Now that spring has sprung, are you eager to invite warm weather wildlife back to your garden? Try out these top ten early spring blooming plants for pollinators. These plants don’t just look beautiful in the garden, they are especially valuable because they provide nectar for bees and other hungry pollinators when next to nothing else has started blooming. They all begin to bloom before May, so they’re not just nice for the bees, they’re a treat for the spring giddy gardener as well!
1. Glory of the snow – Chionodoxa forbesii
USDA Zones 3-8. Sun to part sun. Glory-of-the-Snow bulbs produce plants that are about 6” tall.
Glory-of-the-Snow are early bloomers and are absolutely beautiful! The picture above just doesn’t do them justice! They are one of the very earliest spring blooming plants for pollinators. They start to bloom by the beginning of April, if not a bit earlier when planted in warm, sunny spots. Bees LOVE these flowers. As soon as mine start blooming, I consistently have bees in my yard for the rest of the season, because by the time these stop blooming, many other plants have started their flower show. They spread reliably over the years. The foliage dies back and the plants go into dormancy around the start of the summer. These bulbs are a great way to please both bees and gardeners!
2. Lenten Rose – Helleborus x hybridus
USDA Zones 4 or 5 – 9. Part sun to full shade. 18 – 24” tall and wide.
Lenten Rose is one of the first perennials to bloom in spring, earning it a well deserved spot on this list of early spring blooming plants for pollinators. Because breeders are continuously coming out with new varieties, you can find these blooming in shades of yellow, peach, pink, red, green, white, purple and almost black! Flowers can be single five petal blossoms or double blooms. One of the best things about Lenten roses (which, by the way, are NOT roses) is that they can grow in shade! They are a great way to bring color and interest to the very early spring garden when most plants are still completely dormant. The umbrella-like foliage is also useful for creating plant structure contrast within the garden.
3. Hyacinths – Hyacinthus orientalis
USDA Zones 4-8. Full sun. 6-12” tall.
I love all bulbs and perennials that are early bloomers, but I especially value those that deer don’t like to eat! Hyacinths are gorgeous flowers that smell divine and are a sure sign of spring. Such a welcome sight! But one of the greatest qualities of hyacinths is that they are a valuable source of nectar for pollinators in early spring. They come in a wide range of colors and are a great choice of bulbs to plant along with tulips, because not only do they look great together, deer and rabbits don’t like the taste of hyacinth. Once they have a nibble of some hyacinth, they’ll choose to move on, passing up the tulips as well.
4. Pasque flower – Pulsatilla Vulgaris
USDA Zones 4-8. Part sun – part shade. 12” tall x 12” wide.
The Pasque flower is a beautiful perennial that is always appreciated by pollinators. It typically starts blooming in mid-April and continues well into May. It brings a unique look to the early spring garden, as it isn’t one of your common bulbs. Once it is done blooming, you will be left with fuzzy flower heads that sway in the breeze for the rest of the season. Learn more about this early blooming favorite and why it is May’s Practically Perfect Plant.
5. Periwinkle – Vinca minor
USDA Zones 4-8. Part sun to full shade. 3 – 6” tall.
Periwinkle is a carefree evergreen ground cover that has pretty flowers in colors of blue, purple or white. Once it is established, it will spread, so beware, don’t plant this around other plants that aren’t pretty hefty or they will get smothered. The variegated varieties don’t take over as quickly, but once established still really spread. Some varieties bloom a little later, but many bloom beginning mid April or a little earlier. Both Ralph Shugert and Illumination are attractive varieties with variegated foliage that typically begin to bloom by mid April. The bees really appreciate their early blossoms. Illumination is my favorite periwinkle. The leaf centers are a bright yellow or chartreuse while a deep green edges the leaves. It becomes more yellow with more sun, but even with very little sun, it still has plenty of gold to lighten up a part shade area.
6. Catmint – Nepeta
USDA Zones 4 – 9. Full to part sun. Species vary in size from around 10”H x 12”W (such as Little Titch) to 36”H x 30”W (such as the Six Hills Giant.)
Catmint is a reliable, long lived perennial that starts blooming late in April and blooms most of the season thereafter. Clusters of small, purple flowers rise on stalks above the foliage. The flowers are loaded with nectar and are loved by bees as well as cabbage butterflies – one of the first butterflies to spot flying around each spring. When the blooming slows down in mid-summer, just cut off the spent flower stalks down to the foliage and you will soon have a second wave of flowers that will likely last until frost. Catmint is a fantastic companion plant for roses. It should be a top pick for any gardener wishing to provide not only early spring blooming plants for pollinators, but plants that support them all season long.
7. Purple leaf sand cherry – Dwarf red leaf plum – Prunus x cistena
USDA Zones 2 – 8. Full to part sun. They grow to be 10’ tall by 8’ wide if allowed, but can be pruned to be kept smaller.
