To many gardeners, spring begins when crocus, tulips, daffodils and hyacinth appear.
However, many other plants provide a glimpse of spring. As a child, I remember when the first pussy willows appeared, it was time to tune my bike and get out my shorts.
The French pussy willow Salix caprea is a wonderful shrub that adds texture and form to the garden in spring. It is an upright shrub hardy to Zone 4. S. caprea will grow on dry sites but needs moisture during the establishment period. It can get large, 15 to 20 feet, and is fast-growing.
Another spring delight is the Nanking cherry, Prunus tomentosa, which produces a delicious fruit later in the season. P. tomentosa “White Delight” produces sweet, juicy, white fruit from soft pale pink to white blossoms in early spring. Reaching 8 to 10 feet in height and 6 to 8 feet in width, this shrub makes an excellent background to any perennial garden. “White Delight” is hardy to Zone 3 and needs full sun.
Add an unusual aspect to your spring flowers with the Cornelian Cherry Dogwood, Cornus mas. Sculpt this woody plant into a specimen shrub or small tree. Look for yellow blooms in February to March. Hardy to Zone 5, this tree or shrub can be 15 to 25 feet tall and 10 to 20 feet wide. It has bright red fruits attractive to birds. Cornelian cherries will thrive in full sun to part shade.
Winterfat, Ceratoides lanata, is a native shrub with an irregular, upright habit. Flowers white with a green stripe appear in April and bloom until fall. Cottony fruits follow blossoms on female plants. The spring flavor is the contrast of the dark gray to red- brown stems and woolly, silvery gray-green leaves. A shorter shrub for the landscape, winterfat may reach 2 to 3 feet in height but spreads 3 to 4 feet. It is hardy to Zone 4 and prefers sandy, dry soil. It can be a perfect addition to your Xeriscape perennial beds.
Emily Coll is the Colorado State University Cooperative Extension horticulturist in Douglas County. For information on a variety of horticulture topics visit planttalk.org.
