by Lydia Holley March 6, 2023
For a large show of color in spring, consider adding a flowering tree (or more than one) to your landscape. Redbuds (Cercis canadensis) are beautiful with purple blooms coming out before the leaves turn the tree green. This Texas native can grow up to 30 feet tall. These trees are sweet all year long, with heart-shaped leaves that turn colors in fall. They come in many cultivars, even in a weeping form.
Chinese fringe flower (Loropetalum chinense) is often used as a shrub. I’ve seen them pruned to stay less then three feet tall. But if you let it grow into a tree, it can reach up to 20 feet tall. Their pom-pom-like flowers are either white, hot pink, or dark red. Some have dark, almost black, leaves. If you want to grow this as a tree, make certain you do not purchase a dwarf form. It may also help to limb it up to attain that tree form.
Saucer magnolia (Magnolia x soulangeana) usually has dark pink blooms, with large, elegant flowers. This deciduous tree can grow up to 30 feet high. It is a cross between two magnolia trees that are both native to Asia.
Dogwoods (Cornus florida) are beautiful, too, and come in both white and pink flowering cultivars. This East Texas native not only has distinctive blooms, but later will have red fruit, and in the fall, the leaves will turn red. It is also the host plant for the Spring Azure butterfly.
Crab apple (Malus) is another lovely spring-flowering tree. It comes in a variety of cultivars, so choose your tree carefully to get the one you want. You can choose from various blooms sizes and colors, differing sizes of fruit, and mature heights from 15 to 30 feet tall. Be certain to look for a rust-resistant cultivar if there are cedar trees nearby. Be aware that some of these trees also sucker more than others, which will require yearly attention.
Of course, several fruit trees bloom in spring, too. With them, you get both pretty flowers and something to eat later in the season.
For a stunning display, underplant your trees with other spring-blooming flowers such as daffodils, tulips, pansies, or early-blooming azaleas. Then sit back and welcome spring.