Wildflowers That Bloom in the Spring in Zone 5

Yellow Wildflowers

• Marsh marigolds, Caltha palustris, grow along the borders of ponds and in bogs and swamps in much of the northern states within Zone 5. They produce yellow flowers from April into June. Marsh marigolds, closely related to buttercups, mature between 12 and 18 inches, with flowers as wide as 2 inches. Use them in water gardens or on the edges of ponds. Native plant gardens are appropriate for golden Alexander, Zizia aurea. This wildflower grows up to 36 inches high in eastern parts of Zone 5. Its yellow flowers emerge in flat clusters in May and June.

Red Wildflowers

• USDA Zone 5 is the coolest zone where the fringed poppy mallow, Callirhoe digitata, grows in the central part of the continent. It is at home in a formal garden as well as a native plant garden, growing on thin stems to 4 feet. Its rounded red flowers start blooming in May and sometimes continue flowering to September. Daisy-like flowers on 24-inch-high plants are the highlight of the blanketflower, Gaillardia aristata. The centers are a deep shade of red, while outer portions of the petals are yellow. Keep them watered in the summer to promote blooming after springtime, advises the Washington State University Clark County Extension.

Blue Wildflowers

• Used as a ground cover, carpet bugleweed, Ajuga reptans, is evergreen, producing its blue flowers on spikes that rise above the foliage. Growing between 6 and 10 inches high, this wildflower spreads out as it grows quickly, allowing you to divide the clumps and plant it elsewhere. Carpet bugleweed is a European and Asian plant, but does very well in USDA Zone 5. The forget-me-not, Myosotis sylvatica, hails from Europe. Grow it in rock gardens and perennial borders to take advantage of its blue flowers that open in April. Growing as tall as 12 inches, forget-me-nots prefer full sun.

White Wildflowers

• Shade gardens in USDA Zone 5 are perfect scenarios for white baneberry, Actaea pachypoda --- a perennial of the eastern states' woodlands. It features small white flowers in the spring; they develop on green stems that grow above the leaves. The flowers result in poisonous white berries in the summer. False Solomon's Seal, Smilacina racemosa, is another option for shady sites in Zone 5. The white flowers, in plume-like clusters, contrast with the large dark green leaves. This wildflower blooms from April through June, generating small red fruits.