When you think of adding flowers to your landscape, you probably think of small plants like daisies and violets or maybe even shrubs like roses and hydrangea. But what about flowering trees? While all trees technically produce flowers, some species have colorful blooms that light up gardens.
Flowering trees like redbuds and wild plums can be incorporated into native plant gardens while flowering cherry trees serve as a symbol of life’s preciousness and fleeting beauty. With so many different types of flowering trees to choose from, almost everyone can find a tree that grows well in their area and fits in with the rest of their landscape.
Flowering Tree Care
Caring for popular flowering trees is similar to caring for other types of trees. First, you’ll want to ensure that you plant your tree in a suitable area. Make sure to look at the plant’s soil needs (rich, acidic, alkaline, well-draining, moist, etc.) and light needs, and then select a tree that matches your environment.
Fertilizing your trees in the spring with a balanced fertilizer will help encourage and support the production of flowers. A slow-release fertilizer is generally the best option. Avoid applying too much high-nitrogen fertilizer in the spring since this can increase vegetative growth but limit flowering.
Pruning ornamental flowering trees can help maintain the tree’s shape and encourage flowering. However, pruning at the wrong time or in the wrong manner can be detrimental! Never remove more than a quarter of a tree’s vegetation and avoid pruning right before or during bloom. Late winter is a good time to remove dead and crossing branches, and you can also prune after bloom to help shape the tree.
Weeping Cherry (Prunus species)
USDA Growing Zones: 4–9; some varieties can handle more hot and cold than others
Colors: white, pink
Soil: moist and well-draining
Sun: full sun to part shade
Weeping cherry trees grace landscapes with flower-covered branches that delicately cascade toward the ground. Depending on the specific variety, the flowers may be white or pink, have single or double petals, and bloom anytime from late winter to mid-summer. The trees remain rather small, with most topping out at between 10–30 feet tall. Some popular varieties to look for include Prunus subhirtella ‘Pendula Rosea’, Prunus x yedoensis ‘Shidare-Yoshino’, and Prunus x ‘Extrazam’.
Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis)
USDA Growing Zones: 4–9
Colors: pink
Soil: moist and well-draining
Sun: full sun to part shade
Each spring, redbud trees’ pink flowers light up forests and gardens alike. These small trees are native to the eastern and east-central United States and max out at around 35 feet tall. The tree produces clusters of pink flowers along skinny stems, and you can often spot a few flowers spurting out from the plant’s trunk. Eventually, the flowers fade and become replaced by seed pods that resemble skinny snap peas. If you live on the west coast and want to add a redbud to your garden, check out the Western redbud (Cercis occidentalis).
Saucer Magnolia (Magnolia x soulangeana)
USDA Growing Zones: 4–9
Colors: pink, white, purple
Soil: moist and well-draining
Sun: full sun, can tolerate part shade
As its name suggests, the saucer magnolia produces large flowers with petals that eventually fall to resemble saucers. These magnolias are native to Asia and max out at about 25 feet tall and 25 feet wide. Although the flowers are gorgeous, they do create a bit of a mess after they fall from the tree.
Newport Flowering Plum
USDA Growing Zones: 4–9
Colors: white and pink
Soil: well-draining and slightly acidic
Sun: full sun or part shade
If you’re looking for a plum tree that focuses on beauty rather than fruit production, the Newport flowering plum is a great option. After the flowers fall in late spring or early summer, you can still enjoy the tree’s purple-red twigs and deep purple leaves. Its size falls in line with many other flowering fruits—both its height and width tap out around 25 feet.
Mexican Palo Verde (Parkinsonia aculeata)
USDA Growing Zones: 8–11
Colors: yellow
Soil: well-drained, can tolerate poor or salty soil
Sun: full sun
If you live in the South or Southwest, this drought-tolerant and flood-tolerant tree may be a great addition to your landscape. Mexican Palo Verde, also known as Jerusalem thorn and jelly bean tree, typically grows about 20 feet tall and produces cheerful yellow flowers in the summer. Another neat fact is that although the tree’s leaflets may fall in response to drought, the trees can still photosynthesize through their green stems.
Crepe Myrtle (Lagerstroemia species)
USDA Growing Zones: 6–10
Colors: pink, white, red
Soil: well-draining, slightly acidic
Sun: full sun, can tolerate a bit of shade
Crepe myrtles have become popular, and even iconic, parts of Southern landscapes. Despite this, they’re native to Asia rather than the United States. However, when you look at the trees’ smooth peeling bark that resembles crepe paper and bright flowers that bloom for months, it’s easy to see why it’s become popular. You can now find hundreds of different varieties that range in height from 3–60 feet tall.
Southern Magnolia
USDA Growing Zones: 6–10
Colors: white
Soil: well-drained, moist, and slightly acidic
Sun: full sun to part shade
A symbol of the South, the Southern Magnolia is known for its large form, leathery evergreen leaves, and large white flowers that fill the spring and summer air with an unmistakable fragrance. By midsummer, the flowers have transformed into cone-shaped aggregate fruits that appeal to birds, rabbits, and squirrels. These trees work best in large yards away from houses as they often grow above 60 feet tall and 40 feet wide. And since their beautiful dark green and rust-colored leaves are evergreen, you can cut some in the winter to tuck alongside your favorite types of Christmas trees.
