Earth Talk: What is a 'pollinator lawn' and how can I make one?
Planting different types of tiny flowering plants among grass stalks is a great way to attract bees and other pollinators that help keep our farms productive and our produce aisles well-stocked. (Dreamstime/TNS)
Dear EarthTalk: What is a “pollinator lawn” and how can I make one in my backyard? — Jane W., Westbrook, Connecticut
Bees and other pollinators are essential for growing a great deal of nature’s finest foods. These include coffee, chocolate, beans, many fruits including apples, avocados, blueberries, cherries and peaches, nuts like almonds and cashews, and vegetables such as cauliflower, broccoli and Brussel’s sprouts, just to name a few. More than 100 U.S.-grown crops rely on pollinators. Small birds and animals also depend on a variety of pollinated wild fruits and seeds to survive.
Unfortunately, the populations of bees and other pollinators, including hummingbirds, butterflies, moths and flies, have been drastically declining due in part to exposure to insecticides, but also to loss of natural habitat including grasslands, meadows and woodlands lost to human development.
Turning your own lawn into a pollinator or “bee” lawn can help restore the kinds of natural habitat no longer available to pollinators.
Typical manicured lawns, which require a great deal of water, gas for mowing and weed-killer, are also a virtual desert environment for bees and other pollinators.
In contrast, “bee” lawns consist of a mix of grasses and shorter flowers that can provide vital nutrition to pollinators. Fine fescues grass, for example, has thin blades that give flowers the best chance to grow, and shorter perennial flowers such as Dutch white clover, creeping thyme and self-heal cater to a variety of bees with diverse pollen and nectar needs. Dutch white clover flowers also take nitrogen from the air and add it back into soil, reducing the need for fertilizer. It’s recommended that bee lawns be kept at least 3 inches tall to provide a shaded, moist environment for flowers to bloom and seeds to form.
Furthermore, incorporating a very simple bee water garden into a bee lawn can provide pollinators with a shallow water source that can be otherwise difficult to find. Because bees are small and can easily drown, bee water gardens consist of wide, shallow bowls of water that have rocks rising above the water surface for bees to stand on. And for anyone worried about being stung on their bee lawn, it’s good to know that wild bees do not sting when foraging for flower nectar or pollen — in fact, you can safely get within inches of bees visiting flowers and not get stung. People usually tend to get stung only when bees are harassed at their nest, stepped on or entangled in pieces of clothing.
Thankfully, the importance of bee lawns has been gaining momentum, so much so that in 2019 Minnesota launched the $900,000 Lawns to Legumes project to help homeowners across the state make their lawns bee-friendly. The program particularly emphasizes hope for providing protection for the at-risk rusty patched bumblebee, Minnesota’s state bee. At one time abundant, the rusty patched bumblebee has suffered an 87% decline in population in the last 20 years and was formally listed as federally endangered in March 2017, marking the first bee in the continental U.S. to make the endangered species list.
47 plants that begin to bloom in March
47 plants that begin to bloom in March
As the saying goes, April showers bring May flowers, but as many flora lovers know, there’s no need to wait till May to see blossoming plants. There are numerous plants that produce beautiful, blooming flowers by March.
After analyzing data from the Missouri Botanical Garden list of bloom times, which shows the blooming months for a wide variety of plants found in the United States, Stacker compiled this list of 47 plants that bloom in March.
While this list only shows flowering plants commonly found in the U.S. that bloom in March, some plants bloom as early as January and February. The full blooming period is listed on each slide, and the plants are listed according to their bloom times, starting with plants that begin blooming in early March.
The list also references the U.S. Department of Agriculture Plant Hardiness Zone Map, as this is the standard the USDA uses to inform gardeners about where certain plants are most likely to thrive. Enter your zip code on the USDA website or the National Gardening Association website to see which of these plants are blooming near you.
Read on to learn about 47 plants that begin to bloom in March.
You might also like: Do you know your state’s flower?
#1. Japanese apricot
Scientific name: Prunus mume
Bloom period: Late February to early April (peak bloom time in March)
Unlike many other plants, Japanese apricots begin blooming in the chilly winter months. The plant is found in USDA hardiness zones 6 to 9, and the plant’s pink, red, and white flowers have a spicy fragrance. The plant also has several medicinal applications and can be taken to treat intestinal disorders or prevent heart disease.
#2. Iris
Scientific name: Iris
Bloom period: Late February to mid-June (peak bloom time in March)
Named for the Greek goddess Iris, these purple flowers are planted as bulbs. There are several varieties with different physical characteristics. Some varieties fare better in different parts of the U.S., including the white “I Do” variety and the pink “Jennifer Rebecca.”
