Shrubs and Plants which Flower in January

Looking for shrubs and plants with winter interest? 

The gallery below illustrates some of the most common and easy to grow winter shrubs and plants. Many winter flowering shrubs and plants are, by necessity, tough flowering when the weather is often at its worst.

Some of these shrubs are scented, and all add cheer to the January garden.

Hellebore Niger.

Hellebore niger

Amongst the Hellebores, H. Niger is the one of the first early flowering Hellebores. This variety is aptly named H. "Christmas Carol" flowering very early.

Growing information about Hellebores.

Hamamelis

hamamelis common name witch hazel

Hamamelis common name Witch Hazel will flower throughout January and February. Unusual spidery, sometimes scented, flowers appear ahead of foliage, it is a woodland shrub.

Growing conditions for Hamamelis.

Lonicera

Lonicera fragrantissim the Winter flowering Honeysuckle

Lonicera fragrantissim the winter flowering honeysuckle has, in my opinion, far better scent than Witch Hazel although its flowers are smaller. 

Growing Winter Flowering Honeysuckle.

Snowdrops

Snowdrops by Pascal Debrunner

Everyone loves snowdrops and in the right conditions they put on a great winter show.

Snowdrops are another woodland plant which combine well with Hamamelis and Hellebores.

How and when to plant Snowdrops.

Cornus

Cornus are not actually in flower now, but they do look spectacular with colour stems in the winter sun.

Easy to grow especially if you have a boggy patch in the garden, Cornus is super tough.

How to grow Cornus

Viburnum tinus

viburnum tinus

Another tough shrub, Viburnum tinus is evergreen with delicate white flowers flushed pink.

Tolerant of many growing conditions ideal for low maintenance planting.

Growing Viburnum.

Mahonia

Mahonia hedge

Mahonia is also robust, and has forms a dense thicket when planted as a shrub with spines, making it intruder resistant.

Mahonia has bright yellow flowers in the winter, and some varieties are scented

Erica carnea

Erica carnea Winter heather

Winter Heathers as the name suggest bloom in winter and put on a very colourful display. 

 

 

Also flowering/at their best in January/February

Viburnam bodnantense a deciduous scented shrub; Clematis cirrhosa 'Freckles';  cyclamen winter flowering pansies and violas; 

Page updated 04.12.2023