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Flowering trees are one of the most wonderful signs that spring has arrived, and they make enchanting additions to the yard. Some flowering trees grow tall and wide enough to act as privacy trees too. Flowering trees provide an alluring appearance that few shade trees can match. Plus, many flowering trees have exquisite fruit that’s edible and attractive to birds and animals.
Not all flowering trees are equal. Some trees boast a bolder show than others, and not all are valued for their blossoms.
Availability is everchanging, so we may or may not have specific plants in stock that are shown here.
Chitalpa trees are airy hybrids. They result from a cross between two American natives, southern catalpa and desert willow. Chitalpa plants grow into short trees or large shrubs that produce festive pink flowers throughout the growing season.
Chitalpa trees (x Chitalpa tashkentensis) can grow into 30 foot tall trees (9 m.) or as large, multi-stemmed shrubs. They are deciduous and lose leaves in winter. Their leaves are elliptical, and in terms of shape, they are about at the halfway point between the narrow leaves of desert willow and the heart-shaped foliage of catalpa.
The pink chitalpa flowers look like catalpa blossoms but smaller. They are trumpet shaped and grow in erect clusters. The flowers appear in spring and summer in various shades of pink.
According to chitalpa information, these trees are quite drought tolerant. This is not surprising considering that its native habitat is the desert lands of Texas, California, and Mexico. Chitalpa trees can live 150 years.
For best results, start growing chitalpa in a full sun location in soil with excellent drainage. These plants tolerate some shade, but they develop foliage diseases that make the plant unattractive. However, their trunks are very sensitive to sunscald, so they should never be sited with a western exposure where reflected radiation will burn them badly. You will also find that the trees are tolerant of high alkaline soils.
Dogwoods (Cornus spp.) include a large group of flowering shrubs and woody trees within the genus Cornus. The 17 types of dogwood trees in this genus that are native to the United States also include some species that are best described as subshrubs—fast-growing woody plants that tend to die back in the winter to ground level and grow back from buds near the base of the plant. These plants are known for providing year-round interest, from early spring flowers and summer berries to brilliant fall colors. Some species even have colorful stems that offer winter appeal.
When the soil is moist in the early spring or late fall is the best time to plant dogwood trees for the best results. Dogwoods are low-maintenance, easy-care trees and usually bloom in either their first or second year without much intervention.
Most dogwood trees and shrubs are considered understory trees and can thrive in part shade, but some varieties also benefit from full sun. Dogwoods thrive in rich, damp but well-draining soil that's slightly acidic. Don't let drought affect your dogwoods, they need to be watered deeply in high heat, especially if they are in full sun. Dogwoods usually don't do well in extreme heat or dry conditions.
Flowering dogwood is a small deciduous tree that blooms with white, pink, or red flowers in early spring. When many people think of dogwoods, this is the plant they envision; it's the most popular and one of the most beautiful dogwood trees. Flowering dogwood has a low-branching habit with a flattish crown. Dark green leaves, 3 to 6 inches long, turn an attractive red in fall. This is a good specimen tree for a location with acidic soil and afternoon shade.
Also known as Chinese dogwood, Korean dogwood, or Japanese dogwood, the kousa dogwood is another popular variety. This small dogwood tree variety is deciduous or a multi-stemmed shrub. It produces an abundant display of yellowish-green flowers in spring and pinkish-red berries in summer. Fall color is purplish to red. This shrub has tan or gray bark that has a mottled, exfoliating texture that can be quite attractive in winter. Lower branches should be pruned away to enhance the appearance of the bark.
Oleander (Nerium oleander) grows naturally as a mounded, round shrub, or it can be trained as a small single- or multi-trunked tree. The evergreen foliage is dense, leathery, and dark green, offering a privacy screen when planted in groups or borders. Delicately shaped, showy, fragrant flowers tend to be pink, while some varieties produce red, orange, yellow, or white flowers. Blooming for an especially long period, the one- to three-inch flowers appear from spring to summer and sometimes early fall and year-round in warmer climates. The fruit is a long narrow pair of follicles, which splits open at maturity to release numerous downy seeds. Deadhead spent blooms to prevent seed pods from forming.