#3. Spring snowflake
Scientific name: Leucojum vernum
Bloom period: Early March to early May
Despite their name, spring snowflakes look like little white bells or skirts. Their flowers have a light scent, and the plant does best in USDA hardiness zones 3 to 9. They’re also deer- and rabbit-resistant, making them a favorite for gardeners.
#4. Primrose
Scientific name: Primula
Bloom period: Early March to mid-September
The perennial primrose can come in many colors: white, yellow, orange, red, pink, purple, and blue. Though these plants enjoy damp, forestlike conditions, they can be prone to slugs, snails, and rot.
#5. Serviceberry
Scientific name: Amelanchier
Bloom period: Mid-March to early May
Though the serviceberries’ white flowers emerge in the spring, this tree is known for being beautiful year-round. In the summer, it produces berries. In the autumn, the leaves turn fiery orange, and in the winter months, the plant’s bare bark turns silvery. Different varieties fare better in various USDA hardiness zones.
#6. Higan cherry
Scientific name: Prunus subhirtella
Bloom period: Mid-March to early April
Cherry blossoms are one of spring’s most celebrated flowers—think of all the people who flock to Japan each year for its cherry blossom festivals. Native to that island nation, Higan cherry trees burst with tiny, pinkish flowers beginning in March. The plants grow best in USDA hardiness zones 5 to 8.
#7. Flowering quince
Scientific name: Chaenomeles
Bloom period: Mid-March to early June
This spiny shrub has lovely red flowers and nasty thorns, making them a favorite for hedging and growing against walls. The flowers and subsequent fruit attract many types of birds, but there are also varieties that don’t have thorns or fruit.
#8. Summer snowflake
Scientific name: Leucojum aestivum
Bloom period: Mid-March to early May
Thriving best in USDA Hardiness Zones 3 to 9, summer snowflakes look similar to their spring snowflake counterparts. The plant’s chocolate-scented flowers bloom from March to May and go dormant in the summer.
#9. Star magnolia
Scientific name: Magnolia stellata
Bloom period: Mid-March to early May
Star magnolias are native to Japan. These lovely ornamental trees with white, spindly flowers thrive in USDA hardiness zones 4 to 9. However, they are delicate and do best in sheltered gardens, especially since they bloom at a time when frost might still damage them.
#10. Crabapple
Scientific name: Malus
Bloom period: Mid-March to early May
What’s the difference between an apple from the grocery store and a crabapple? Size. Wild crabapples are much smaller than their produce-aisle counterparts. They’re edible, too, though many of the varieties are quite sour.
#11. Grape hyacinth
Scientific name: Muscari armeniacum
Bloom period: Mid-March to early May
Native to Eurasia, these brilliant purple, cone-shaped flowers look like mini versions of larger varieties of hyacinths. Their scientific name, “muscari,” derives from the Greek word for “musk,” referring to the flower’s famous scent.
#12. Daffodil
Scientific name: Narcissus
Bloom period: Mid-March to early May
One of spring’s most famous flowers is the bright yellow daffodil, though they also come in cream, white, pink, and orange. They do well in USDA hardiness zones 3 to 8. Their scientific name, “Narcissus,” is named for the egotistical figure in Greek mythology.
#13. Tulip
Scientific name: Tulipa
Bloom period: Mid-March to early May
Another signature of spring, cup-shaped tulips come in a variety of colors and types. Tulips are famous for causing a frenzy in 17th-century Holland—the little flowers were so popular it became known as “Tulip Mania” and, at one point, a handful of bulbs were valued at around $44,000. Today, people still go to Holland in the spring to see them bloom.
#14. Speedwell
Scientific name: Veronica
Bloom period: Mid-March to early November
Speedwells bloom in conical shapes with purple, blue, white, or pink petals. Varieties of this plant include “Red Fox,” which has pink flowers and “Dick’s Wine,” which has dark red flowers.
#15. Glory of the snow
Scientific name: Chionodoxa luciliae
Bloom period: Mid-March to late April
These periwinkle and white flowers are native to Turkey. They do well in USDA hardiness zones 3 to 8. Their name comes from the fact they often bloom so early that the flowers can be seen poking through snowfall.
#16. Forsythia
Scientific name: Forsythia
Bloom period: Mid-March to late April
This shrub bursts with small, bright yellow flowers beginning in mid-March. They’re known for being extremely fast-growing and requiring little care; they are often used for hedging or bushes.
#17. Spicebush
Scientific name: Lindera benzoin
Bloom period: Mid-March to late April
Spicebushes are a favorite of black and blue spicebush swallowtail butterflies, playing host to those insects’ larvae. They do well in USDA hardiness zones 4 to 9 and have tiny, fragrant yellow flowers in the spring.
