Spring in Savannah: When to Expect Blooms

Spring in Savannah is one of the most popular times of year to visit, and it only takes one look at the photos to understand why! Between the azaleas, climbing roses, jasmine, magnolias, fringe trees, and agapanthus, the city is bursting with color all season long.

You might also be interested in:
🌳 The Best Time to Visit Savannah (According to a Local)
🌸 Savannah Weather in March: Azaleas, Pollen, and What to Wear!

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Spring in Savannah

The best places to go to see all of the beautiful flowers around the city are Forsyth Park, the cemeteries in Savannah (particularly Bonaventure Cemetery and Laurel Grove Cemetery), most of the squares in the Historic District, Victory Drive, and at the Savannah Botanical Gardens.

What’s Blooming in Savannah?

Here is a very general timeline to help you with your planning…

March: This is prime azalea season! Dogwoods also begin blooming in March, and you can often spot yellow climbing roses in gardens throughout the Historic District. Sometimes the camellias are fading away, so you might catch remnants of them, too.
April: This is the time for jasmine, fringe trees, and dogwood blossoms. Jasmine smells heavenly! Spanish moss gets tiny blossoms on it starting around this time of year, too.
May: Southern magnolias bloom in May. The jasmine has a fairly long season, so it’s usually still blooming throughout the first half of the month. Bright purple agapanthus starts to bloom at the end of spring and lasts into the summer months.

Savannah Azaleas

If you can time your trip to coincide with azalea season, it’s by far the prettiest time of year to visit Savannah. The entire city seems like it’s covered in pink and white blossoms!

Allow me to present photographic evidence of this phenomenon…

Stately home in Savannah with an intricately detailed white front porch, a gas lantern near the door, and hundreds of pink and white azaleas growing over a wrought iron fence — *Gotta love it when the sun casts a warm glow over the azaleas!* | *©Erin Clarkson*

Off-white rowhomes in Savannah with black shutters on one and blue shutters on another, with an assortment of pink and white azaleas in the garden

The Olde Pink House restaurant with an assortment of hot pink and light pink azaleas in the foreground

Hundreds of large pink azaleas in the foreground with a blurred marquis sign for the Lucas Theatre in Savannah in the background

An old gas lamppost in Savannah surrounded by pale pink azaleas — *This light pink variety is called Autumn Belle® by Encore®* | *©Erin Clarkson*

Stately 3-story brick mansion in the background with pink, hot pink, and white azaleas near the front entrance, and dozens of hot pink blooms in the foreground of the photo — *Sometimes I tell people this city looks like something out of a storybook when the azaleas are in bloom. You almost have to see it to believe it.* | *©ErinClarkson*

A courtyard on Jones Street in Savannah is bursting with spring color from hot pink azaleas and yellow climbing roses — *This spectacular garden is located on Jones Street, which is one of the **prettiest streets in Savannah**. Shoutout to the talented James H. for always making it look so beautiful!* | *©Erin Clarkson*

A mansion in Savannah at dusk with stairs covered in ivy and surrounded by light pink azaleas

A spring in Savannah scene of a brick walkway surrounded by azalea bushes overflowing with pale pink and hot pink blooms

Hundreds of small white azaleas blossoms bloom in the foreground of an image of Laurel Grove Cemetery in Savannah

Monuments in Laurel Grove Cemetery with pink and red blooms in in the foreground and a white blooming dogwood tree in the background

Red azaleas bloom in front of a historic marker from the mid-1800s in Laurel Grove Cemetery

My #1 Tip for Beginner Photographers

When taking photos of the azaleas, try to position yourself so the azaleas are in the foreground of your shot and an iconic Savannah landmark is in the background of the photo.

You can see examples above in the photo of The Olde Pink House and the shot with the marquee sign of the iconic Lucas Theatre in the background.

When do the Azaleas Bloom in Savannah?

