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13 Tree Branches You Can Force For Indoor Blooms

Are you missing the ability to bring flowers from the garden inside your home? Prune your blooming trees and bring in the branches to force them indoors! Gardening expert Melissa Strauss explains how to do and which trees to try.

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Written by Horticulture review by Sarah Jay Last updated: February 22, 2025 | 7 min read

white flower lilacs blooming in a vase

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I sure do miss my cutting garden in the winter. Sure, you can buy cut flowers from the store, but there is something so lovely about bringing them in from your own beds. In late winter and early spring, it’s slim pickings in most yards. 

I will tell you a great trick to bridge the gap between fall blooms and spring. It will give you some truly stunning and dramatic arrangements, as well. Just as your flowering trees are about to bloom, you can use their branches to bring color and life back into the home.

There are many shrubs and trees that will bloom after you cut them from the tree. Just like many herbaceous plants that you cut while they are in the bud, there are woody plants that work in the same way. Here are some tips on how to do it and some of the best plants to pick from. 

How to Do It

Soft pink Prunus serrulata blossoms with delicate petals and reddish-brown stems in a glass vase.
Pruning in late winter shapes deciduous trees by removing nonessential growth while their structure is visible.

Late winter is a good time to do some pruning of those deciduous trees. While you can see their structure, you can shape them nicely and decide which branches are nonessential to the structure of the plant. Now, this process doesn’t work with all flowering trees and shrubs, but there are quite a few. Before I get to that, let’s briefly go over some steps to make it work just right. 

Selecting and Cutting Branches

Bundled Salix discolor stems with fuzzy gray catkins next to orange pruning shears on a wooden surface.
Remove unnecessary branches without disrupting balance, especially those near structures or in crowded areas.

1. The general rule is to wait until the plant is just about to bloom before making your cuts. Timing is important because if you cut too early, it may not work. 

2. Do your trimming on a warm day, as the mild temperature will create less stress for the plant. You will shock those branches if you bring them indoors on a cold day. 

3. Identify branches that are nonessential. That means that clipping them won’t interfere with the overall balance and shape of the shrub or tree. You can take them from the back of a plant that backs up to a structure or from crowded areas that need thinning out for air circulation. 

4. Choose branches with a lot of flower buds that are just beginning to open. Flower buds are larger than leaf buds, so they should be easy to identify.

5. Use a clean, sharp tool that will make a clean cut. This helps the plant recover faster. 

6. Make your cuts just above a bud on a diagonal slant to prevent water from pooling on top of the cut. 

Forcing Them

Gray, fuzzy Salix discolor catkins on slender, dark brown stems in a glass vase on a table.
Place cut stems in a vase with room temperature water in bright, indirect light.

1. Crush or score the cut end of the branch to open it up more to water. This will help it to take in the water that it needs to support those flowers. Woody bark is less permeable than herbaceous stems, so a fresh cut is important as well. 

2. Place your branches cut end down into a vase of room temperature water and place it in a brightly lit room, out of direct sunlight. Bright light will help them to flower best. 

3. Every two days, give the branch a clean cut and fresh water. 

4. Depending on the type of plant, you should have blossoms opening in a few weeks. Misting helps prolong the flowers, and a branch with leaves typically lasts longer. Enjoy!

Here are some common trees with flowers that you can force in the home for stunning, sculptural arrangements. 

Forsythia 

Bright yellow Forsythia suspensa flowers with long, arching stems in a minimalist ceramic vase.
The vivid yellow blooms appear early, forcing easily indoors in about a week.
common-name common name Forsythia 
botanical-name botanical name Forsythia spp.
sun-requirements sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
height height 3’-10’
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 5-8

Forsythia is a standout from childhood for me. Those flamboyant sprays of brilliant yellow blossoms are hard to miss. This medium-sized shrub typically has a mass of narrow branches covered in buds!

This is an early bloomer, so it’s one of the first you’ll be able to cut. Wait until the buds are plump and look about to open. Forsythia is also one of the fastest you can force and should bloom in about one week. 

