Forcing Spring Blooming Branches

One of my favorite ways to bring spring inside is using blooming bulbs, but a close second is forcing spring blooming shrub branches inside. The smell of lilacs and fuzzy blooms of pussy willows always brought a smile to my face and chased away the winter blues. Forcing branches to bloom inside can be a simple way to brighten up your indoor space and remind you that spring will soon be here.

Almost any spring blooming tree or shrub can be used in this fashion. Some of the most common are forsythia, red buds, lilacs, willows or pussy willows, dogwood, crabapples, flowering cherry, flowering quince and magnolias are all common flowers that can be forced inside. In order to be forced inside shrubs, much like bulbs, need a period of winter dormancy in order to get the plants to break bud and bloom. Usually this is a period of approximately 6 weeks but that does depend on the shrub as the earlier a plant normally blooms the earlier you can force the branches inside. Forsythia are among the easiest and earliest plants to force inside and will usually bloom 1-3 weeks after you bring them inside while Magnolias or crabapples can take 4-5 weeks to bloom once brought inside.

It is best to prune your shrubs when the temperatures are above freezing because the branches and buds are more pliable and they will transition to the warm temperatures inside the house. Choose branches that are at least 12” long and less than ½” in diameter that have a large number of bloom buds (bloom buds typically are round and fat while leaf buds are long and narrow). If you pruned the shrub last fall after buds were set that shrub will have few blooms and the branches won’t perform well. Remember that any branches you prune from your shrubs could reduce the amount of blooms your shrub will have when it normally blooms. If the plant you are pruning is smaller I would pick branches from the back or sides of the plant and only take a few from one spot.

After you bring the branches inside prune the branches to slightly longer length than you will want them to be when they are blooming and place in a vase or bucket with warm water. Remember that a mixture of lengths of branches will provide the best display. You will need to change the water every couple days to prevent bacteria growth and will need to prune the branches after a water change (that’s why you should leave them longer originally). Place the vase in a warm room out of sunlight and check the branches every few days to see if the buds have broken open. Once the buds have started to open bring the vase into a main room to enjoy! The flowers will last longest in cooler temperatures out of the direct sunlight but you can expect the blooms to last approximately a week. If the branch hasn’t broken bud within 5 weeks of being brought inside it’s best to discard it. It was probably too early for that species to be forced inside.

Forcing flowering shrubs inside is a fun activity to do with kids, grandkids or even just for yourself. If doing this with kids, you could turn it into a science experiment and have them guess which type of shrub will bloom first. This activity is easy but produces a big impact, especially if you are suffering from the winter blues. Remember to change the water often and discard the branches when they are done blooming

Have questions? Contact our office where our Horticulture Extension Agent will assist you with questions.

Phone: (316) 321-9660

Email: callae@ksu.edu