Gardening Plants & Flowers Flowers

19 Best Spring-Flowering Ephemerals

By
Marie Iannotti
Garden Writer Marie Iannotti
Marie Iannotti
Marie Iannotti is a life-long gardener and a veteran Master Gardener with nearly three decades of experience. She's also an author of three gardening books, a plant photographer, public speaker, and a former Cornell Cooperative Extension Horticulture Educator. Marie's garden writing has been featured in newspapers and magazines nationwide and she has been interviewed for Martha Stewart Radio, National Public Radio, and numerous articles.
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Updated on 03/30/22
Reviewed by
Debra LaGattuta
Debra LaGattuta
Reviewed by Debra LaGattuta

Debra LaGattuta is a Master Gardener with 30+ years of experience in perennial and flowering plants, container gardening, and raised bed vegetable gardening. She is a lead gardener in a Plant-A-Row, which is a program that offers thousands of pounds of organically-grown vegetables to local food banks. Debra is a member of The Spruce Garden Review Board.

Learn more about The Spruce's Review Board
Spring beauty plant with delicate pink-striped flowers closeup

The Spruce / Autumn Wood

True to their name, spring-flowering ephemerals are plants that only bloom for a brief time. Spring ephemerals don't die after blooming, but they go dormant and their foliage disappears from view shortly after they stop flowering. The first hint of warm weather triggers spring ephemerals to grow. But once the warm weather takes hold, ephemerals usually die back above ground while their roots continue growing under the soil, conserving energy for the following year. The natural habitat for most spring ephemerals is a woodland setting, particularly near damp areas like stream banks. Here are 19 spring ephemerals to consider for your garden.

  • 01 of 19

    Bitterroot (Lewisia rediviva)

    Bitterroot (Lewisia rediviva Pursh)
    Alasdair Turner / Getty Images

    Bitterroot is a native of the western United States and features showy white or pink flowers in the spring. This petite plant forms a deep taproot that allows it to survive tough conditions. It produces tiny offset plants, which are the easiest way to propagate it. Bitterroot has low moisture needs, so you probably won't have to worry about watering except when it is flowering. But you should make sure it's planted in fast-draining soil.

    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 4 to 8
    • Color Varieties: Pink, white
    • Sun Exposure: Part sun
    • Soil Needs: Average, rocky or gravely, well-draining
  • 02 of 19

    Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis)

    Bloodroot plant with small white cup-shaped flowers with yellow centers closeup

    The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova

    Bloodroot is named for the dark red sap in the leaves and stems of the plant. It produces showy white or pink blooms that are around two inches wide in March to April. Bloodroot loves damp soil, but it can ​be naturalized in dry areas under trees if you water it well, especially during its first year. The key to making this woodland plant happy is providing rich soil, spring moisture, and summer shade.

    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 3 to 8
    • Color Varieties: White, pink
    • Sun Exposure: Part shade to full shade
    • Soil Needs: Humusy, moist, well-draining
  • 03 of 19

    Calypso Orchid (Calypso bulbosa)

    Venus slipper orchid
    Mauricio Acosta / Getty Images

    Calypso orchids are most at home on the forest floor, popping out from a carpet of ferns and moss. They go by many common names, including fairy slipper, lady slipper, and Venus slipper. The flowers climb about six inches above the ground and come in shades of pink, white, purple, and flecked combinations of all three colors. Provide full shade and organically rich soil for best growth, and make sure the soil stays evenly moist through watering and rainfall. 

    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 4 to 8
    • Color Varieties: Pink, white, purple
    • Sun Exposure: Part shade to full shade
    • Soil Needs: Rich, acidic to neutral, moist
  • 04 of 19

    Celandine Poppy (Stylophorum diphyllum)

    Celandine Poppy (Stylophorum diphyllum) - IV
    AlpamayoPhoto / Getty Images

    Celandine poppies, also known as yellow wood poppies, are relatively tall wildflowers that can grow to a height of two feet. They have bright yellow blooms, which Native Americans used for dye. They are one of the few ephemerals that start quickly from seed. And they're one of the easiest ephemerals to cultivate, if you have a shady site and keep the soil adequately moist.

    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 4 to 9
    • Color Varieties: Yellow
    • Sun Exposure: Part shade to full shade
    • Soil Needs: Humusy, medium to wet
    Continue to 5 of 19 below
  • 05 of 19

    Dogtooth Violet (Erythronium dens-canis)

    Dogtooth violet plant with violet tooth-like flowers on thin stems

    The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova

    Dogtooth violets have no relation to the common violet. They are named for their color and their bulb, which resembles a dog's canine tooth. The large blossoms open in the morning and close as evening approaches during mid-spring. Plant them in the fall, and don’t let the soil dry out, even when the plants are dormant. However, avoid overwatering and make sure the soil drains well because this plant doesn’t like soggy soil.

