Fall may be the most colorful season, followed closely by the festive lights and decorations of the holidays. But once the decorations have been boxed up, too many landscapes are left wanting of some color. Here are some tips for fixing that issue, by finding winter flowering plants in our garden supply store in the Lancaster and Harrisburg, PA, areas.

Of course, the Pennsylvania climate significantly limits choices of plants that actually flower in winter. There are a few, but you’ll be able to create a colorful landscape by also choosing a few plants to complement the winter bloomers, such as shrubs that bear berries.

Related: FIND THE PERFECT ADDITION TO A FALL LANDSCAPE AT OUR GARDEN SUPPLY STORE IN HARRISBURG, PA

Trees and Shrubs

Holly and winterberry are shrubs that show off gloriously vibrant red berries during winter. Make sure you get the female varieties of these closely related plants, as male plants do not produce any berries. The berries will attract birds and small wildlife but are poisonous to humans.

Barberry is a wonderful shrub with bright red edible berries. The berries often ripen by October but will continue to grace the shrub well into the winter months.

Crabapple trees are heavily laden with crab apples in fall, but it takes a few deep freezes to bring out their sweetness and soften the fruit. Harvest the apples after the first frost if possible to enhance their taste.

Chokecherry is a large shrub or small tree that features deep purple, almost black, berries that attract local birds in fall and winter. The berries make excellent jelly. 

Witch hazel is a large deciduous shrub (10-20 feet high) that features colorful, fragrant flowers that bloom during the winter. This easy keeper is virtually maintenance-free and resistant to most diseases and pests. Witch hazel can bloom as early as late January in a mild winter. Witch hazel tends to thrive best in full sun, where the flowers really shine when backlit by the low winter sun.  

Winter Jasmine is a large (10-15 feet) shrub that unfortunately doesn’t have much of a fragrance. Bright yellow flowers appear in February and March.  

Winter Heath, particularly “December Red,” features slender flowers that almost look like tiny urns. These flowers start out pink and deepen to light purple from December to February.

Late and Early Blooming Flowers

Late-blooming flowers such as asters and chrysanthemums are still often blooming strong in the early part of winter. 

In later winter, you could achieve an explosion of color with early-season flowers including grape hyacinths, crocuses, and daffodils.  

Violas (members of the violet family) are tough flowers that keep blooming even when they’re covered in snow. And what a delight when their sweet blooms peek through the snow!

Winter flowering irises can bloom between November and February, although most of their blooms peak in spring. Plant them in a south-facing location against a wall where they’ll be protected and kept warmer, to enjoy their blooms all winter.

Tips to Encourage Winter Blooming 

Where possible, plant winter bloomers in full sun (if the plant is sun-tolerant) in a protected location such as against the house or garage, where the heat reflected off the house will warm them up and protect them from wind. Winterizing plant beds with a fresh layer of mulch can insulate plants and help them retain moisture. In all but the snowiest winters, these plants will need some watering.

Related: 5 VERSATILE PURCHASES TO LOOK OUT FOR AT YOUR LOCAL LANDSCAPE SUPPLY STORE NEAR STATE COLLEGE, PA