Spring is Blooming in Coastal Georgia

Springtime is beautiful in coastal Georgia! Seeing the sun shine most of the time and feeling the warmth of the rays before it truly gets hot. The easiest way to know that spring has sprung is realizing that all of the beautiful, flowering plants are blooming, and we have plenty of them in Liberty County! Enjoy our list of the 5 most popular ones and keep an eye out for them next time you go for a walk, drive or relax on your porch!

Cherokee Rose

The Cherokee Rose is our state flower, and it blooms every spring here in Liberty County! They grow wild, as high-climbing shrubs and normally have stems up to 20ft long. These flowers represent the removal of the Cherokee tribe from Georgia that took place in the mid-1800s, and they grow along the route that the Cherokee’s followed out west to the Oklahoma territories. The blooming season is short, usually ranging from late March and into April. You’ll want to catch these beauties in bloom before it’s too late!

Azalea

Azaleas are often called one the South’s favorite shrubs, and this is because they can be found all around these parts! Azaleas have shallow roots and absorb water through the greenery found on the plant, so it would be best not to cultivate them! When planting, the best spot for them is in partial sun or filtered shade, because too much sun will bleach or burn the leaves and too little will cause the plant to become lanky and not bloom. We are not lacking for these beautiful flowers, so keep an eye out for them almost anywhere you look this spring.

Rhododendron

Rhododendron may as well be the azalea twin. They are commonly mistaken for each other, look very similar and are also a favorite! The soil that they grow in needs to be the perfect in-between, because it can’t be too dry or too wet. Their leaves normally stay big and green throughout the winter and bloom in bright, flower filled clusters in the spring! The main thing that differentiates rhododendron from azaleas is that their leaves are generally bigger and have a leathery look to them. Now that you know the difference, be on the lookout for them!

Lantana

Lantana branches are unique, vine-like and sprawl from woody branches. These flowers are perfect to use as ground cover, because they flourish in full sunlight, warm climates and then bloom in round clusters of small flowers. Lantana bloom in vivid colors like: red, pink, blue, yellow, orange, purple and white. Many people like to use them as a decoration by planting them in hanging baskets, so you may see them adding a pop of color to someone’s porch.

Wisteria

Wisteria is covered in small baby blue and lilac-colored spurs. They grow on long vines that can reach up to 30ft long and can be pretty heavy. They grow perfectly in the spring and into early summer, and give things a very dreamy vibe when used as decoration! However, they can grow rather aggressively and overtake the spaces that they are in quickly, so don’t plant them too close to your house. In all of its draping beauty, Wisteria does contain toxins that can be harmful to pets, livestock and humans too, so be cautious when planting!

If you find yourself wanting to decorate your yards and porches with the perfect spring blooms then #ExploreLiberty, and check out some local plant havens like HLH Nursery, Harris Ace Hardware, Stacy’s Florist and Dawson’s General Store and see what they have!