots are poisonous and may be lethal to humans and livestock. The species’ nectar may also be toxic to honeybees if too much is consumed and honey made from Carolina Jessamine nectar may be toxic to humans. Rankin’s Yellow Jessamine, also known as Swamp Jessamine (G. rankinii), with odorless flowers, occurs in swamps from North Carolina to Florida.

The Red Maple (Acer rubrum) is a highly adaptable, native Georgia tree that signals the very beginning of spring, often blooming in late winter (February) before its leaves appear. It thrives in diverse conditions, from wet, low-lying areas to dry, rocky uplands. 

Flowers: Features distinct, small red flowers that appear in clusters before leaves, providing early nectar for native bees.

Appearance: Known for its brilliant red, orange, or yellow fall foliage. It is a medium-to-large tree, typically growing 40–60 feet tall.

Adaptability: Very resilient, with a strong ability to thrive in a wide range of soil moisture levels, including swampy areas.

Wildlife Value: A crucial species for early pollinators and a larval host for various moths and butterflies.

Growth Rate: A relatively fast-growing tree, adding 12 to 18 inches of height per year. 

Sometimes considered the most spectacular of the native, flowering trees, flowering dogwood (Cornus florida) is a 20-40 ft., sometimes taller, single- or multi-trunked tree with a spreading crown and long-lasting, showy, white and pink spring blooms. A lovely, small, flowering tree with short trunk and crown of spreading or nearly horizontal branches. Graceful, horizontal-tiered branching, red fruits, and scarlet-red fall foliage are other landscape attributes. Flowering dogwood is deciduous.

Flowering Dogwood is one of the most beautiful eastern North American trees with showy early spring flowers, red fruit, and scarlet autumn foliage. The hard wood is extremely shock-resistant and useful for making weaving-shuttles. It is also made into spools, small pulleys, mallet heads, and jeweler’s blocks. Native Americans used the aromatic bark and roots as a remedy for malaria and extracted a red dye from the roots.

I hope you have enjoyed brushing up on your knowledge of these early spring bloomers. 

Tim Lewis is a Georgia Green Industry Association Certified Plant Professional, gardening writer, and former Perry High School horticulture instructor. He can be reached at (478)954-1507 or timlewis1@windstream.net.