Birthday
HydrangeasThis article was prepared with the support of UFL flower delivery. Early spring flowers — known in Ukrainian and Russian as “pervotsvity”, literally “first blooms” — open in early spring, often before the snow has melted. Botanically the word refers to the primrose genus (Primula), but in everyday speech it covers all early flowers: snowdrops, squills, crocuses, hepatica and pasque flowers. Most are spring ephemerals: they grow, flower and set seed in the few weeks when trees are still bare and the forest floor is full of light, then die back until next year.
Bloom calendar
Snowdrops and yellow winter aconite are first, sometimes in February. Crocuses, squills, hepatica and primroses follow in March, and pasque flowers, puschkinia, hyacinths, grape hyacinths and daffodils in April. Tulips close the spring parade. See our full guide to 35 spring flowers.
Snowdrop
Snowdrop (Galanthus, Greek for “milk flower”) is a genus of about 20 species. Common, pleated and Elwes’s snowdrops grow in Ukraine, and all are listed in the Red Data Book. Snowdrops bloom in February–March, and in a thaw even in January. Galantamine, first isolated from snowdrops, is used in medicine — but the plant itself is poisonous and must not be used for self-treatment.
Squill
Squill (Scilla) opens in March, or late February in warm years. Alpine squill (Scilla bifolia) is common in Ukrainian woods, while Siberian squill, with nodding bright blue bells, is grown in gardens. When squills bloom en masse the forest floor turns into a blue sea. White and pink forms also exist.
Hyacinth
The garden hyacinth has dense, fragrant spikes in blue, pink, white, lilac, apricot and near-black. In Greek myth the flower sprang from the blood of Hyacinthus, accidentally killed by Apollo’s discus — or, in another version, by jealous Zephyrus who blew it off course. Potted hyacinths are a popular 8 March gift; after flowering the bulb can be planted in the garden.
Crocus
Crocus is a low corm-forming plant with goblet-shaped flowers in white, yellow, lilac and purple. Spring crocuses bloom in March–April; the spice saffron comes from the stigmas of a different, autumn-flowering species, saffron crocus. If you are given potted crocuses, don’t throw them away after flowering: keep watering until the leaves yellow, then plant the corms in the garden in autumn — they will flower next spring. Read how to force crocuses in our article on growing crocuses.
Pasque flower
The pasque flower (Pulsatilla patens) is a woodland spring flower with large, silky, lilac blooms that nod slightly. It grows in pine woods and on forest edges and flowers in April. In Ukraine it is in the Red Data Book: picking is banned and populations are shrinking fast because of bunches sold at markets. Like many buttercup-family plants, it is poisonous.
Other early bloomers
| Plant | Blooms | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Winter aconite | February — March | Yellow buttercup-like flowers with a leafy ruff; one of the first in the garden. |
| Hepatica | March — April | Blue, sometimes pink or white flowers before the leaves. |
| Wood anemone | April | Carpets of white stars in deciduous woods. |
| Lungwort | March — April | Flowers change from pink to blue; valuable for bees. |
| Puschkinia | April | Pale blue bells with a darker stripe. |
| Grape hyacinth | April — May | Dense spikes of small blue bells. |
| Primrose | March — May | Garden hybrids in every colour; yellow cowslip in the wild. |
| Snake’s head fritillary | April — May | Nodding bells with a chequered pattern. |
How to grow early spring flowers
In the garden
Plant spring bulbs — snowdrops, crocuses, squills, grape hyacinths, hyacinths — in autumn, from September to mid-October, at a depth of three times the bulb’s height. Spots under deciduous trees and shrubs are ideal: plenty of sun in spring, and summer shade doesn’t matter once the plants are dormant. Don’t cut the leaves after flowering until they yellow — they feed the bulb for next year. Most small bulbs multiply and need no lifting for years.
On a windowsill (forcing)
- In autumn plant crocus, hyacinth or grape hyacinth bulbs close together in a pot with drainage, tips just showing.
- Keep the pot cool and dark (5–9 °C) for 10–14 weeks — a fridge salad drawer, cellar or cold balcony — with the compost just moist.
- When shoots are 3–5 cm tall, move the pot to a bright, cool windowsill (15–18 °C). Flowers appear in 2–4 weeks.
After forcing, hyacinths and crocuses can be planted in the garden; they will bloom again, if more modestly at first.
Interesting facts
- Early spring flowers draw on food stored in bulbs and rhizomes, so they can bloom at temperatures around freezing.
- Snowdrops and crocuses are a vital source of pollen for the first bees and bumblebees of the year.
- Crocus petals close at night and in dull weather to protect the pollen from moisture.
- Ants spread many spring flowers: squill, anemone and corydalis seeds carry a nutritious appendage that ants carry back to their nests.
You can give a spring bouquet without harming nature: tulips, hyacinths, mimosa and daffodils are greenhouse-grown. Need a card? See our collection of 8 March flower pictures.
FAQ
Which flower blooms first in spring?
Usually the snowdrop and winter aconite, in February — even January in mild winters. Crocuses and squills follow.
Can I pick spring flowers in the woods?
No. Many are listed in Ukraine’s Red Data Book and picking or selling them is fined. Enjoy them in nature or grow them in your garden.
When should I plant spring bulbs?
In autumn, in September–October. Primroses and hepatica can be planted in spring or late summer.
View full-size photo
Author: Maria Svitlovir
Graduated from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Institute of Biology and Medicine (2001). BSc in Biology, MSc in Horticulture. Writes about plants, works at a garden centre selecting and repotting plants, and contributes to plant reference guides.
