These Iconic Plants Are Suited To Our Climate, Making Them Perfectly At Home Here. Calendars can be handy, but there's nothing quite like spotting certain blooms to let you know
spring has officially arrived . Whether you see these flowers on trees, shrubs, vines,
annuals , or perennials, you will immediately know for certain what season it is. Using native plants provides many benefits. Choose options that are from your area, and the climate will likely suit them just fine. These stalwart specimens have been thriving with no help from us for thousands of years, so whatever Mother Nature throws their way is less likely to faze them. You'll be happy you planted them, and birds, bees, and
butterflies will be just as glad. While there are far too many exemplary Southern natives to enumerate in one article, here are some of our absolute favorites that set the stage for the season.
Flowering Dogwood
Just when you think you've missed the last chance for snow in your neck of the woods, you start seeing tree limbs covered in white.
Flowering dogwood (Cornus florida) is an even better cause for celebration than a weather forecast for wintry mix. This small deciduous tree's exquisite blossoms show up before the leaves each year. The white blooms it's known for are actually four petal-like bracts that surround the real flowers. It makes a nice understory tree, preferring light shade, but can handle full sun with good soil.
Carolina Jessamine
Like golden beads strung on an intricate necklace, the blooms of
Carolina jessamine (Gelsemium sempervirens) make a lovely accent for any trellis, mailbox, arbor, or pergola. This adaptable evergreen vine can grow fast once it gets going, so you may not want to plant it right next to a tree, or it could get carried away and climb up the branches to reach the sunlight. Its sweet scent, yellow blooms, and shiny leaves have charmed generations of Southern gardeners.
Moss Pink
Also known as creeping phlox
(Phlox subulata) , this
ground cover forms lush mats of flowers and foliage and looks pretty spilling over a low wall or rock ledge. The evergreen or semi-evergreen leaves are needlelike and dense. It forms a carpet of blooms, which are available in various shades of purple, lavender, white, and blue in addition to the namesake pink.
Virginia Bluebell
For most of the year, it would be easy to overlook
Virginia bluebells (Mertensia virginica) . Because the plants go dormant after their impressive display of blooms, if you miss the show, there’s no encore performance. So keep your eyes peeled in the spring, and you’ll see clusters of buds that start out pink or lavender and then open up in captivating shades of blue.
Flame Azalea
Although evergreen azaleas from across the Pacific are more widely planted in the South and often draw more attention, our
native deciduous azaleas are equally impressive when they’re in bloom. The aptly named flame azalea
(Rhododendron calendulaceum) features blazing red, orange, and yellow flowers that are sure to stop you in your tracks. Though it looks like it’s on fire, this mountain native is not a fan of sweltering temps or droughts, so give this shrub some protection from hot afternoon sun.
Eastern Redbud
These trees drop their leaves and go incognito in the winter, so you hardly notice them scattered throughout the woods. But come spring, the light pink and lavender blooms of
Eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis) turn mundane highway commutes into pleasurable scenic drives. Their flowers are small, but they more than make up for their size in their abundance. The foliage can be quite the color chameleon, with some selections leafing out in shades of red, purple, lime green, and orange before changing tones as the season advances.
Texas Bluebonnet
Few flowers are as integral to a state’s identity as the Texas bluebonnet
(Lupinus texensis) , also called Texas lupine.
Wildflowers blanket meadows and roadsides, forming seemingly endless seas of blue that draw an annual pilgrimage of ardent admirers and families seeking ideal photo-shoot backdrops. Hundreds of types of native lupines exist in both annual and perennial forms, and many of those originated in the American Southwest.
Oakleaf Hydrangea
Pyramid-shaped clusters of white blooms are the hallmark of the
oakleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia) and help this deciduous shrub brighten up woodland settings. Although the blossoms start out white, they often turn a pinkish hue over time and then shades of tan as they fade. True to its name, the plant boasts large leaves that look like those of an oak tree.
Louisiana Iris
Available in a wide variety of jewel tones—from amethyst to sapphire, ruby, topaz, and more—these perennial gems deserve a spot in your garden. The term Louisiana iris encompasses five species
(Iris brevicaulis, I. nelsonii, I. giganticaerulea, I. fulva, and I. hexagona) , and all of these can be found in South Louisiana.
Southern Magnolia
And now for the grande dame of iconic plants native to this region: the
Southern magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora). This tree definitely has a flair for the dramatic, performing well throughout the South, displaying flowers up to 1 foot wide, growing as tall as 80 feet (depending on selection), featuring glossy evergreen foliage, and exuding a captivating scent that draws your attention.
