Bloom calendar

Plants for Zone 3 That Bloom in April

136 plants in the BloomsEye library that are hardy in USDA hardiness zone 3 and typically flower in April, such as Daffodil, Tulip and Creeping Phlox. Each entry lists its bloom times, hardiness zones, and sun needs.

Showing 1 to 60 of 136 plants

How this list is made

Derived from each plant's bloom months and USDA hardiness zones, as stored in the BloomsEye library, which was written with AI assistance. Of these 136 plants, 117 have been checked against outside sources (2 fully verified); the rest have not been checked yet, and each plant's own page says which. The cards are AI-generated illustrations. Months here are Northern Hemisphere months; in the Southern Hemisphere, shift them by six months.

The flowers of April in zone 3

Every plant on this page is in flower in April. These are the ones with the shortest seasons around it, ranked by how much of each plant's flowering falls in March, April and May: a plant that opens and finishes here sits ahead of one that flowers from spring to frost, and ties go to the plants this site's guides name most often.

Actaea
Narcissus 'Actaea'
Full sunZones 3–81.5 ftModerate
Listed as toxic to dogs and cats
Alba
Lamprocapnos spectabilis 'Alba'
Part shadeZones 3–92.5 ftModerate
Listed as toxic to dogs and cats
Alpine Squill
Scilla bifolia
Full sunZones 3–84 inModerate
Amazing Grace
Phlox subulata 'Amazing Grace'
Full sunZones 3–96 inLow
American Bladdernut
Staphylea trifolia
Part shadeZones 3–812 ftModerate
American Hophornbeam
Ostrya virginiana
Part shadeZones 3–932 ftModerate
American Hornbeam
Carpinus caroliniana
Part shadeZones 3–925 ftModerate
American Pasqueflower
Pulsatilla nuttalliana
Full sunZones 3–712 inLow
American Plum
Prunus americana
Full sunZones 3–820 ftModerate
Listed as toxic to dogs and cats
Angelique
Tulipa 'Angelique'
Full sunZones 3–81.5 ftModerate
Listed as toxic to dogs and cats
Apeldoorn
Tulipa 'Apeldoorn'
Full sunZones 3–82 ftModerate
Listed as toxic to dogs and cats
Apricot Beauty
Tulipa 'Apricot Beauty'
Full sunZones 3–81.5 ftModerate
Listed as toxic to dogs and cats
Apricot Pride Darwin Hybrid Tulip
Tulipa 'Zantubeau'
Full sunZones 3–81.5 ftModerate
Listed as toxic to dogs and cats
Autumn Blaze Maple
Acer × freemanii 'Jeffersred'
Full sunZones 3–850 ftModerate
Ballerina
Tulipa 'Ballerina'
Full sunZones 3–82 ftModerate
Listed as toxic to dogs and cats
Basket of Gold
Aurinia saxatilis
Full sunZones 3–78 inLow
Beach Plum
Prunus maritima
Full sunZones 3–66 ftModerate
Beauty of Moscow
Syringa vulgaris 'Krasavitsa Moskvy'
Full sunZones 3–710 ftModerate
Bergenia
Bergenia
Part sunZones 3–81.5 ftModerate
Bicknell's Sedge
Carex bicknellii
Full sunZones 3–72.5 ftModerate
Black Parrot
Tulipa 'Black Parrot'
Full sunZones 3–81.5 ftModerate
Listed as toxic to dogs and cats
Blackhaw
Viburnum prunifolium
Full sunZones 3–913 ftModerate
Bleeding Heart
Lamprocapnos spectabilis
Part shadeZones 3–92.5 ftModerate
Listed as toxic to dogs and cats
Bloodroot
Sanguinaria canadensis
Part shadeZones 3–88 inModerate
Bloomerang Purpink Reblooming Lilac
Syringa pubescens 'SMNSPTP'
Full sunZones 3–74 ftModerate
Bloomerang Purple
Syringa 'Bloomerang Purple'
Full sunZones 3–75 ftModerate
Bloomerang Showmound Lilac
Syringa pubescens 'SMNSPWF'
Full sunZones 3–72.5 ftModerate
Blue Moon Wisteria
Wisteria macrostachya 'Blue Moon'
Full sunZones 3–920 ftModerate
