Bloom calendar

Plants for Zone 4 That Bloom in May

479 plants in the BloomsEye library that are hardy in USDA hardiness zone 4 and typically flower in May, such as False Indigo, Peony and Tulip. Each entry lists its bloom times, hardiness zones, and sun needs.

Showing 1 to 60 of 479 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 479 plants, 393 have been checked against outside sources (29 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 May in zone 4

Every plant on this page is in flower in May. These are the ones with the shortest seasons around it, ranked by how much of each plant's flowering falls in April, May and June: 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
Adirondack
Malus 'Adirondack'
Full sunZones 4–816 ftModerate
Listed as toxic to dogs and cats
Aglo Rhododendron
Rhododendron 'Weston's Aglo'
Part shadeZones 4–83 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
Album Rhododendron
Rhododendron 'Catawbiense Album'
Part shadeZones 4–86 ftModerate
Listed as toxic to dogs and cats
Amazing Grace
Phlox subulata 'Amazing Grace'
Full sunZones 3–96 inLow
Amber Flower Carpet Rose
Rosa 'Noa97400a'
Full sunZones 4–82.5 ftModerate
Amber Jubilee
Physocarpus opulifolius 'Jefam'
Full sunZones 2–76 ftModerate
American Alumroot
Heuchera americana
Part shadeZones 4–92 ftModerate
American Cranberrybush Viburnum
Viburnum opulus var. americanum
Full sunZones 2–710 ftModerate
American Goldfinch False Indigo
Baptisia 'American Goldfinch'
Full sunZones 4–93.5 ftLow
Listed as toxic to cats
American Hornbeam
Carpinus caroliniana
Part shadeZones 3–925 ftModerate
American Smoketree
Cotinus obovatus
Full sunZones 4–817 ftModerate
Amethyst
Astilbe × arendsii 'Amethyst'
Part shadeZones 4–82.5 ftHigh
Amethyst Dream Bachelor Button
Centaurea montana 'Amethyst Dream'
Full sunZones 3–81.5 ftLow
Amethyst in Snow Bachelor's Button
Centaurea montana 'Amethyst in Snow'
Full sunZones 3–81.5 ftLow
Angelique
Tulipa 'Angelique'
Full sunZones 3–81.5 ftModerate
Listed as toxic to dogs and cats
Ann Magnolia
Magnolia 'Ann'
Full sunZones 4–811 ftModerate
Annual Phlox
Phlox drummondii
Full sunZones 2–1112 inModerate
Apache Plume
Fallugia paradoxa
Full sunZones 4–105 ftLow
Apeldoorn
Tulipa 'Apeldoorn'
Full sunZones 3–82 ftModerate
Listed as toxic to dogs and cats
Apollo Winterberry
Ilex 'Apollo'
Full sunZones 3–811 ftModerate
Listed as toxic to dogs and cats
Appalachian Sedge
Carex appalachica
Part shadeZones 3–88 inLow
Apricot Coral Bells
Heuchera 'Apricot'
Part shadeZones 4–91.5 ftModerate
Apricot Drift Groundcover Rose
Rosa 'Meimirrote'
Full sunZones 4–81.5 ftModerate
Apricot Pride Darwin Hybrid Tulip
Tulipa 'Zantubeau'
Full sunZones 3–81.5 ftModerate
Listed as toxic to dogs and cats
April Night
Salvia nemorosa 'April Night'
Full sunZones 4–81.5 ftLow
Arctic Beauty Hardy Kiwi
Actinidia kolomikta 'Arctic Beauty'
Full sunZones 4–815 ftModerate
Arctic Fire Red Twig Dogwood
Cornus sericea 'Farrow'
Full sunZones 3–74 ftModerate
Arctic Fire Yellow Dogwood
Cornus sericea 'SMNCSBD'
Full sunZones 2–74.5 ftModerate
Arrowwood
Viburnum dentatum
Full sunZones 3–88 ftModerate