I’ve been tracking peak azalea season in Savannah for a few years now. In case you’re curious, here’s when the azaleas peaked in Savannah’s Historic District during recent years:

2021: Last week in March
2022: First week in March
2023: Last week in Feb, first in March
2024: Second and third weeks in March
2025: Last week in March
2026: Third and fourth weeks in March

I should also point out that each of the different varieties of azaleas peak at a different time, and the azaleas in Bonaventure Cemetery sometimes peak earlier or later than the ones downtown.

Wisteria

Wisteria is beautiful, but it’s highly invasive in the South.

It’ll overtake azalea bushes and even entire trees!

However, when it blooms, it puts on quite a show. It also smells amazing.

The wisteria generally blooms in late March — around the same time as the azaleas.

A wisteria vine loaded with purple blooms grows on a fence. A historic home with blue shutters on the windows is visible in the background

Close-up of the bright purple blooms of a wisteria vine growing on a stucco wall

Dark purple wisteria blooms atop a fence made of Savannah gray bricks

Hot pink azaleas and purple wisteria partially obscure an old monument in Bonaventure Cemetery

Fringe Trees

It’s so fun when the fringe trees start blooming!

From a distance, they look like they’re covered with giant cotton balls.

Chinese fringe tree with thousands of delicate white blooms silhouetted against the golden glow of the setting sun — *If you spot them in the distance during a sunset, sometimes it looks like they’re covered in buttery popcorn.* | *©ErinClarkson*

However, once you move closer it’s apparent they’re actually covered with thousands (maybe even hundreds of thousands?) of delicate white blossoms.

Dozens of clusters of delicate white blooms form cotton-ball or popcorn-like shapes in a Chinese fringe tree, which is backlit by the golden glow of the setting sun in Savannah

Close-up of hundreds of delicate white blooms silhouetted against bright-green leaves on a Chinese fringe tree in Savannah — *Each one of those little petals flutters in the wind whenever there’s a breeze.* | *©ErinClarkson*

The fringe trees begin blooming in mid March and usually peak by early April. They bloom for approximately two weeks and draw lots of attention.

In fact, it’s common to see questions pop up in local Facebook groups with people asking, “What are those white trees blooming all over Savannah?”

Resurrection Fern

Let’s pause for a brief break from all the blooms so I can show you a sight that’s even more stunning than the azaleas.

Behold the beauty of Southern live oaks covered in resurrection fern…

The thick branches of a Southern live oak covered in bright green resurrection fern in Savannah, Georgia

Massive oak tree with branches covered in bright green resurrection fern in Savannah, Georgia — *This resurrection fern-covered tree is so beautiful that I chose it for the cover of my **Savannah First-Timer’s Guide**!*

Resurrection fern is a type of fern that lies dormant for much of the year.

However, as soon as it rains in Savannah the fern “resurrects” and puts on quite a show in all its fluffy green glory!

FAQs

What is spring like in Savannah Georgia?

Spring in Savannah, Georgia, is a very pretty time of year. The weather is usually mild, with lows in the 60s to 70s and highs in the 70s to upper 80s. Flowers bloom throughout the season, beginning with azaleas in early March, then magnolias and jasmine in April and May.

What do people wear in Savannah in the spring?

If you’re wondering what to wear in Savannah during the spring, plan on packing layers. It’s often cool in the mornings and evenings, but the temperatures warm up significantly midday. Note that it’s often a few degrees cooler along River Street due to the breeze blowing in off the river.

Why is it called resurrection fern?

Resurrection fern gets its name because it shrivels up and turns brown when the weather is dry, but as soon as a significant amount of rain falls, the plant “resurrects” and springs to life with bright green fronds.

Savannah Travel Guide

My Savannah First-Timer’s Guide combines my most helpful Savannah travel tips from this website into one handy downloadable guide.

When you purchase the ebook, you’ll also gain access to a private Facebook group where you can ask questions about your trip and get advice from others who have recently visited.

If you have any questions about springtime in Savannah, please leave a comment below.

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Erin authored the Savannah First-Timer's Guide and loves helping first-time visitors plan their trips. She lives in the artsy Starland District and enjoys exploring Savannah's hidden gems, as well as the nearby SC Lowcountry.

Savannah First-Timer's Guide