    • USDA Growing Zones: 3 to 9
    • Color Varieties: Violet
    • Sun Exposure: Partial shade
    • Soil Needs: Humusy, moist, well-draining
  • 06 of 19

    Dutchman’s Breeches (Dicentra cucullaria)

    Dutchman’s breeches (Dicentra cucullaria)
    Scott T. Smith / Getty Images

    With lacy foliage and dangling white flowers shaped like old-fashioned pantaloons, Dutchman's breeches makes a statement in the garden. Despite their delicate appearance, these plants are extremely hardy and undemanding. Give them rich soil, and they will return every year and often spread by self-seeding. Also, make sure the soil is well-draining because this plant is intolerant of wet soil, especially when it's dormant.

    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 3 to 7
    • Color Varieties: White, pink
    • Sun Exposure: Part shade to full shade
    • Soil Needs: Humusy, medium moisture, well-draining
  • 07 of 19

    Marsh Marigold (Caltha palustris)

    Marsh marigold plant with small yellow flowers surrounded by clustered leaves

    The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova

    Marsh marigolds are not related to common garden marigolds. They are in the Ranunculaceae family and are succulents. As their common name suggests, they need to be in damp soil, such as the boggy area around a pond or marsh. They require little in the way of care besides monitoring to make sure their soil doesn't dry out. They flower best in full sun but appreciate a little shade in hot climates.

    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 3 to 7
    • Color Varieties: Yellow
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade
    • Soil Needs: Humusy, acidic, moist
  • 08 of 19

    Pasque Flower (Pulsatilla patens)

    Pasque flower with deep purple petals and yellow center in sunlight

    The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova

    As pretty as their violet flowers and fuzzy leaves are, the silky seed heads can steal the show on pasque flowers. This plant is a grassland perennial that blooms around the same time as the crocus. Its nectar-rich blooms help to feed bees before many other flowers have opened. Pasque flowers are somewhat difficult to grow from seed, so consider purchasing a plant instead. And provide good drainage, which is key to their survival.

    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 3 to 7
    • Color Varieties: Violet, white
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun
    • Soil Needs: Sandy or loamy, dry to medium moisture, well-draining
    Continue to 9 of 19 below
  • 09 of 19

    Rue Anemone (Anemonella thalictroides)

    Rue anemone (Anemonella thalictroides)
    wbritten / Getty Images

    Rue anemone are small but charming spring flowers that grow four to six inches tall. The foliage is a lovely blue-green, which shows off the white flowers. These plants are slow to establish but will eventually spread. Add a layer of mulch or compost each year to provide essential nutrients. Otherwise, these plants are fairly hands-off.

    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 4 to 8
    • Color Varieties: White, pale pink
    • Sun Exposure: Part shade
    • Soil Needs: Average, sandy or humusy, medium moisture, well-draining
  • 10 of 19

    Sagebrush Buttercup (Ranunculus glaberrimus)

    Sagebrush buttercup (Ranunculus glaberrimus)
    Murphy_Shewchuk / Getty Images

    Sagebrush buttercup is remarkably hardy. In the spring, its buds emerge with a purplish tinge and open to a cheery sunshine yellow. These are tiny plants, with most reaching only around 4 inches tall. They tend to grow in carpets, which gives them greater visual impact. They typically don't require much care and are even tolerant of drought. But make sure their soil has good drainage to prevent root rot.

    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 2 to 7
    • Color Varieties: Yellow
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun to part sun
    • Soil Needs: Sandy or loamy, medium moisture, well-draining
  • 11 of 19

    Shooting Star (Dodecatheon pulchellum)

    Shooting star plant with small pink and white drooping flowers clustered on thin stem

    The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova

    Shooting star is a short-lived perennial, but you can usually count on it to self-seed. The flowers bloom around May in shades of lavender. And its swept-back petals are what give it its common name of shooting star. This plant needs moist, well-draining soil during the growing season but dry conditions while it's dormant. Add a layer of compost each year to provide essential nutrients.

    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 4 to 7
    • Color Varieties: Purple, pink
    • Sun Exposure: Partial shade
    • Soil Needs: Humusy, moist, well-draining
  • 12 of 19

    Spring Beauty (Claytonia virginica)

    Spring Beauty (Claytonia virginica)
    Maria Mosolova / Getty Images

    These delicate pink-striped flowers surrounded by grassy foliage are adaptable to woodlands, meadows, and even rock gardens. They look best in mass plantings, but you can get them started with just a few plants. Plant spring beauty bulbs about three inches deep and three inches apart in the fall, and keep the soil evenly moist during the growing season. Plus, add a layer of compost each year to promote growth and blooming.

