Each season offers a different experience at Cypress Gardens.

Common blooms and wildlife seen during each month:

January

Average temperatures range from 20 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit.

  • Peak Camellia bloom.
  • Alligators may occasionally be seen on sunny days.
  • Warm, rainy nights bring choruses from the Spring Peeper and Southern Chorus frogs.
  • Brown Creepers and the Orange-crowned Warbler are highlights to see.
  • Sunny days may bring the Cloudless Sulfur Butterfly.
  • A River Otter may be seen playing in the swamp and winter-nesting Bald Eagles are often sighted overhead.
February

Average temperatures range from 30 to 60 degrees F.

  • Daffodils (Narcissus) are at their peak bloom this month.
  • The earliest of the spring flowers are blooming:
  • Yellow Jessamine (Gelsemium sempervirens), the SC State wildflower.
  • Yellowbelly Slider and Florida Cooter turtles emerge from their short hibernation.
  • The vocals of the Southern Leopard and Green Frogs begin by month’s end.
  • Moths such as the Luna Moth and Clear-winged Sphinx and butterfly species, Sleepy Orange, Mourning Cloak and Snout may be seen.
March

Average temperatures range from 40 to 70 degrees F.

April

Average temperatures range from 40 to 70 degrees F.

  • Dogwoods (Cornus) are blooming.
  • April is the best time to see native Iris blooming.
  • Additions to the March collection of blooming wildflowers include:
    • Southern Blue Flag (Iris virginica)
    • Dwarf Azalea (Rhododendron atlanticum)
    • Southern Arrowwood (Viburnum dentatum)
    • Tulip Tree (Liriodendron tulipifera)
    • Water-spider Orchid (Habenaria repens)
  • The numbers of bird species peak when many of the winter residents will not migrate north usually later in the month or early in May. This winter residents include:
    • Ruby-crowned Kinglets
    • Hermit Thrushes
    • Solitary Warbler
    • Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers
    • Dark-eyed Juncos
    • Swamp Sparrow
    • Song Sparrow
    • White-throated Sparrow
    • Fox Sparrow
    • Field Sparrow
  • Spring migrants are arriving from their wintering areas which include:
    • Prothonotary Warblers
    • Hooded Warblers
    • Red-eyed Vireos
    • Yellow-throated Vireos
    • Ruby-throated Hummingbirds
    • Wood Thrushes
    • Blue Grosbeaks
    • Great-crested Flycatchers
    • Indigo Buntings
    • Orchard Orioles
  • Frogs vocalizing in the swamp swells with the added voices of Bulls, Pigs, Little Grass, and Southern Toads.
  • Gray squirrels are actively nesting and Bobcat activity soars.
  • Though heard throughout the year, Barred Owls are particularly vocal.
  • Tiger Swallowtail, Red Admiral, and Spring Azure butterflies make their appearance.
  • The last week of April marks the end of peak Azalea bloom.
May

Average temperatures range from 50 to 80 degrees F.

  • Antique Roses start to bloom.
  • The last of the wintering bird species depart for their breeding grounds, while the last of our breeding species; such as the Painted Bunting arrive.
  • Deciduous plants have all fully leafed-out, and more species add their flowers to the landscape, such as:
    • Meadow-beauty (Rhexia)
    • Lizard-tail (Saururus cernuus),
    • Pickerelweed (Pontederia cordata),
    • Southern Magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora),
    • Trumpet Creeper or Cow-itch (Campsis radicans),
    • Water Primrose (Ludwigia uruguayensis)
    • Verbenas (Verbena brasiliensis, V. bonariensis)
  • Additional frog vocals include Green, Gray, and Squirrel Treefrogs.
  • Question Mark butterflies appear.
  • Day Lilies begin blooming by months end and continue throughout the summer.
June

Average temperatures range from 60 to 90 degrees F.

  • June brings the earth-shaking bellows of the territorial, breeding alligator and the vocals of Narrowmouth Toads.
  • Few spring wildflowers remain in bloom, but in their wake come the blossoms of the:
    • Fragrant Water Lily (Nymphaea odorata)
    • Beauty-berry (Callicarpa americana)
    • Blazing Stars (Liatris)
    • Crested Fringed-orchid (Habenaria cristata)
    • Ironweed (Vernonia acaulis)
    • Swamp Rose Mallow (Hibiscus moscheutos)
    • Button-bush (Cephalanthus occidentalis)
    • Yellow-eyed Grass (Xyris)
  • With the increasing heat, birdsong rather steadily decreases while insect song, like the buzzing of cicada, increases.
  • Hairstreaks, especially the Gray and the Red-banded, become more prevalent among the butterflies.
July

Average temperatures range from 70 to 90 degrees F.