Oleander prefers full sun. It will also tolerate partial shade, but its foliage won't be as dense. It is also tolerant of heat, drought, wind, and coastal conditions.
Plant in well-drained soil for best results. Oleander shrubs can adapt to many kinds of soil conditions: poor soil, sandy soil, and a range of soil pH levels. Like many native Mediterranean plants, Oleanders prefer alkaline soil, but they will grow in acidic or neutral soil, adapting to pH levels between 5.0 and 8.3.
Nerium contains several toxic compounds, and it has historically been considered a poisonous plant. All parts of this plant, even the smoke created from burning plant parts, are extremely toxic to humans and pets.
The common Crapemyrtle is a deciduous, small to medium sized shrub or small tree with a variable, moderately dense habit, often multi-stemmed form.
The showy pink (other color variations available) flowers have wrinkled petals like crepe paper. The foliage is dark green changing in fall to yellows, oranges, and reds. The thin gray bark is exfoliating, exposing a smooth, vari-colored under bark ranging from brown to gray. It needs plenty of moisture when young. After it is established it will tolerate drought and grow well in limited soil spaces. During the growing season, new growth can be pinched to increase flower number and branchiness. The branches will droop as the tree grows. The lower branches are often thinned to show off the trunk form and color. Because pruning can significantly reduce cold hardiness, you should try to have it completed by early August. Plant 3-4 apart for a single row hedge.
The crapemyrtle (Lagerstroemia) can be expected to grow in Hardiness Zones 6–9. The common crapemyrtle grows to a height of 15–25' and a spread of 6–15' at maturity. This shrub grows at a fast rate, with height increases of more than 24" per year. Full sun is the ideal condition for this shrub, meaning it should get at least 6 hours of direct, unfiltered sunlight each day.
The common crapemyrtle grows in a wide range of soils from slightly alkaline to acidic. It prefers moist, well-drained sites but has some drought tolerance.
Magnolia is a remarkably diverse genus of plants that includes many species suitable for colder climates. Magnolia trees are generally known for having large, leathery leaves and impressive white or pink flowers that appear very early in spring—often before the leaves even emerge. Magnolias can be evergreen or deciduous, depending on where they are growing. Some species are multi-stemmed shrubby plants, while others are classic upright trees that are quite massive in size. Some species change their growth habits depending on climate and environment.
Flowering magnolias are known to be especially fragrant. Though a magnolia tree is not fast-growing, your patience will be well-rewarded.
Magnolias are not hard to grow, and they are somewhat unique among flowering trees and shrubs in their tolerance for shady conditions. But if you are planning to plant them in your yard, magnolia trees grow best in soil that has good drainage. These plants generally do not do well with wet feet in boggy soil. A spring feeding of slow-release fertilizer is best to help magnolia trees flourish.
Ornamental cherries are flowering cherry trees that are closely related to orchard cherry trees but are not grown for their fruit. Rather, ornamental cherries are grown for their ornamental properties, particularly their springtime floral displays.
The term "flowering cherry" refers to seven species of Prunus (Prunus campanulata, P. incisa, P. jamasakura, P. serrulata, P. spachiana, and P. speciosa) and their cultivars. Most of these Prunus species hail from Japan.
Although some types of flowering cherry produce fruit, it is usually too tart for human consumption. That doesn’t apply to birds, however. Many birds such as robins, cardinals, and waxwings find the tangy fruit very much to their liking.
Most cherry flowers are light pink to white, but there are also cherry trees with dark pink, yellow or green blossoms.
Flowering cherries do very well in the home garden, as their care is nominal. Water them thoroughly after planting and until the tree has been established. As with cultivated orchard cherry trees, flowering cherries are susceptible to both insect and disease issues.
Prune to thin out branches and improve air and light circulation as well as to remove any dead or diseased branches. Treat any fungal diseases with an application of fungicide. Take care not to damage the fragile bark with mowers or string trimmers.
Performs best in full sun in moist, relatively fertile, well-drained soils.
The Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis) is a relatively small deciduous tree that produces pink and dark magenta flowers from spring until summer. Just like with magnolias, eastern redbuds produce flowers before the leaves appear on the trees.
Masses of small rosy-pink flowers in the shapes of pea create a dazzling display of flower clusters on the redbud tree. Although eastern redbud trees are famous for their pink flowers, there are also some species that produce white flowers. The thin flower-covered branches grow in all directions to give the tree a truly dramatic look. Redbud trees have heart-shaped leaves, and dark maroon or brown seedpods. In summer redbud leaves are green and then become yellow, orange or red during autumn.
You can expect an eastern redbud to grow to between 20 and 30 ft. (6 – 9 m) and with a spread of up to 33 ft. (10 m). For smaller gardens, choose a smaller dwarf tree such as the ‘Ace of Hearts’ that only grows to 9 ft. (2.7 m) tall. Redbuds grow well in zones 5 – 9.
Redbud trees thrive when planted in full sun or partial shade. This colorful tree, with its rounded crown, requires regular watering and well-draining soil. Its spectacular pink flowers blossom best in full sun. In hot climates, plant redbud trees in partial shade for best results.
The mimosa tree is a deciduous, medium-sized tree in the genus Albizia and legume family Fabaceae. Mimosa trees have a vase-shaped growth with a spreading, broad crown. A full-grown mimosa tree can measure between 10 and 50 ft. (3 – 15 m) high and up to 50 ft. (15 m) wide.
Mimosa trees are native to Asia and thrive in warm climates in USDA zones 6 through 10. Silk trees have a rapid growth rate, growing around 3 ft. (1 m) per year. However, they are short-lived trees. The average lifespan of mimosa trees is only 30 years. Additionally, the trunk and branches are weak and brittle and easily break in strong winds.
Albizia julibrissin has the common name mimosa due to the resemblance to mimosa plant leaves. Other names for mimosa trees include the Persian silk tree, pink siris, pink silk tree, and Lenkoran acacia.
Mimosa tree flowers are fuzzy balls of silky pink threads that bloom during summer. The thin string-like stamens measure 0.8” to 1.2” (2 – 3 cm) long. Mimosa blossoms can be pink or white, but they always have a white base. The pink fuzzy tree flowers give off a pleasant fragrance.
Mimosa tree leaves are medium green, compound feathery leaves that look like fern leaves. Small leaflets grow on long stems measuring 10” – 20” (25 – 50 cm) long. There can be between 20 and 30 pairs of pinnae on each leaf stem on mature mimosa trees, with 10 to 20 leaflets on each pinna. An interesting fact about mimosa tree leaves is that fern-like leaflets are very sensitive and close up when touched, at nighttime, or when it rains.
The main issue with growing mimosa trees is that they are invasive. Mimosa trees produce abundant seeds that scatter over long distances. Its rapid growth means that in a short time, many mimosa trees are growing, choking out native trees. In some cases, the number of native woodland trees is greatly diminished.
Additionally, a vast number of seed pods can litter the ground where silk trees are growing. This can cause issues for homeowners when trying to clear up fallen leaves and seed pods in the fall. Finally, because the root system is relatively close to the ground, it’s not a good idea to plant trees close to buildings.
The chocolate mimosa tree is a small deciduous tree with chocolate-burgundy foliage. The dark-colored tree has a vase-shaped habit with a spreading umbrella crown. Pinnate deep burgundy leaves and pink fuzzy flowers help to identify the chocolate mimosa tree. Chocolate mimosa trees grow between 15 and 20 ft. (4.5 – 6 m) tall and up to 20 ft. (6 m) wide.
One reason to plant a chocolate mimosa tree in your yard is that it’s not as invasive as other varieties. The dark foliage tree produces fewer seeds and it isn’t such a concern as the other species of mimosa tree. Chocolate mimosa trees are suitable for USDA zones 7 to 9.
Crabapple trees (botanical name Malus) are like miniature apple trees (Malus domestica). The smallest crabapple trees can be small shrub-like bushes around 4 ft. (1.2 m) tall. Larger crabapples can grow to between 20 and 30 ft. (6 – 9 m). Most crabapple trees thrive in zones USDA 4 through 8. However, some cultivars are cold-hardy to zones 2 or 3.