Shadow Serviceberry (Amelanchier canadensis)
USDA Growing Zones: 4–8
Colors: white
Soil: well-drained, moist, and slightly acidic
Sun: full sun or part shade
Serviceberry trees are all-season stunners—they produce star-shaped flowers in early spring, delicious fruits in the summer, and flaming foliage in the fall. What’s not to love? The fruits are about a quarter of an inch long and have a texture that’s reminiscent of a blueberry. The taste is sweet, slightly tart, and reminiscent of almonds—harvest the popular fruits for snacking or baking, or let them be for the birds and squirrels to enjoy. Serviceberry trees grow to about 25 feet tall and work well tucked into sparse forests or woodland edges.
Japanese Flowering Cherry Tree (Prunus serrulata)
USDA Growing Zones: 5–9
Colors: white, pink
Soil: well-drained, rich
Sun: full sun or part shade
These trees’ flowering period is short-lived—often just a couple of weeks long. While this may be a con for some people, the Japanese people have taken this fleeting display of beauty as a symbol of rebirth and mindfulness (learn more about the symbolism of the cherry blossom). These trees can grow over 50 feet tall in their native habitat, but many cultivated varieties max out between 15–25 feet tall. Some varieties to check out include ‘Yoshino’ and ‘Kwanzan’ which make up the majority of the cherry trees found on the National Mall in Washington D.C.
Profusion Crabapple (Malus x moerlandsii ‘Profusion’)
USDA Growing Zones: 4–8
Colors: magenta
Soil: well-drained, slightly acidic, rich
Sun: full sun or part shade
This variety of crabapple is a great choice if you’re looking to add some color to a northern landscape since it reliably produces spring flowers even in zone 4. ‘Profusion’ is known for an abundance of bright pink flowers as well as impressive disease resistance. Like most crabapples, these trees produce small sour fruits that are harsh when raw but delicious once cooked.
Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida)
USDA Growing Zones: 5–9
Colors: white, pink, yellow
Soil: slightly acidic, moist, well-draining
Sun: part shade, shade
If you don’t know which type of dogwood tree to choose for your garden, consider the flowering dogwood. This variety is native to the eastern United States and produces hundreds of big white ‘flowers’ that are actually small true flowers surrounded by large white bracts. The trees remain relatively small (20-40 feet) and sport short trunks topped by long branches. Dogwood trees that grow in sunny areas often grow in a wide and sweeping form that resembles an umbrella while those in shady areas produce branches that grow skyward.
Callery Pear (Pyrus calleryana)
USDA Growing Zones: 4–8
Colors: white
Soil: well-drained and slightly acidic
Sun: full sun or part shade
While some pear trees are grown for their fruit, not everyone wants to deal with the potential mess unpicked pears can create. The Callery pear produces small fruits and a stunning display of flowers. Although these trees have gorgeous flowers, there are a few notable downsides. First, the flowers have a pungent odor that some describe as rotten fish or lock rooms—simply put, it’s not enjoyable. Rather than bringing these stinky flowers inside, shop flower arrangements for stunning and sweet-smelling blooms. You should also note that these trees can also quickly spread and choke out native vegetation.
Washington Hawthorn (Crataegus phaenopyrum)
USDA Growing Zones: 4–8
Colors: white
Soil: moist and well-drained
Sun: full sun
While Washington Hawthorn produces delicate white flowers in the late spring, it provides beauty to the landscape year-round. Leaves emerge purple in the spring and then turn green as the trees begin to flower. The leaves turn brilliant shades of orange and red in the fall, and winter trees are covered in red berries that are loved by birds and mammals. Many varieties of this tree have long thorns, but you can also find thornless cultivars.
Landscaping with Flowering Trees
When it comes to incorporating flowering trees into your landscape, you have lots of options to choose from! The size of the tree, other garden plants, and your garden aesthetic can all impact the best way to plant a flowering tree.
Tuck Small Trees Into Front Yards
Since many flower trees are on the smaller side, they can make great additions to front yards. They’re not so big that you have to worry about them falling and damaging your home, yet they’re large enough to provide a bit of shade. And don’t forget the beauty!
You can plant shade-loving plants like hosta, impatiens, and hellebore around the base of the plant to create a cute pocket garden. Or keep the grass around the tree for a cozy spot to hang out on a summer day. Some flowering trees that can work well in front yards include flowering dogwood, weeping cherry, and crepe myrtle.
Create a Line of Trees
If you are looking for a way to define your property boundary, a driveway edge, or any other line, consider planting a row of flowering trees. Since trees’ widths will be impacted by how much space they have, trees such as crepe myrtles, flowering cherries, and redbuds can work well spaced 20–30 feet apart.
Work Them Into Japanese Gardens
Japanese gardens are known for balance, asymmetry, rocks, moving water, and specific plants. Flowering cherry trees can work well in these gardens tucked alongside bamboo, azalea, and camellia (check out our plant delivery options to see if you spot something you like). Since cherry trees symbolize the balance of life, death, and renewal, they can also create meaning of something deeper.
Potted Flowering Trees
If you don’t have access to a garden and still want to grow a flowering tree, you’re in luck! Some types of dwarf trees and bonsais thrive in pots and add colorful blooms to the landscape. Specific flowering trees that can be grown in pots include Meyer lemon, dwarf crab apples, snowy Mespilus, and Japanese maples.
Depending on the size of the tree, you should choose a 5–50 gallon container. No matter what size container you choose, make sure it has drainage holes to allow excess water to escape. As far as the potting mix goes, a well-draining mix that also holds moisture is often a good choice. Since potted trees dry out more quickly than those planted in the ground, you should expect to water your plant more often.
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