Prunus x ‘Okame’ (Okame Flowering Cherry)
Bloom Time: February to April
Sun Requirement: Full
Water Requirement: Medium
Wildlife: Bees and other pollinators
Tolerates: Tolerates light shade.
Native to North America: No
Zones: 6 to 8
Other: This stunning tree produces many rosy-pink flowers on bare branches in the early spring. It blooms earlier and lasts longer than most other flowering cherries.
Location: Color Garden
Magnolia stellata ‘King Rose’ (Star Magnolia)
Bloom Time: February to April
Sun Requirement: Full Sun to Part Shade
Water Requirement: Low to Medium
Wildlife: N/A
Tolerates: Tolerates deer, heat and humidity, pollution, rabbits.
Native to North America: No
Zones: 5 to 9
Other: The silky buds of this Star Magnolia open to large, star-shaped pale pink flowers. It is one of the smallest magnolias and has attractive smooth silvery gray bark for winter interest.
Location: Seasons Garden
Spiraea thunbergii ‘Ogon’ (Baby’s Breath Spirea)
Bloom Time: March to April
Sun Requirement: Full
Water Requirement: Medium
Wildlife: Butterflies
Tolerates: Tolerates deer, light shade, and some drought.
Native to North America: No
Zones: 4 to 8
Other: This dense shrub has outward-arching branches and blooms in early spring with adorable tiny white flowers. It has golden yellow leaves that give way to chartreuse-green in the summer.
Location: Color Garden
Magnolia x soulangeana ‘Alexandrina’ (Saucer Magnolia)
Bloom Time: February to April
Sun Requirement: Full Sun to Part Shade
Water Requirement: Medium
Wildlife: Pollinators
Tolerates: Tolerates clay soil
Native to North America: No
Zones: 5 to 8
Other: A medium-sized flowering tree that is unmatched for elegant beauty and charm. It produces pink flowers in the spring but flowers are sensitive to late spring frosts.
Location: Bracken Foundation Children’s Garden
Dirca palustris (Leatherwood)
Bloom Time: February to April
Sun Requirement: Full Shade to Part Shade
Water Requirement: Medium
Wildlife: Native bees and butterflies
Tolerates: Heavy shade and wet soil
Native to North America: Yes
Zones: 3 to 9
Other: This native understory shrub produces bell-shaped, lemon-yellow flowers before the leaves emerge. The leaves turn a pleasant bright yellow in the fall.
Location: Dogwood Garden
Forsythia x intermedia (Forsythia)
Bloom Time: February to April
Sun Requirement: Full Sun to Part Shade
Water Requirement: Medium
Wildlife: Bees
Tolerates: Tolerates deer, clay soil
Native to North America: No
Zones: 5 to 8
Other: This shrub has arching branches that explode with abundant golden flowers in the early spring. Forsythia is the ultimate symbol of spring because the flowers brighten the landscape at a time where not much else is in bloom.
Location: Seasons Garden
Crocus spp. (Crocus)
Bloom Time: February to March
Sun Requirement: Full Sun to Part Shade
Water Requirement: Low
Wildlife: Bees and butterflies
Tolerates: Tolerate drought
Native to North America: No
Zones: 3 to 8
Other: Crocus bloom in early sping, typically closing at night or on cloudy days and opening up with the morning sun. They produce vibrant purple flowers, growing close to the ground only a few inches tall.
Location: Wills Perennial Garden
Juniperus virginiana (Eastern Red Cedar)
Bloom Time: March to May
Sun Requirement: Full Sun to Full Shade
Water Requirement: Low
Wildlife: Berries are consumed by many kinds of wildlife, including the cedar waxwing, named for this tree. The fruits are a staple for many birds and small mammals.
Tolerates: Tolerates cold, heat, and drought.
Native to North America: Yes
Zones: 2 to 9
Other: This evergreen, aromatic tree usually grows about 40 feet tall. It has soft, silvery bark and female plants produce pale blue fruits.
Location: Sculpture Trail
