Your yard could use a detail that makes it stand apart from others. Ornamental trees that bloom bright and beautiful flowers are one of the best features to add to your yard.
The top ornamental trees add stunning color and texture to a garden or yard. It can be a pretty accent among the rest of your landscaping or be a centerpiece of the entire exterior.
With a variety of options, it can be an overwhelming choice. This guide will tell you the best flowering trees you can add for a show-stopping pop to your landscaping in your yard.
Crape Myrtle
Crape myrtle are popular landscaping trees. These flowering ornamental trees produce blooms in the summer, providing color during the hotter months. Flowers can be shades of pink, purple, white, or red.
There are varieties that are small, like shrubs and others that can grow up to 30 feet tall. At maturity, crape myrtles can range between 2 and 30 feet tall and 2 to 15 feet wide.
They thrive in full sun and like to be planted in well-draining soil. Water once or twice a week to keep it slightly moist.
Pink Weeping Cherry Tree
One of the most visually stunning trees is the pink weeping cherry tree. As the name suggests, the blooms are a lovely light pink, which grow on leafless branches in the early spring.
The tree grows in an umbrella shape, allowing the flowering branches to droop to the ground. The tree can grow between 20 and 30 feet tall and 20 to 30 feet wide.
The berries the tree produces can bring wildlife to your yard, so it’s great for those who want to attract birds. Water twice a week during the warmer months and less frequently when it gets cold.
Dogwood
Another popular option, dogwoods are a stunning ornamental tree. They can have a single trunk or multiple center trunks with branches that spread out. Dogwoods have white or pink flowers and can sometimes have a combination of the two.
The tree is deciduous, meaning it will lose its leaves in the fall. As the weather cools, the leaves turn to a vibrant red, which will extend the color into the later months.
Dogwoods can grow between 20 and 40 feet tall and 20 feet wide at their mature size. They bloom in the late spring and can be watered weekly.
Saucer Magnolia
Magnolias are a favorite flowering tree for many people. The saucer magnolia is among the most popular of the varieties. The delicate flowers are in a cup shape with pink and white flowers.
The saucer magnolia usually blooms between February and April and blooms can last throughout the summer. The leaves turn bright yellow in the fall, adding another layer of color to your yard.
Growing between 20 and 30 feet tall and 20 to 30 feet wide, these are stunningly stately trees. They need frequent watering in their first year, but then only require watering in periods of low rain.
Hawthorn
Hawthorn trees are beloved because they provide texture year-round. There are hundreds of hawthorn species, so you’ll have a variety of choices, such as the Chinese hawthorn, winter king, green hawthorn, and English hawthorn.
Hawthorn flowers can be white, soft pink, or hot pink. Flowers bloom in the spring. In the fall and winter, the tree bears berries. If you love having birds in your yard, hawthorns are a great choice.
These trees can grow between 15 and 50 feet tall and 8 to 35 feet wide. They’re drought tolerant, so watering weekly is sufficient.
Tulip Tree
Also known as the tulip poplar and the yellow poplar, the tulip tree is a low-maintenance yet visually stunning tree. The large, cup-shaped flowers are one of the most unique. With vibrant greens, oranges, and yellows, it’s visually appealing.
Tulip trees can also grow incredibly tall, between 70 and 90 feet, and up to 40 feet wide. Their flowers bloom between April and June.
They can be drought-tolerant; however, they prefer to have their soil remain moist. Plant in well-draining soil and water frequently.
Fringe Tree
The fringe tree is one that will add plenty of texture to your landscaping. This tree has tufts comprised of little white flowers. These cloud-like flowers bloom in the early spring between April and May.
Fringe trees have also been proven to be durable and tolerant. They can be hardy in colder areas, including USDA Zone 4. They can also stand to be planted along roads and have shown tolerance to road salt.
These trees can grow between 12 and 20 feet, both tall and wide, and are drought tolerant. Watering them once a week will be sufficient.
Japanese Tree Lilac
Those who love lilac the flower will also love the Japanese tree lilac. It has clusters of white flowers that bloom between late spring and early summer. It also has a reddish-brown bark that fades to gray as it matures.
The flowers attract hummingbirds, butterflies, and other pollinators, so it’s a great addition to a garden for nature lovers. Japanese tree lilac can grow between 20 and 30 feet tall and 15 to 25 feet wide.
Flowers bloom in June, and the tree prefers moist, well-draining soil. It requires regular watering multiple times a week.
Oleander
While technically a shrub, oleanders can be pruned into small ornamental trees. They bloom with pink or white flowers and have evergreen leaves, so they’re a good tree to have for year-round color.
Oleander is a low-maintenance tree that thrives in poorer soils and survives droughts. It can grow between 4 and 20 feet tall and 3 to 15 feet wide. Allow the soil to dry out between waterings.
However, you should be cautious with oleander as it can be toxic if ingested. So, watch small children and pets around this tree.
Show-Stopping Ornamental Trees
Vibrant color, lush texture, and delicate scents are just a few of the reasons you should add ornamental trees to your yard. Whether you plant one or many, these trees add a much-needed decorative element.
Mix different species, colors, and heights to create an interesting arboreal design. Find inspiration with the best ornamental trees in this guide to breathe new life into your yard.
Create the garden you’ve always dreamt of with the help of Del’s Garden Center. With over 50 years dedicated to the community, we seek to create stunning yards for everyone. Contact our experts for assistance today!