The most attractive aspect of crabapple trees is their delightful spring blossoms. The wide, spreading branches are covered in various pastel shade flowers. The bark of crabapple trees is gray with a scaly appearance.
Crabapples are much smaller fruits than regular apples and generally have a tarter taste compared to regular apples. Crabapple trees produce fruits that are generally up to 2” (5 cm) in diameter. Traditional apple trees produce fruits that are larger than 2” (5 cm) in diameter. Crabapple fruits can have a wide range of colors such as yellow, amber, orange, red or purple. Crabapple fruits are about the size of golf balls or smaller. However, they can grow on the tree like clusters of small berries.
Crabapple flowers have five or more small oval petals that can form single or double blooms. The magnificent floral crabapple displays in spring can be blooms of whites, pinks, reds, or purples—with many hues and shades in between.
Here are some of the best crabapple tree varieties that produce colorful flowers every spring:
White fringe tree is a tree native to the savannas and lowlands of the southeastern United States, from New Jersey south to Florida, and west to Oklahoma and Texas. This plant is classified as Chionanthus virginicus in the oleaceae (olive) family. This plant should be planted in zones 3 to 9 for best results.
Besides fringe tree or white fringe tree, common names that you may see for this tree include old man's beard and grancy greybeard. Grancy is another word meaning grandpa or grandad.
In late spring, an abundance of feathery white flowers appears on the tree for a two-week blooming providing a showy display. The flowers can perfume your garden with their sweet, lilac-like smell, particularly in the evening.
The flowering trees usually thrive in extremely wet river bottoms or in upland areas that are favorable to longleaf pine trees growth.
At maturity, the tree will be around 12 to 20 feet tall and wide. It can have several trunks, making the shape variable depending on the way they grow.
Leaves that are 3 to 8 inches long appear as the tree is flowering in late spring. The tree is dioecious, which means it can be male or female. A male tends to flower more elaborately and may have a better show of the white blooms that appear in May and June. In the fall, clusters of small blue fruit will be produced on the female plants. A relative of the olive family, the drupe fruits can be pickled and eaten.
Choose a location with acidic soil for best results. Soil that is a little alkaline will also work, but this shrub does not grow well in most alkaline soils.
The fringe tree is adaptable to a wide variety of soils, which is great for those clay or sandy soils that pose problems for many other plants. It also likes moist or wet soils.
It usually forms an open shrub, but you can train it to have just one trunk and live as a small tree if desired. There usually is not much maintenance work involved with this species besides fertilizing to promote yearly growth.
The fringe tree can be grown in full sun to part shade.
A fringe tree can be a delightful addition to your garden if you are looking for a blast of white in the spring. The blue fruit of the female plants can add a touch of color in the fall. Birds like to eat the fruit, so this can be a nice addition to your wildlife garden. Also, a fringe tree can be planted in a city yard since it can handle city pollution.
Hawthorn trees (Crataegus) are sun-lovers, but they are not fussy about soil type or drainage.
Hawthorn, (genus Crataegus), also called thornapple, large genus of thorny shrubs or small trees in the rose family (Rosaceae), native to the north temperate zone. Many species are common to North America, and a number of cultivated varieties are grown as ornamentals for their attractive flowers and fruits.
The hawthorn is also well suited to form hedges, and its combination of sturdy twigs, hard wood, and numerous thorns makes it a formidable barrier to cattle and wildlife.
Hawthorns are decidious plants with simple leaves that are usually toothed or lobed. They are well armed with thorns, 1 in. long (2.5 cm), and clad with glossy, dark green, 3 to 5- lobed leaves. In mid to late spring, a profusion of double rose-red flowers held in clusters (corymbs) along the branches provide a spectacular spring floral display. The foliage develops no appreciable fall color.
Grows up to 18-25 ft tall (5-8m) and 15-20 ft wide (4-6 m). Requires only minimal pruning in late winter or early spring, to remove damaged, diseased or misplaced growth.