Autumn Inferno Cotoneaster
Cotoneaster 'Bronfire'
Full sunZones 4–75.5 ftModerate
Listed as toxic to dogs and cats
Avalanche Pieris
Pieris japonica 'Avalanche'
Part shadeZones 4–84.5 ftModerate
Listed as toxic to dogs and cats
Baby Kim Lilac
Syringa 'SMNSDTP'
Full sunZones 3–72.5 ftModerate
Bachelor's Button
Centaurea cyanus
Full sunZones 2–112.5 ftLow
Bailey Compact American Cranberrybush
Viburnum opulus var. americanum 'Bailey Compact'
Full sunZones 2–75.5 ftModerate
Balboa Sunset Heuchera
Heuchera 'DOHEUGABECI'
Part sunZones 4–98 inModerate
Ballerina
Tulipa 'Ballerina'
Full sunZones 3–82 ftModerate
Listed as toxic to dogs and cats
Balmy Purple
Monarda didyma 'Balbalmurp'
Full sunZones 4–912 inModerate
Bartzella
Paeonia 'Bartzella'
Full sunZones 4–82.5 ftModerate
Listed as toxic to dogs and cats
Basket of Gold
Aurinia saxatilis
Full sunZones 3–78 inLow
Bath's Pink
Dianthus 'Bath's Pink'
Full sunZones 3–910 inLow
Listed as toxic to dogs and cats
Bearded Iris
Iris germanica
Full sunZones 3–92.5 ftModerate
Listed as toxic to dogs and cats
Beauty of Moscow
Syringa vulgaris 'Krasavitsa Moskvy'
Full sunZones 3–710 ftModerate
Bergenia
Bergenia
Part sunZones 3–81.5 ftModerate
Berry Scape Aronia
Aronia arbutifolia 'UCONNAA001'
Full sunZones 4–94.5 ftModerate
Betty Magnolia
Magnolia 'Betty'
Full sunZones 4–813 ftModerate
Beverly Sills Reblooming Bearded Iris
Iris 'Beverly Sills'
Full sunZones 3–93 ftModerate
Listed as toxic to dogs and cats
Biokovo
Geranium × cantabrigiense 'Biokovo'
Part sunZones 4–810 inModerate
Black Ball
Centaurea cyanus 'Black Ball'
Full sunZones 2–112.5 ftLow
Black Barlow
Aquilegia vulgaris 'Black Barlow'
Part shadeZones 3–82.5 ftModerate
Black Chokeberry
Aronia melanocarpa
Full sunZones 3–85 ftModerate
Black Gum
Nyssa sylvatica
Full sunZones 4–940 ftModerate
Black Hero Double Peony Tulip
Tulipa 'Black Hero'
Full sunZones 3–81.5 ftModerate
Listed as toxic to dogs and cats
Black Parrot
Tulipa 'Black Parrot'
Full sunZones 3–81.5 ftModerate
Listed as toxic to dogs and cats
Blackfoot Daisy
Melampodium leucanthum
Full sunZones 4–1112 inLow
Blackhaw
Viburnum prunifolium
Full sunZones 3–913 ftModerate
Blanc Double de Coubert Rose
Rosa 'Blanc Double de Coubert'
Full sunZones 4–95.5 ftModerate
Bleeding Heart
Lamprocapnos spectabilis
Part shadeZones 3–92.5 ftModerate
Listed as toxic to dogs and cats
Bloomerang Ballet Reblooming Lilac
Syringa pubescens 'SMNSPH'
Full sunZones 3–74 ftModerate

May bloom in zone 4 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 May.

White

158 plants

Yellow

57 plants

Orange

30 plants

Red

77 plants

Pink

159 plants

Purple

151 plants

Blue

62 plants

May bloom in zone 4 for shade

129 of these 479 plants will flower in less than a full day of sun.

Part shade

109 plants

Part sun

16 plants

May bloom in zone 4 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

63 plants

Middle of the border

12 in to 3 ft

232 plants

Back of the border

3 ft and up

134 plants

Keep exploring

Design your garden

Drop plants onto a 3D plan, see how they fill in, and watch the whole garden bloom across the year.

Open BloomsEye Studio →