    • USDA Growing Zones: 3 to 8
    • Color Varieties: Pink, white
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade
    • Soil Needs: Average, medium moisture, well-draining
    Continue to 13 of 19 below
  • 13 of 19

    Squirrel Corn (Dicentra canadensis)

    Squirrel Corn (Dicentra canadensis)
    Gingerjohns / Getty Images

    Squirrel corn is a diminutive relative of bleeding heart, with finely cut leaves and pinkish-white flowers. It got the name squirrel corn because it has small yellow tubers that look somewhat like a kernel of corn, and squirrels (as well as other small rodents) find them tasty. It’s somewhat difficult to grow from seed, so consider purchasing a plant instead. Keep the soil evenly moist. And add a layer of compost each year, so the soil remains organically rich.

    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 4 to 8
    • Color Varieties: Whitish-pink
    • Sun Exposure: Part shade
    • Soil Needs: Sandy or loamy, moist, well-draining
  • 14 of 19

    Cutleaf Toothwort (Cardamine concatenata)

    Cutleaf toothwort (Cardamine concatenata)
    ErikAgar / Getty Images

    Cutleaf toothwort blooms for about two weeks in early spring. The fragrant white or pink flowers never fully open, staying in an elongated bell shape until going to seed. The pretty lobed leaves are not what gives the plant its common name. Instead, it's the leaf scars or tooth-like projections on the stems. The plant is difficult to grow from seed, so it's best to purchase plants. Once established, the plants should slowly spread on their own. Cutleaf toothwort likes organically rich soil, so add compost each year to promote growth and blooming.

    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 3 to 8
    • Color Varieties: White, pink
    • Sun Exposure: Part shade
    • Soil Needs: Rich, humusy, medium moisture, well-draining
  • 15 of 19

    Trillium (Trillium grandiflorum)

    Trillium (Trillium grandiflorum)
    Michael Davis / Getty Images

    Trilliums have three leaves and three petals. There are over 40 species of trilliums, but you had better be patient if you intend to start them from seed. They can keep you waiting up to seven years before they flower. Luckily they are becoming more available in nurseries. Trillium prefers organically rich soil and benefits from a layer of leaf mulch in the fall. Keep the soil evenly moist, but make sure your plants have good drainage.

    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 4 to 8
    • Color Varieties: White
    • Sun Exposure: Part shade to full shade
    • Soil Needs: Rich, moist, well-draining
  • 16 of 19

    Trout Lily (Erythronium americanum)

    Trout lily with light yellow swept-back petals closeup

    The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova

    Thanks to their swept-back petals, trout lilies resemble their cousin, the dogtooth violet. While trout lilies are early bloomers, they are more famous for not blooming at all. Usually that is because the soil is too rich. So cut back on leaf litter and avoid feeding if you have trouble getting yours to bloom. Moreover, trout lilies generally don't like transplanting, so ideally you should leave them alone after you plant them.

    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 3 to 8
    • Color Varieties: Yellow
    • Sun Exposure: Part shade to full shade
    • Soil Needs: Humusy, acidic, medium moisture, well-draining
    Continue to 17 of 19 below
  • 17 of 19

    Twinleaf (Jeffersonia diphylla)

    Twinleaf (Jeffersonia diphylla)

    The Spruce / Marie Iannotti

    Twinleaf's flowers resemble bloodroot, but its leaves are joined at a joint that makes them look like butterfly wings. The plant is named for Thomas Jefferson, and he did indeed grow it. Twinleaf is hardy but slow to fill out. An ideal planting site is under a large deciduous tree, where it will receive some sunlight in the spring before the tree leafs out and shade in the summer. Moreover, make sure to keep the soil evenly moist.

    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 5 to 7
    • Color Varieties: White
    • Sun Exposure: Part shade
    • Soil Needs: Humusy, moist, well-draining
  • 18 of 19

    Virginia Bluebell (Mertensia virginica)

    Virginia bluebell plant with tiny blue bell-shaped flowers on thin stems

    The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova

    Virginia bluebells are one of the most iconic wildflowers. And they're fairly adaptable and easy to grow. They are a member of the borage family, and like borage they can have both pink and blue flowers on a plant at one time. These flowers are best when they're massed in one area and then left to grow undisturbed. Add a layer of compost to the soil each year to encourage growth and blooming.

    • USDA Growing Zones: 3 to 8
    • Color Varieties: Blue, pink
    • Sun Exposure: Part shade to full shade
    • Soil Needs: Average, medium moisture, well-draining
  • 19 of 19

    Yellow Fritillary (Fritillaria pudica)

    Yellowbell (Fritillaria pudica)
    eff Foott / Getty Images

    Although yellow fritillary, also known as golden bells, is hardy enough to bloom through snow, it is very particular about where it grows. You might not be able to get this flower established in your garden unless you can give it conditions that mimic a grassland or ponderosa. Well-draining soil is required. You can amend your soil with sand or perlite to improve drainage. Plus, this plant likes organically rich soil, so mix in a layer of compost each year.

    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 4 to 8
    • Color Varieties: Yellow, orange
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun to part sun
    • Soil Needs: Rich, moist, well-draining