Pyrus calleryana is an ornamental deciduous tree of pyramidal habit with strongly vertical limbs in youth, becoming broader with age.
In early spring, a profusion of five-petaled, creamy white flowers draped in clusters along branches. Flowers are followed by small, inedible, greenish- yellow fruits that attract quite a number of birds. The glossy green foliage is quite handsome with broadly oval leathery leaves adorned with wavy margins. In the fall, it turns incredible shades ranging from red and orange to dark maroon. 'Bradford' is the most fireblight-resistant cultivar of the Callery Pears. Impressive up to 20 years, this pear tree however, becomes apt to limb breakage over time.
Grows up to 30-50 ft. tall (9-15 m) an 20-35 ft. wide (6-8 m). A full sun lover, this tree is easliy grown in humusy, moist, well-drained soils. This pear tree is not too fussy about soil conditions and tolerates heavy clays. Some drought tolerance once established.
Prune as needed in winter. Virtually pest free, aside from some affliction to fire blight.
Native to Japan, the Japanese stewartia tree (Stewartia pseudocamellia) is a popular ornamental tree in this country. It thrives in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 5 through 8. This lovely tree has a dense crown of oval leaves. It grows to about 40 feet (12 m.) tall, shooting up at the rate of 24 inches (61 cm.) a year.
The dense canopy and its conical or pyramid shape are pleasing. And branching begins close to the ground like crape myrtle, making this an excellent patio or entryway tree.
Stewartias are beloved for their summer blossoms that resemble camellias. The buds appear in spring and flowers keep coming for two months. Each one alone is short-lived, but they replace each other rapidly. As autumn approaches, the green leaves blaze in reds, yellows, and purples before falling, to reveal the spectacular peeling bark.
Grow a Japanese stewartia tree in acidic soil, with a pH of 4.5 to 6.5. Work in organic compost before planting so that the soil retains moisture. While this is optimal, these trees also grow in clay soil of poor quality.
In warm climates, Japanese stewartia trees do better with some afternoon shade, but it likes full sun in cooler regions. Japanese stewartia care should include regular irrigation to keep the tree as healthy and happy as possible, but these trees are drought tolerant and will survive for some time without much water. Japanese stewartia trees can live for a long time with proper care, up to 150 years. They are generally healthy with no particular susceptibility to disease or pests.
The desert willow is a little tree that adds color and fragrance to your backyard; provides summer shade; and attracts birds, hummingbirds and bees.
The desert willow’s scientific name is Chilopsis linearis. It’s a small, delicate tree that usually doesn’t grow above 30 feet (9 m.) tall and 25 feet (7.5 m.) wide. This makes planting desert willow trees possible even for those with small backyards.
With its many trunks, the tree presents a unique, graceful silhouette that is familiar in the Southwest deserts. The thin, drooping leaves can get up to 12 inches (15 cm.) long, filling in the irregular crown of the tree with willowy softness.
The fragrant trumpet flowers grow in clusters on the branch tips and bloom from spring through fall. They can be found in shades of pink, violet, and white, all with yellow throats.
Planting desert willow trees is rewarding and easy if you live in USDA hardiness zones 7b through 11. When placed in a location beside your home, the trees offer summer shade but allow ambient heating in the colder months. Consider planting desert willow trees in groups if you need a privacy screen or windbreak. This kind of grouping also offers shelter to nesting birds.
One of the most interesting desert willow tree facts is that the seeds establish themselves in newly deposited river sediments after seasonal flowing. The young trees trap and hold soil sediment as their roots grow, creating islands. When you are trying to figure out how to grow a desert willow, remember that the tree is native to the desert. Think full sun and soil with excellent drainage when growing these trees in your landscape. If your region gets more than 30 inches (76 cm.) a year rainfall, plant desert willow trees in raised beds to ensure drainage.
Like other desert plants, the desert willow only needs a very occasional, deep irrigation. It is pest and disease free and requires little pruning.