Listed as toxic to dogs and cats
Bridal Wreath
Spiraea × vanhouttei
Full sunZones 3–86 ftModerate
Bristleleaf Sedge
Carex eburnea
Part shadeZones 2–88 inModerate
Brunner 'Jack Frost'
Brunnera macrophylla 'Jack Frost'
Part shadeZones 3–81.5 ftModerate
Brunner 'Silver Heart'
Brunnera macrophylla 'Silver Heart'
Part shadeZones 3–81.5 ftModerate
Brunnera
Brunnera macrophylla
Part shadeZones 3–81.5 ftModerate
Bugleweed
Ajuga reptans
Part shadeZones 3–96 inModerate
Bur Oak
Quercus macrocarpa
Full sunZones 3–870 ftModerate
Listed as toxic to dogs
Candy Stripe
Phlox subulata 'Candy Stripe'
Full sunZones 3–96 inLow
Candytuft
Iberis sempervirens
Full sunZones 3–810 inLow
Carlton Daffodil
Narcissus 'Carlton'
Full sunZones 3–81.5 ftModerate
Listed as toxic to dogs and cats
Cat's Pajamas Catmint
Nepeta 'Cat's Pajamas'
Full sunZones 3–812 inLow
Cesky Gold Dwarf Birch
Betula × plettkei 'Golden Treasure'
Full sunZones 2–72.5 ftModerate
Charles Joly
Syringa vulgaris 'Charles Joly'
Full sunZones 3–710 ftModerate
Checkered Lily
Fritillaria meleagris
Part sunZones 3–812 inModerate
Checkered Lily Alba
Fritillaria meleagris 'Alba'
Part sunZones 3–812 inModerate
Cheerfulness
Narcissus 'Cheerfulness'
Full sunZones 3–81.5 ftModerate
Listed as toxic to dogs and cats
Columbine
Aquilegia
Part shadeZones 3–82 ftModerate
Common Hackberry
Celtis occidentalis
Full sunZones 2–957 ftModerate
Common Pussy Willow
Salix discolor
Full sunZones 2–716 ftModerate
Couleur Cardinal
Tulipa 'Couleur Cardinal'
Full sunZones 3–81 ftModerate
Listed as toxic to dogs and cats
Creek Sedge
Carex amphibola
Part shadeZones 3–91.5 ftModerate
Creeping Jacob's Ladder
Polemonium reptans
Part shadeZones 3–81.5 ftModerate
Creeping Phlox
Phlox subulata
Full sunZones 3–96 inLow
Daffodil
Narcissus
Full sunZones 3–81.5 ftModerate
Listed as toxic to dogs and cats
Drummond's Pink
Phlox subulata 'Drummond's Pink'
Full sunZones 3–96 inLow
Dutch Master
Narcissus 'Dutch Master'
Full sunZones 3–81.5 ftModerate
Listed as toxic to dogs and cats
Early Bird
Nepeta 'Early Bird'
Full sunZones 3–81.5 ftLow
Earlybird Purple Blue Columbine
Aquilegia 'Pas1258487'
Part shadeZones 3–912 inModerate
Earlybird Purple White Columbine
Aquilegia 'Pas1258486'
Part shadeZones 3–912 inModerate
Eastern Bluestar
Amsonia tabernaemontana
Full sunZones 3–92.5 ftModerate
Listed as toxic to dogs and cats
Eastern Red Columbine
Aquilegia canadensis
Part shadeZones 3–82 ftModerate
Emerald Blue
Phlox subulata 'Emerald Blue'
Full sunZones 3–86 inLow

April bloom in zone 3 by flower color

A plant that comes in more than one color is counted under each. The picks rank the same way as the flowers above, so each color names the plants whose season sits closest to April.

White

58 plants

Yellow

32 plants

Orange

13 plants

Red

19 plants

Pink

28 plants

Purple

30 plants

Blue

23 plants

April bloom in zone 3 for shade

44 of these 136 plants will flower in less than a full day of sun.

Part shade

39 plants

April bloom in zone 3 by height

Mature height, in the three bands a border is planted in. Anything over 10 ft is structure rather than a border plant, and a climber is sized by whatever it is growing up, so both sit this out.

Front of the border

under 12 in

31 plants

Middle of the border

12 in to 3 ft

70 plants

Back of the border

3 ft and up

19 plants

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