Witch Hazel

Spidery yellow Hamamelis virginiana flowers with thin, curling petals on woody stems in a glass vase.
Its fragrant yellow-orange blooms take a month to open but are worth the wait.
common-name common name Witch Hazel
botanical-name botanical name Hamamelis spp.
sun-requirements sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
height height 7’’-30’
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 3-9

Witch hazel is another tree or shrub that you can force, and it blooms early, so it will be one of the first flowers available. Different species vary in size, ranging from medium-sized shrubs to small trees. 

The flowers on this plant look like yellow or orange fringe, and most are fragrant. Expect this one to take a bit longer to open. If you’re patient, it’s worth the wait. It can take up to one month. 

Magnolia

Large, cup-shaped Magnolia × soulangeana flowers with soft pink and white petals in a vase.
Japanese magnolias are best for forcing, blooming in pink, red, purple, or white within weeks.
common-name common name Magnolia
botanical-name botanical name Magnolia spp.
sun-requirements sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
height height Up to 80’+
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 5-8

While you can do this with all types of magnolias, spring is the Japanese magnolias’ bloom time, and these are the best types to force. Large, fragrant flowers come in shades of pink, red, purple, and white, based on the variety.

These bloom in early to mid-spring, depending on the species. Trim this one sparingly, as they rarely need pruning. They tend to grow naturally in an attractive shape. If you get a rouge branch that needs to come off, definitely bring it indoors. These take two to three weeks. 

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Apple

Clusters of pale pink Malus domestica blossoms with five rounded petals in a simple glass bottle.
Apple blossoms are sweetly fragrant and take about a month to force indoors.
common-name common name Apple
botanical-name botanical name Malus spp.
sun-requirements sun requirements Full sun
height height 6’-44’
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 3-9

Apples bloom in mid to late spring and have sweetly fragrant blossoms. Mature fruit trees always benefit from pruning to keep them manageable and producing healthy fruit. It can take up to a month to force these, so practice patience. 

Trim thinner branches with plenty of buds and keep them in water in a cool location. When the buds begin to open, move them to a bright location but out of direct exposure. 

Eastern Redbud

Vibrant magenta Cercis canadensis flowers tightly clustered along a dark, rough-textured stem.
They bloom profusely, with heart-shaped leaves and pink flowers opening in about two weeks.
common-name common name Eastern Redbud
botanical-name botanical name Cercis canadensis
sun-requirements sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
height height 20’-30’
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 4-9

Eastern redbud is one of the most floriferous trees around. If you want a spectacular display, you should definitely plant one. They are beautiful all year, with heart-shaped leaves that turn golden in the fall. 

Prune off thinner branches in early spring and keep them in a cool spot until they begin to open. Misting them with water can help preserve the buds in the meantime. These open fairly quickly, in about two weeks. 

Cherry

Soft pink Prunus avium blossoms with deep reddish-brown stems in a pastel pink ceramic vase.
Cherries bloom spectacularly with fragrant flowers, taking about a month to force indoors.
common-name common name Cherry
botanical-name botanical name Prunus avium
sun-requirements sun requirements Full sun
height height 8’-80’
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 3-8

Cherries are incredible bloomers with stunning, fragrant blossoms. A single branch can be a stunning display of color and form. They also have lovely bark. 

Cherry branches take up to a month to open up, so patience is key. Keep them in a warm, humid environment while you’re waiting. A sunny bathroom is an ideal space. 

Pussy Willow

Slender, dark brown Salix discolor stems with fuzzy gray catkins beside a seashell and driftwood.
The cuttings require no water and retain catkins, making them easy to display indoors.
common-name common name Pussy Willow
botanical-name botanical name Salix spp.
sun-requirements sun requirements Full sun
height height 4’-25’
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 4-9

Pussy willow is one of the easiest branches to force, and in fact, you can trim them after they bloom and keep them indoors for a long time. They don’t even need water! 

Just take cuttings of your pussy willow right after the catkins have broken out of their buds. Place them in a vase with or without water. These have one of the longest lifespans once cut.  

