Good morning everyone! I think we all deserve to have a special treat for ourselves right now. How about an early peek into Spring by bringing in flowering branches?:

It’s easy! All you need is a pair of clean, sharp pruners (and a spring-flowering tree or shrub!). No special expertise is required.

Choose a day when the temperature is above freezing. The milder temperatures help ease the transition the plants must make from outdoors to indoors.
Select branches that are not essential to the form of your shrub or tree, in a crowded section, and towards the back of the plant.
Prune a 1 to 2 foot-long length of branch. Choose a branch with lots of buds, preferably with very small buds that are beginning to open. (The flower buds are generally fatter and more rounded than leaf buds.)

*Remember proper pruning! Cut branches on the diagonal. Steeply-angled cuts ensure water uptake.

Once you’re inside, set the branches in a vase or vessel of room temperature overnight. Cut slits from the cut up the branch for several inches to promote water uptake.
Keep vase in a bright room away from heaters and direct sun. The brighter the room, the better the quality of bloom.
Recut the ends using a slanting cut the next day.
Change the water every few days so the branches don’t rot from build-up of bacteria forming. Mist flowers.
Flowers should appear in a few weeks. Once blooms appear, display in a warm area and enjoy!

Forcing branches from flowering shrubs and trees such as redbud can give you an early start on spring bloom. (Morton Arboretum)

Two of the most popular are forsythia and pussy willow:

There are a lot of other beautiful flowering woody ornamental trees and shrubs that can be forced to bloom indoors. Here is a list of shrubs and trees that are ideal for forcing:

Cherry trees & shrubs

Crabapple

Deutzia

Dogwood

Eastern Redbud

Forsythia

Honeysuckle

Lilacs

Magnolias

Pear

PJM Rhododendron

Pussy Willow

Quinces

Red Maple

Serviceberries

Spirea

Viburnum

Wisteria

Where to buy branches when you can not find in your yard? I would first check with local florists. They can usually order for you if they do not have in stock. Or Terrain here or here. White Flower Farm has a great selection here. If you are looking for a new vase, here are a couple options I like:

So let’s bring in an early gift of Spring color inside our house! We deserve that extra smile.

Have a great week everyone!

How To Force Branches Into Bloom Indoors