#18. Loebner’s magnolia
Scientific name: Magnolia loebneri
Bloom period: Mid-March to late April
These trees are no joke—mature plants can grow up to 30 feet high. Thriving in USDA Hardiness Zones 5 to 9, their spring flowers are fragrant and colored white with a pinkish hue.
#19. Bradford pear
Scientific name: Pyrus calleryana
Bloom period: Mid-March to late April
The Bradford pear or Callery pear, known for its small white blossoms, is an iconic ornamental tree that grows throughout the southern states. However, their weak branch structure makes them prone to falling apart within mere decades, and they cross-pollinate with other trees, creating plants that choke out native flora.
#20. Common periwinkle
Scientific name: Vinca minor
Bloom period: Mid-March to late July
Not to be confused with the common periwinkle species of snail, this plant, with its carpet of green leaves and purple-blue flowers, is commonly used as a ground cover. It’s drought-resistant and grows well in USDA hardiness zones 4 to 8.
#21. Azalea and rhododendron
Scientific name: Rhododendron
Bloom period: Mid-March to late June
Azalea bushes are a part of the rhododendron family. There are many types of azaleas and rhododendrons, both native and exotic, and each has different levels of hardiness and soil and watering requirements.
#22. Peach tree
Scientific name: Prunus persica
Bloom period: Mid-March to mid-April
White or pink flowers cover peach trees each spring, with those blossoms giving way to fruit. The plant does well in USDA hardiness zones 6 to 9 and produces its delicious, edible peaches in late spring or early summer.
#23. Sargent’s cherry
Scientific name: Prunus sargentii
Bloom period: Mid-March to mid-April
Also known as North Japanese hill cherry, March brings small pink flowers to this tree. In the summer, its sour, dark cherries ripen. The tiny fruits are too small for humans, but birds love them.
#24. Lungwort
Scientific name: Pulmonaria
Bloom period: Mid-March to mid-July
A hideous name for a lovely plant, the lungwort’s leaves are green with white spots. Resulting flowers are pink, blue, or white. After planting, lungwort is known for being resilient and easy to care for.
#25. Virginia bluebell
Scientific name: Mertensia virginica
Bloom period: Mid-March to mid-June
Virginia bluebells are related to forget-me-nots, comfrey, and the aforementioned lungwort. It’s no surprise that these beautiful flowers are bell-shaped, with bright blue or purple-ish petals. They thrive in the woodlands in USDA hardiness zones 3 to 8.
#26. Pasque flowers
Scientific name: Pulsatilla
Bloom period: Mid-March to mid-June
There are 150 species of pasque flowers worldwide, 25 of which are in North America. The blue pasque flowers petals come together in a bell-shape surrounding an almost fuzzy looking cluster of pollen at its center. Medicinally, it’s been used as a tea for treating rheumatism, a poultice for healing wounds, and aromatherapy for easing headaches.
#27. Bloodroot
Scientific name: Sanguinaria canadensis
Bloom period: Late March to early April
Bloodroot has flowers with lovely, white petals. However, its stem is what’s most famous because of its wide-ranging medical uses: bloodroot has been used to induce vomiting and for emptying bowels. It’s also been used to reduce dental pain, treat sore throats, and ease aching muscles, among other things.
#28. Eastern redbud
Scientific name: Cercis canadensis
Bloom period: Late March to early May
Toward the end of March, clusters of tiny, rose-pink flowers bloom along the branches of this shrub. It does best in USDA hardiness zones 4 to 9, and some varieties have different colored flowers, including white or deep magenta.
#29. Fetterbush
Scientific name: Pieris
Bloom period: Late March to early May
Native to the Southeast, fetterbushes have thick, green leaves and small, drooping flowers, which vary in shade from white to dark pink. They’re easy to care for, but gardeners beware: The leaves and nectar are toxic to humans and other animals.
#30. Trillium
Scientific name: Trillium
Bloom period: Late March to early May
Trillium belongs to the lily family. These plants have a fascinating flower with three distinct white or red petals. Trillium has also been taken as an oral herb to ease the pain of childbirth, among other things.
#31. Dead nettle
Scientific name: Lamium
Bloom period: Late March to early November
This plant is a favorite for use as ground cover, carpeting bare garden patches with its varying colors of foliage and long-lasting white, pink, or purple flowers. However, it can spread aggressively, sometimes even choking out other plants. Gardeners should plan on regularly trimming it back.
#32. Weigela
Scientific name: Weigela
Bloom period: Late March to early November
Weigela shrubs begin dazzling with their red or pink blooms in late March. They come in varying sizes, shapes, and levels of hardiness, making them a favorite for home landscapers.
#33. Bleeding heart
Scientific name: Dicentra spectabilis
Bloom period: Late March to early October
Related to poppies, these plants are stunners: Bleeding heart flowers bloom along the plant’s stems and look like tiny hearts with seed pods hanging down. The plant does well in USDA hardiness zones 3 to 9. Though beautiful, its name is properly ominous: The plant is toxic to humans and other animals.