Chaste tree (Vitex agnus-castus) is a deciduous shrub that bears clusters of purple flowers in the summer. Also known simply as vitex, the leaves of this plant are reminiscent of the marijuana plant (Cannabis sativa), with five leaflets in a palm-shaped arrangement. The leaves have a fragrance similar to that of the herb sage. The purple flower clusters (panicles) that bloom in midsummer look like those of the butterfly bush (Buddleja spp.) The black fruit contains four seeds that look like peppercorns and are sometimes used to flavor food.
Like most shrubs, chaste tree is best planted in the spring to give it plenty of time to establish roots before winter dormancy. It is a fast-growing shrub that can shoot up as much as 7 feet in a single season, but most gardeners opt to keep this potentially invasive plant to 10 feet or less in height.
This is an easy-to-grow shrub that poses few challenges to a home gardener. If you avoid soil that is too wet or dense, success is nearly guaranteed. The biggest downside to chaste tree is that it may grow too aggressively, requiring frequent pruning to keep it in check.
This is one of the only species within the Vitex genus that is native to temperate regions; nearly all others are tropical trees and shrubs. In colder climates (zones 5 and 6), this plant sometimes dies back in winter and is grown as a perennial, in much the same way that the butterfly bush is grown in climates with freezing winters.
Chaste tree will grow well in full sun to part shade, though the best flowering occurs in full sun. Choose a location where the water drains away instead of gathering. This shrub can handle acidic to slightly alkaline soils but it does not like very rich soil, since this can hold too much moisture around the roots. A native to Mediterranean regions, this plant prefers relatively dry soil. Sandy or rocky soils are no problem.
In most regions, you will not need to water a vitex at all once it is established. In fact, you should avoid using organic mulches, since they hold too much water.
Vitex agnus-castus may be grown in Zones 6 to 9; it is technically hardy down to about minus 9 degrees Fahrenheit. But in zones 6, it often is grown more as a perennial plant rather than a shrub, where it often dies back to the ground each winter, regrowing in spring. It does equally well in the high humidity of the southeastern United States as in the arid climate of the Southwest.
Left unpruned, chaste tree can become a sprawling, vase-shaped shrub that sometimes grows to 20 feet or more with a spread equally as wide. It is sometimes trained as a single-trunk small tree by pruning away competing shoots to encourage a central leader. Early pruning during winter will help keep the shrub in an attractive shape and control its size. Chaste tree tolerates heavy pruning quite well.
Several cultivars of chaste tree are widely sold:
Smaller cultivars for potting include 'Blue Diddley' (grows to 6 feet) and 'Pink Pinnacle' (grows to 4-6 feet).
The Hibiscus syriacus (Rose of Sharon) is a large hardy shrub that grows in northern climates. The multi-stemmed shrub can be trained to grow as a tree with a single trunk. Although best growing in the ground, smaller hibiscus trees can grow in pots.
For those living in cooler parts of North America, opting for a hardy variety or the shrubby rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus), which are both easier to grow and can withstand colder winter temperatures, will be the better choice. Regardless of variety, hibiscus flowers are very attractive to butterflies and hummingbirds.
All hibiscus do best in well-drained, fertile, moist, loamy soil. The hardy varieties are wetland natives and are a good choice for sites that are too wet for other plants. Most hibiscus prefer a slightly acidic soil pH, but the rose of Sharon is tolerant of alkaline conditions. The color of hibiscus flowers can be affected by the soil acidity level.
All hibiscus are thirsty plants that need to be kept moist. For container-grown plants, ensure the top inch or so of potting mix dries out fully before watering—saturated soil is also problematic, and make sure containers have adequate drainage holes.
Depending on the conditions, you might need to water your hibiscus daily to help it produce an abundance of blooms.
If your hardy hibiscus are not planted near a pond or in another wet area, water them on a regular basis to keep them moist.
Rose of Sharon and hardy hibiscus can grow in cool, temperate climates. They thrive in temperatures from 60 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit but can handle temperatures as low as 20 degrees Fahrenheit. When temperatures drop below 30 degrees Fahrenheit and frost is a risk, bring container-grown plants indoors. However, be mindful of their higher humidity requirements—which is why bathrooms are a good location for these plants.
