7 Flowers to Plant in February

While you may not think of late winter as a time for planting things in your garden, there are a number of flowers to plant in February. Depending on your Hardiness Zone, some flowers can be started either indoors or out. While it is likely too late to plant your springtime bulb flowers, there are still a variety of other non-bulb blooms to consider!

Depending on your region and local climate, some flowers are best started from seed indoors during the month of February, such as begonias or calendula. Others are ideally sown directly into your soil during this month, such as poppies. Finally, many flowers are available as established plants at your local garden centers starting in February, such as pansies and sweet William.

In this article, we’ll go over some of the best flowers to consider planting in February, including a variety of different planting methods. We’ll discuss some particularly cold hardy flower varieties as well as some options that may or may not work when planted this early in the year, depending on your region. Let’s get started!

The Best Flowers to Plant in February

Knowing the type of flower you are interested in planting will greatly affect the planting method that you choose. Whether you need to start your flower seeds indoors or outdoors, here are some of the flowers that can best tolerate a February planting!

Begonias

Given that there are hundreds of different types of begonias, the chances are high that you’ll find one you love. Popular for their ease of care and flexibility in terms of Hardiness Zones, begonias produce beautiful foliage as well as beautiful blooms. You can easily propagate certain begonia types from stem cuttings, making them affordable and simple to plant come February. You can also grow begonias from seed, starting them indoors until all fear of frost has passed. 

The good news is, begonias can also be grown in containers, allowing you to bring them indoors during the colder months if you want to overwinter your plant. Some popular begonia varieties include wax and rex begonias, though rex begonia flowers are often overshadowed by the surrounding leaves! 

Pansies

More tolerant of the cold rather than the heat, pansies are an early springtime favorite! However, pansies take ages to grow from seed, making them an ideal plant to keep an eye out for at your local hardware or garden store. There are so many different types of pansies (also known as violas), giving you plenty of freedom and flexibility when it comes to bloom types and colors. So long as your soil temperatures are over 40 degrees Fahrenheit, you should have no trouble germinating and growing pansy flowers, no matter the method you choose!

Sweet William

Ideally planted as a border plant, sweet William is a type of dianthus flower. There are many different dianthus flower varieties, but sweet Williams grow in delicate clusters. Found in a  variety of colors, sweet William plants rarely reach over two feet tall. Plus, they are cold-hardy to Zone 3, making them perfect for an early spring garden! You can also directly sow sweet William seeds outdoors in February, even in partial shade, making them easy to grow and care for.

Calendula

Often confused with marigolds, calendula is a great flower for just about any garden. While it isn’t necessarily the most striking or interesting of blooms, calendula flowers are cheery and bring many pollinators to their petals. This makes them the perfect companion flowers for your vegetable garden. You can directly sow calendula seeds outside during February, depending on your Zone, or you can start seeds indoors for better success in cold climates. Plus, calendula is edible and medicinal!

Poppies

Cold-hardy to Zone 3, poppies are easily grown from seed as a gorgeous annual flower. In fact, given the number of flower types, colors, and styles available to you, poppies are a favorite in just about any Zone! Be sure to leave your poppy seeds on the surface of whatever medium you choose to plant them in, as they need sunlight for their germination process. Plus, poppies are also popularly planted as established nursery flowers if you don’t want to fight the delicate seeds.

Geraniums

While not particularly cold-hardy, you can start a geranium plant indoors from seed. These flowers are typically grown as annuals, or you can choose to overwinter a geranium if grown in a container. You can also grow geraniums from cuttings. February is a great time to remove any existing blooms from your geranium plant if you already have one, pinching them off to encourage new growth!

Delphinium

Tall and stately, delphiniums can be planted as already-established plants during the month of February. While it’s likely too late to start this flower from seed, delphiniums are worth the extra money if you find them as established nursery plants. They are unique and eye-catching, perfect for a garden with flowers at various heights. Speaking of height, your delphiniums will likely need staking or supports as they age, given that some varieties can reach nearly six feet tall!

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