Spring Bud is the color formerly called Spring Green before X11 Web Color Spring Green was formulated in 1987 when X11 colors were first announced. This color is now called Spring Bud to avoid confusion with the canvas color. The color is also called soft spring green, spring green (traditional), or spring green (M&P). The first recorded use of spring green as a color name in English (i.e. the color now called Spring Bud) was in 1766.