Witch hazel is a very hardy plant. Unlike most flowering plants, witch hazel requires cold temperatures to produce its eye-catching yellow blooms. This makes these plants a real show-stopper in a sparkling winter landscape. Witch hazel plants have exceptional fragrance, though the flowers are not as showy as some other plants. This deciduous shrub is an attractive option for winter landscaping. It produces bright, fragrant, spidery flowers in the fall and winter.
Bright green leaves adorn these shrubs in the summer and turn yellow or yellow-orange in the fall. Interestingly, the fruit and flowers appear at the same time; the fruit from the prior year’s flowers matures while the new flowers bloom. Native to North America, this plant was used by some Native Americans for medicinal purposes.
Witch hazel is a very low-maintenance plant once established. Nothing more than the occasional watering and pruning is required. Plant this shrub in early spring or late fall for the best results. A sunny location is ideal, though in very hot areas some afternoon shade will be beneficial.
These shrubs are resistant to most pests and diseases. Deer, aphids, leaf spots, or powdery mildew may attack witch hazel shrubs, but they do not normally cause extensive damage.
Full to partial sun is ideal for witch hazel plants. Though they usually prefer full sun, partial shade is best in hot climates with intense afternoon sunshine.
Witch hazel likes rich, loamy, moist soil conditions, but it is quite hardy and can adapt to differing conditions. These plants can acclimate to both acidic and alkaline soil pH levels, although acidic to neutral soil is best.
Good drainage and moist conditions are essential for healthy witch hazel plants. Try adding a layer of mulch on top of the soil to retain moisture.
Consistent moisture is preferred by this shrub, but it does not do well in soggy soil. Regular watering is essential for young, establishing plants. Once established, natural rainfall should provide enough water for witch hazel shrubs. However, be sure to water these plants any time there is a drought. If the top of the soil feels dry to the touch, it may be time for additional water.
Witch hazel is unique in that it flowers during the cold winter months. It is tolerant of a wide range of conditions from USDA zones 3 to 9, thriving in both cold and hot temperatures. Moderate humidity levels are preferred. Witch hazel does not do well in dry, arid conditions, but too much moisture can encourage fungal problems, such as powdery mildew.
A very popular ornamental landscape tree, Prunus cerasifera (Cherry plum) is a medium-sized, round-headed deciduous tree with a striking presence in the landscape, whether in bloom or not. This plum tree boasts some of the darkest purple leaves and twigs. Emerging light bronze-purple in spring, the serrate, elliptic leaves turn dark reddish-purple in the summer before turning attractive red shades in fall.
Opening from deep pink buds in mid-spring, masses of sweetly fragrant, single, white to pale pink flowers smother the bare branches and create terrific floral display. The blossoms give way to small purple and edible fruit that attract birds and other wildlife.
Grows upright with a rounded to pyramidal habit, up to 15-20 ft. tall and wide (4-6 m). Prunus cerasifera performs best in full sun or part shade in moist, moderately fertile, well-drained soils. The best color is obtained in full sun. Susceptible to aphids, caterpillars, leaf-mining moths, bullfinches, silver leaf, bacterial canker, and blossom wilt.
Prune after flowering to keep the tree vigorous.
The blue Chinese wisteria tree is a non-native cultivar that grows as a single stem accent tree. The blue wisteria has a rounded spreading canopy, and its abundant blooms are lavender, blue, and purple. The dangling foot-long (30 cm) flower clusters emerge on bare branches and blossom for several weeks from mid-spring.
The fast-growing blue Chinese wisteria tree matures at 10 to 15 ft. (3 – 4.5 m) tall. The dwarf tree has dense green foliage throughout summer before turning golden yellow in the fall. Additionally, the ornamental tree adapts well to various soil types.
The blue Chinese wisteria has many uses in the landscape. The stunning tree works well as a specimen or lawn tree. You can also plant the flowering dwarf tree in a container, place it on a patio, or brighten up a container garden.
Wisteria trees are cold-hardy trees that thrive in USDA zones 5 through 9.
The ornamental landscape wisteria tree performs best in full sun, getting at least six hours of sunlight daily. The tree will tolerate some shade; however, it may not bloom as abundantly.