9 sunshine yellow flower plants for the garden

Bring on the sunshine in the garden with these brilliant yellow flowers.

Trees, shrubs and perennials, here is our selection of yellow-blooming flowers that pack a punch of gold!

Read also:

• A garden of red flowers
• 9 orange flowers for the garden
• Original black flowers
• Top 8 blue flowers

3 trees with yellow blooming

Mimosa (acacia)

• Variety: Acacia dealbata, also called florist’s mimosa.
• Blooming: in February-March, with tiny feathery spheres that make drab days feel like Spring already.
• Leafage: delicate evergreen leaves that are very ornamental.
• Planting: in April-May or September-October.
• Location: Mimosa loves sun (hardy down to 10°F or -12°C). Since this tallish tree can reach 30 to 60 feet (10 to 20 meters) tall, it’s best to plant it as a standalone.

Scotch laburnum

• Variety: Laburnum (the type species)
• Blooming: flowers form long bunches and are even slightly fragrant.
• Foliage: 3 soft green oval folioles per leaf. Deciduous.
• Planting: in March-April or in October-November.
• Location: sun or part sun, resists freezing down to -5°F (-20°C). This elegant, small tree is excellent as part of a shrub bed, a standalone, and can also make for a good hedge.

Magnolia

• Variety: Magnolia x brooklynensis ‘Yellow Bord’
• Blooming: large bowl-shaped flowers that are pale yellow in color. Blooms appear beginning of May, and sometimes a repeat blooming occurs during summertime.
• Foliage: large elliptical deciduous leaves, shiny dark green in color with a soft underside.
• Planting: from March to May or from September to November.
• Location: sun or part sun, can take on cold temperatures down to 5°F (-15°C). At 25 feet tall and 15 wide (8 by 4.5 meters), this fellow deserves to grow as a standalone.

3 yellow-blooming shrubs

Forsythia

• Variety: Forsythia x intermedia
• Blooming: striking golden flowers appear before leaves do in February, similar in shape to those of star jasmine.
• Foliage: normal green leaves, deciduous and oval in shape.
• Planting: from March to May or in September-October.
• Location: in the sun or in part shade. Hardiness ranges from -13 to only 5°F (-25°C to -15°C) depending on the variety. Often grown in rows to form hedges, it will also look appealing at the back of a shrub bed, as a standalone, or in large-ish container.

Saint John’s wort

• Variety: Hypericum calycinum
• Blooming: countless clusters of star or bowl-shaped flowers form continuously from June to October.
• Foliage: evergreen oval deep green leaves.
• Planting: in April-May or October-November.
• Location: make the most of its low, bushy bearing and powerful root system to secure the top of a mound. It’s also possible to include it in a shrub bed composition, use it a a knee-high ground cover, or plant it in rocky terrain. Containers and pots are also possible.

Mahonia

• Variety: Common mahonia (Mahonia aquifolium)
• Blooming: flashy yellow flowers form nectar-rich clusters that smell delicious, too. Depending on the variety, these would bloom anytime from August to April. Perfect for shaded portions of the garden.
• Foliage: look uncannily similar to those of holly! Deep green, they’re a lovely bronze-orange hue while still young.
• Planting: Between February and March.
• Location: part shade or full shade, in flower beds, as a hedge, standalone or garden box.

3 bulb perennials that bear yellow flowers

Crocus

• Variety: Crocus ancyrensis ‘Golden Bunch’
• Blooming: between February and March, small cup-like yellow flowers open when the weather is bright.
• Foliage: long, thin leaves clumped together sprout from the base of the plant.
• Planting: plant the bulb from July to November.
• Location: in flower beds, along edges, in rocky terrain, forest underbrush, and pots. Exposure should be sun or part sun.

Daffodil

• Variety: Narcissus jonquilla
• Blooming: golden yellow flowers from March to June, 6 petals forming cute trumpets with a central crown.
• Foliage: long, thin leaves clumped together sprout from the base of the plant.
• Planting: plant the bulb between September and November.
• Location: in flower beds, along edges, in rocky terrain, and pots. Exposure should be sun or part sun.

Forest tulip

• Variety: Tulipa sylvestris
• Blooming: wild tulip bestows us with beautiful pointy-petaled corollas end of March, blazing yellow in color.
• Foliage: linear blue-green leaves clumped together sprout at the base of the plant.
• Planting: plant the bulb between September and November.
• Location: prairie, rocky terrain, forest undergrowth (in a sunnier spot, preferably) or in part shade