Signs of spring: These flowers are the first to bloom in Denver
DENVER (KDVR) — While the spring season started on March 19, some of the first signs of spring aren’t in the city just yet.
Denver is still seeing snow and cooler temperatures. While the Mile High City has had several 60-degree and sunny days, the most colorful parts of spring haven’t blossomed yet.
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Most of the spring flowers are bulbs right now, according to Erin Bird with Denver Botanic Gardens, but not for long. Here’s what you’ll see blooming first around Denver.
First to bloom in Denver
Most of the flowers are bulbs, however, you might have seen a few that have already bloomed in the winter months, said Bird.
Usually, the first flowers to bloom in Denver are snowdrops, which pop up in late January and February. Then, dwarf iris blooms in February and March, which are tiny white and purple flowers.
Others that bloom earlier in the year include flowers like blue glory, hellebore and pasqueflower, which usually open up in March.
Snowdrop flowers blooming in winter (Credit: Muzka, Getty) Dwarf Iris (Courtesy of Denver Botanic Gardens) purple hellebore flower in the garden (Credit: Maksims Grigorjevs, Getty) Close up detail with Pulsatilla vulgaris or the pasqueflower on the field (Credit: Cristi Croitoru, Getty)
Bird also mentioned there are flowering trees in the botanic garden already, which can also be seen around Denver.
The tree that flowers first is the forsythia, which produces yellow flowers. There’s also a shrub that grows around many homes in Denver called Viburnum, with white and light pink flowers.
Some fruit trees are also starting to bloom in Denver.
While there are a few signs of life in the city, the most well-known flowers have yet to bloom.
Spring flowers waiting to bloom
Spring flowers like daffodils and tulips are still bulbs. As for when they’ll bloom, Bird says it’s always different in Colorado.
“Since we have had a much milder winter, there are already some daffodils in the garden that are blooming, and usually they’re like early April. So, we’re like a couple of weeks ahead,” said Bird.
That said, snow might slow them down.
Daffodils usually bloom before the tulips, but both flowers are hard to predict because they vary with the weather.
When will the tulips bloom at the Denver Botanic Gardens?
Daffodils might pop up in March to mid-April, and the tulips are the next phase.
The tulips are ahead of where they usually are, said Bird, as they haven’t bloomed just yet, but the leaves are taller than usual. Usually, the tulips at the Botanic Gardens bloom in late April to mid-May.
These are all predictions based on when the flowers usually bloom, but Bird says the schedule always varies based on the weather. Even if it’s a warmer winter, if it’s really dry, the flowers will take longer to bloom because they need moisture.
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