Dogwood

White Cornus florida blossoms with four petal-like bracts and a greenish-yellow center in a vase.
The branches tolerate early pruning, flowering in two to four weeks with regular water changes.
common-name common name Dogwood
botanical-name botanical name Cornus spp.
sun-requirements sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
height height Up to 40’
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 2-10

Dogwoods tolerate pruning well, and you can cut these earlier than most branches. In late winter, take cuttings with buds and place them in water. A cool room with bright but indirect light is ideal. 

Dogwood flowers take about two to four weeks, depending on the species. After opening, you can expect these to last about a week. Make sure to change the water every two to three days. 

Flowering Quince

Soft pink and coral Chaenomeles speciosa blossoms with clustered buds along a pale, woody stem.
It has vibrant, fragrant blooms on bare stems, opening gradually over two to four weeks.
common-name common name Flowering Quince
botanical-name botanical name Chaenomeles spp.
sun-requirements sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
height height 3’-10’
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 4-9

Flowering quince are beautiful shrubs with fluffy clusters of fragrant blossoms. These are early bloomers and will be ready to cut, typically in February. They come in a variety of colors and usually bloom on bare wood. 

These shrubs can always tolerate a good thinning out of branches. They tend to be dense growers. Cut stems with fat buds and give them two to four weeks to open. They usually open from the lower buds upward to the ends. 

Lilac

Dense clusters of purple Syringa vulgaris flowers with tiny tubular petals in a glass vase.
Lilacs bloom in pink, white, or lilac hues with their famous fragrance.
common-name common name Lilac
botanical-name botanical name Syringa spp.
sun-requirements sun requirements Full sun
height height 4’-15’
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 2-9

Fragrant, beautiful lilacs are special flowers. In shades of pink, white, and, most commonly, lilac, the perfume from these trees is world-famous. They take about four weeks to open, so this one also requires some patience. 

Make sure flower buds have formed. These are more rounded, while leaf buds have pointed ends. Keep them cool and dark until they begin to open, misting from time to time. Once they start to bloom move them to a brightly lit space out of direct exposure. 

Red Maple

Small red Acer rubrum flowers with delicate, fringed stamens emerging from a thin, brown stem.
The subtle, stamen-covered flowers open within two weeks if cut at the right time.
common-name common name Red Maple
botanical-name botanical name Acer rubrum
sun-requirements sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
height height Up to 120’
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 3-9

Red maples are subtle bloomers. But they have fun and interesting clusters of stamen-covered flowers that look nice combined with other flowering branches. If you cut them at the right time, they open quickly, in about two weeks. 

These are early spring bloomers. Cut them in March or April when the buds swell. Keep them cool and out of intense light until they open, then give them more exposure, but keep it indirect. Misting will prevent them from drying out. 

Spiraea

Small, clustered Spiraea japonica flowers with soft pink petals and yellow stamens on arching stems.
These varieties bloom in clusters or along stems, requiring a month to force successfully indoors.
common-name common name Spiraea
botanical-name botanical name Spiraea spp.
sun-requirements sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
height height 1’-8’
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 3-8

There is a wide range of spiraea varieties with different flowering habits. Some flower in clusters at the end of branches, others bloom in bunches along the entire branch. They are spectacular when in bloom and easy to force indoors. 

It does take about a month for your spiraea buds to open, but it’s worth the wait. The closer to flowering time you cut them, the more successful you’ll be. Keep these moist and out of direct exposure until they open. 

American Wisteria

Cascading lavender Wisteria frutescens flowers with elongated, drooping clusters in a tall glass vase.
The fragrant lavender flowers bloom in three weeks with proper hydration and indirect light.
common-name common name American Wisteria
botanical-name botanical name Wisteria frutescens
sun-requirements sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
height height 15’-40’
hardiness-zones hardiness zones 5-9

American wisteria has wonderful, large, fluffy panicles of fragrant lavender flowers. These bloom near the end of spring, so hold off on cutting them until the buds form and are ready to open. It takes about three weeks for these to open. 

Cut the stems at an angle or strip some bark off. Place them in water in a brightly lit space, out of direct exposure. As with all of these, ensure you change the water every two to three days to avoid fungal issues.

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