  • More flowering plants appear in the form of:
    • Elephant-toes (Elephantopus tomentosus)
    • Mistflower (Eupatorium coelestinum)
    • Water Willow (Decodon verticillatus)
    • Fragrant Ladies-tresses (Spiranthes odorata)
  • Other than Mockingbirds, most songbirds have nests of fledglings and are relatively quiet.
  • Until colder weather arrives in a few months, the sound of insects is dominant including the Katydid.
  • The Palamedes Swallowtail is regularly seen.
August

Average temperatures range from 70 to 90 degrees F.

  • Wildlife, other than Insects (Katydids, Cicadas, grasshoppers, crickets) is relatively quiet as another breeding season winds down.
  • Early fall bird migrants are becoming apparent and we begin to see the Eastern Kingbird, Barn and Rough-winged Swallows, and flocks of blackbirds and grackles assembling to build into their winter conglomerations.
  • Butterfly migrants and wanderers become more common, such as Gulf Fritillaries, Hackberry Butterfly, Cloudless Sulfur, Monarchs, and American and Painted Ladies.
  • Composites increase their dominance among flowering plants with at least 8 species of white-flowered Eupatorium, Goldenrods (Solidago), and Lobelias including Purple Lobelia (Lobelia elongata), Glandular (L. glandulosa), and Downy (L. puberula).
September

Average temperatures range from 60 to 80 degrees F.

  • Fall migration for birds is apparent as the mixed blackbird and grackle flocks continue to grow in number; Solitary Sandpipers, Palm and Black and White Warblers pass through; and the numbers of Gray Catbirds build to spend the winter.
  • Gone until spring are the:
    • Yellow-throated Vireo
    • Acadian Flycatcher
    • Great-crested Flycatchers
    • Northern Parula
    • Eastern Kingbird
    • Purple Martin
    • Yellow-throated Warbler
    • Summer Tanager
    • Blue Grosbeak
  • Composites continue to rule the flowering plants including:
    • Bur-marigold (Bidens laevis)
    • Climbing Aster (Aster carolinianus)
    • Goldenrods (Solidago)
  • Antique Roses bloom again by months end.
October

Average temperatures range from 40 to 70 degrees F.

  • This is the prime fall month for observing the leaf-color change in deciduous plants and trees. The needles of our only deciduous conifer, the Bald Cypress, turn rust-brown.
  • Many of September’s composites continue to flower, but most have gone to seed.
  • A few amphibians, such as the Ornate Chorus Frog, gear up for their fall and winter breeding season.
  • Great-horned and Screech Owls are more vocal.
  • Bird migration continues as Red-eyed Vireos and Indigo Buntings will soon vanish until next spring.
  • Winter arrivals include the:
    • Pied-billed Grebe
    • Eastern phoebe
    • House Wren
    • Winter Wren
    • Golden-crowned Kinglet
    • Ruby-crowned Kinglet
    • American Robin
    • Song Sparrow
    • Yellow-rumped Warbler
    • White-throated Sparrow
  • Butterflies remain plentiful and the striking Purple Hairstreak is notable.
November

Average temperatures range from 30 to 60 degrees F.

  • Deciduous plants continue to become bare of leaves, including the Bald Cypress.
  • The extensive old plantings of Camellias (mostly from Japan) begin to flower.
  • Winter resident bird species continue to arrive, such as the:
    • Hermit Thrush
    • Cedar Waxwing
    • Pine Siskin
    • American Goldfinch
    • Dark-eyed Junco
    • Chipping Sparrow
    • American Woodcock
    • Brown Creeper
  • Insect activity is slowing.


December

Average temperatures range from 30 to 60 degrees F.

  • The fragrant Tea Olive (Osmanthus fragrans) begins to fill the air along the trails and will last until February.
  • Camellias continue to bloom as well as the horticultural Paper White Narcissus flower.
  • Swamp Sparrows and other late resident birds arrive.
  • Warmer days may bring out surprise butterfly appearances of Gulf Fritillaries, Cloudless Sulfurs, or Monarchs.
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