#34. Chinese redbud
Scientific name: Cercis chinensis
Bloom period: Late March to late April
Bunches of small, pink-purple flowers only bloom on the stems and branches of this tree for a few weeks, but they’re quite the sight for that short period of time. Thriving in USDA hardiness zones 6 to 9 in the United States, this flowering tree is native to central and southern China.
#35. Siberian bugloss
Scientific name: Brunnera macrophylla
Bloom period: Late March to late May
Also known as the great forget-me-not, these plants are known for their beautiful green or variegated leaves. The clusters of blue flowers that emerge in March are a bonus. They do best in USDA hardiness zones 3 to 7.
#36. Moss phlox
Scientific name: Phlox subulata
Bloom period: Late March to late May
Moss phlox is known for creating a thick ground cover with its thin, spiky leaves. In the spring, it also bursts with countless little flowers. Depending on the variety, the flowers could be shades of pink, white, blue, red, or lavender.
#37. Ohio buckeye
Scientific name: Aesculus glabra
Bloom period: Late March to mid-April
These plants are most famous for their shiny, dark nut, which is the mascot for the Ohio State Buckeyes. But the Ohio state tree also produces spindly, yellow-green flowers in the spring. Though they grow well in USDA hardiness zones 4 to 7, gardeners should know that the nut is inedible and toxic.
#38. Thunberg’s meadowsweet
Scientific name: Spiraea thunbergii
Bloom period: Late March to mid-April
Native to China and Japan, the Thunberg’s meadowsweet shrub has little white flowers starting in late March. The tannins in meadowsweet make it useful for treating colds, upset stomachs, heartburn, gout, and more.
#39. Comfrey
Scientific name: Symphytum
Bloom period: Late March to mid-July
Comfrey is a popular ingredient in ointment and salves and has been used medicinally for thousands of years. This perennial with pale flowers grows well in USDA hardiness zones 4 to 9.
#40. Columbine
Scientific name: Aquilegia
Bloom period: Late March to Mid-June
Columbine is beloved for its bell-shaped flowers, which come in a variety of colors and can even have two alternating colors on the same flower. Because part of the flower looks like talons, the name of this plant comes from the Latin word for “eagle.” The plant was once used as a curative for headaches, sore throats, and heart issues.
#41. Bishop’s hat
Scientific name: Epimedium
Bloom period: Late March to mid-May
The little, deep red flowers that bloom in spring eventually give way to the plant’s dark, purple leaves that develop by autumn. Thriving in USDA hardiness zones 4 to 8, this hardy plant can be grown in a variety of conditions from staying inside containers to being used as ground cover.
#42. Tree peony
Scientific name: Paeonia suffruticosa
Bloom period: Late March to mid-May
With their soft, lush petals, peonies are a favorite flower for many. Tree peonies may not bloom until the plant’s third spring, but they are worth the wait: Mature plants may have as many as 50 flowers.
#43. Lilac
Scientific name: Syringa
Bloom period: Late March to mid-May
Lilacs come in seven colors, but most know the common purple variety. Their fragrant flowers tend to bloom for about two weeks. They do well in USDA hardiness zones 3 to 7 and attract colorful butterflies.
#44. Meadow-rue
Scientific name: Thalictrum
Bloom period: Late March to mid-October
The pendulous purple flowers that bloom on meadow-rues have spindly, yellow stamens. The plant is native to Japan, grows best in USDA hardiness zones 4 to 7, and doesn’t do well in places with hot and humid summers.
#45. Violet
Scientific name: Viola
Bloom period: Late March to mid-October
Violets aren’t always blue. The approximately 500 varieties of violets include plants with yellow, white, and purple, among other colors. Once a symbol of love and fertility for the ancient Greeks, blue violets are grown today all around the U.S.
#46. Sundrop
Scientific name: Oenothera
Bloom period: Late March to mid-September
Sundrops’ furry green stems lead to soft yellow flowers. This plant, which does well in USDA hardiness zones 4 to 9, truly performs for flower lovers. Individual flowers die off quickly, but the plant produces a succession of them for several months.
#47. Bugleweed
Scientific name: Ajuga reptans
Bloom period: Late March to October
Bugleweed is popular as ground cover for its ability to keep weeds down and because of its colorful, seasonal flowers. However, because it’s so fast growing, it can be invasive unless it’s well-maintained. It also has plenty of medicinal uses: It’s used for lowering thyroid hormones, treating PMS and breast pain, easing insomnia, and slowing bleeding from nosebleeds or menstruation.
Published at Sat, 12 Jun 2021 15:30:00 +0000