Purple Leaf Sand Cherries begin to bloom around mid-April. They do well along the eastern foothills in Colorado, and not only do they benefit the bees with early season nectar, they also produce a fruit (more of a plum than cherry) that doesn’t taste great, but the birds love them! These shrubs or small trees can be a great choice in a wildlife garden when needing purple foliage in a shrub sized plant.
8. Korean Spice Viburnum – Viburnum Carlesii
USDA Zones 4 – 8. Full to part sun. 5-8′ tall and wide.
The Korean Spice Viburnum is one of my all time favorite shrubs! They’re not only gorgeous, but the flowers are heavenly scented! Its no surprise this one is attractive to bees. Who wouldn’t be attracted to it? There are many early blooming, beautiful viburnums that can benefit pollinators, and some are evergreen or semi-evergreen, but the Korean Spice Viburnum (not evergreen) is my favorite. Learn more about this outstanding shrub, and why it was picked to be this year’s April’s Practically Perfect Plant.
9. Golden Currant – Ribes aureum
USDA Zone 3-8. Full sun to part shade. 5′ tall and wide.
The Golden Currant is an early blooming, native shrub loved by pollinators. The bright yellow, tubular flowers have a clove scent and are a sweet treat for the first hummingbirds to make their way back in spring. Golden currants bloom for about a month and develop small round berries that start out amber and ripen in summer to a shiny black. They are supposedly quite tasty, but to be quite honest, I have never had the pleasure of tasting one because the birds apparently recognize that they are ripe before I do. That’s ok, as I love to feed my yardmates! These thornless shrubs grow more upright with plenty of sun, and grow somewhat fountain shaped with arching branches in more shade. They bloom well even in shade, making them a valuable shady, wildlife garden addition.
Never plant currants in areas near any white pines, as currants (and the related gooseberry) are the alternate host for white pine blister rust. This is a fungus that needs both species in order to complete its life cycle. It doesn’t do much damage to currants, but is deadly to white pines. For this reason, it is unlawful to plant currants or gooseberries in some areas. Be sure to check if they are allowed in your area before planting, and use discretion if allowed. Learn more about White Pine Blister Rust from the USDA Forest Service.
10. Honeysuckle shrub – Lonicera
USDA Zones 3-8. Full sun to part shade. 10’x10’, but some Up to 15’ tall and wide.
Warning! Be picky about the type of honeysuckle shrub you get, as many are invasive. If you are given a “volunteer” from a friend’s yard, think twice. But those sold at nurseries are probably safe choices. My favorite is Arnold Red because it has deep pink flowers and looks stunning in bloom. Mine has never seeded in the 13 years I have had it. These are tough, problem free shrubs that leaf out in very early spring, introducing fresh green foliage to the brown, dormant yard after a long winter.
If in a sunny spot, honeysuckle shrubs can begin to bloom by the end of April, and are another nectar source for early migrating hummingbirds! I have a cluster of honey suckles with golden currants in my yard providing a nice buffet for those hungry little birds. Shrub honeysuckle blossoms can be white, yellow or shades of pink. A new and exciting honeysuckle shrub is Cool Splash. It is the first variegated honeysuckle shrub! It grows to just 4.5’x4.5’. The foliage is beautiful, making it a fantastic drought tolerant substitute for variegated dogwood shrubs. This honeysuckle puts out bright yellow flowers a little later than other honeysuckle shrubs, so don’t count on it to be a source of nectar for bees out scouting in very early spring. Still, it is a gorgeous shrub that is beneficial to pollinators – just a little later in the season.
11. Dandelions
Ok, I know this is supposed to be a top 10 list and I’ve already listed ten plants, but I think the list would be incomplete without at least mentioning dandelions. And, I know, you think I’m crazy adding them to the list. But because my top priority is gardening for wildlife, I’m throwing this one in. I actually let dandelions bloom when they show up at the end of winter because they tend to be the very first flowers to open and give the bees much needed help at a time when there may be absolutely nothing else available. They really are one of the absolute earliest spring blooming plants for pollinators. Once other plants in my yard get into the swing of spring and start blooming, the dandelions come out, but until then, I grin and bear it, and try to appreciate the positive traits of dandelions. And really, they are quite beautiful plants with gorgeous bright cheerful flowers. They just happen to also be uncontrollable pains in the backside of gardeners all around the globe! But for the sake of supporting our dwindling bee populations, I think it is worth it to leave dandelions until the bees have other options to find in your yard. If you’re willing to allow some dandelions to grow until other plants start blooming, I hope this list of top early spring blooming plants for pollinators will provide you with options that will let you to pull your dandelions a bit earlier!
*Spring is a great season to focus on wildlife in your yard, but wildlife can benefit from your help in all seasons! Learn how to create a wildlife friendly winter garden too!