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10 Favorite Flowering Trees to Add to Your Yard in 2022
Flowering trees are a great choice if you’re looking to spruce up your landscape and add splashes of color.
March 1, 2022
The season of vibrant blooms and sweet scents is almost here. And although the weather might say otherwise in some parts of the country, many people will be starting their spring planting very soon.
Flowering trees are a great choice if you’re looking to spruce up your landscape and add splashes of color. Here are 10 popular flowering trees that may be the right fit for your yard.
Cercis canadensis
Eastern Redbud
The eastern redbud’s delicate blossoms are one of the season’s most dramatic displays. A profusion of small, rosy pink flowers burst forth every April.
But this tree’s beauty doesn’t end with its flowery show. Unique and irregular branching patterns combine with heart-shaped leaves, and yellow fall color to serve as a show-stopper in any season.
Hardiness Zones: 6–9
Mature Height: 20'–30'
Mature Spread: 25'–35'
Magnolia x soulangeana
Saucer Magnolia
As the name suggests, the saucer magnolia features large, saucer-shaped blooms that cover the tree. The pinkish-purple and white flower coloring make quite a splash in early spring.
The tree spans most hardiness zones within the United States and is one of the most popular flowering trees in the country. Just one look at this magnolia in full bloom and you'll know why!
Hardiness Zones: 4–9
Mature Height: 20'–30'
Mature Spread: around 25'
Cornus florida
White Dogwood
White dogwood trees are a popular choice for yards and gardens. The white petal-like bracts surround clusters of tiny yellow flowers to create breathtaking blooms each spring, April to May.
In addition to the beautiful flowers, this tree offers great fall color. The dark green leaves turn reddish-purple as the days grow shorter.
A great choice for a specimen tree, the white dogwood also works well near utility lines, buildings, and patios.
Hardiness Zones: 5–9
Mature Height: around 25'
Mature Spread: around 25'
Magnolia virginiana
Sweetbay Magnolia
Creamy white flowers with a light lemon scent are the iconic trait of the sweetbay magnolia. While it may not bloom quite as abundantly as other magnolias, the blossoms appear later in the spring. The typical May to June window avoids any late frost that might spoil a flowering tree's beauty.
Other standout features include a multi-stemmed trunk, lustrous dark green leaves, and clusters of red fruit that attract wildlife.
Hardiness Zones: 5–9
Mature Height: 10'–20'
Mature Spread: 10'–20'
Prunus x yedoensis
Yoshino Cherry
This species is considered the darling of the flowering tree world. It produces a blanket of white-pink blossoms with a faint almond fragrance from March through April.
In addition to the delightful spring show, the Yoshino cherry is beloved for its unique branching structure and dark green leaves. It also has the benefit of some drought tolerance.
Hardiness Zones: 5–8
Mature Height: 40'–50'
Mature Spread: 25'–40'
Malus ‘Prairifire’
Prairifire Flowering Crabapple
Its showy, dark pink to red flowers are what draw most people to the prairifire flowering crabapple. And for good reason. The stunning, long-lasting blossoms are a sight to behold in April and May.
To add to its appeal, the prairifire flowering crabapple provide beautiful bronze fall color, is disease-resistant, and adapts to many different site conditions.
Hardiness Zones: 3–8
Mature Height: 15'–20'
Mature Spread: 15'–20'
Prunus serrulata ‘Kanzan’
Kanzan Cherry
The Kanzan cherry is the most popular cultivar of all the double-flowering cherries, thanks to its stunning pink blossoms, good fall color, lack of fruit, and vase-shaped form. The tree blooms from April to early May.
While it has a limited lifespan that typically doesn’t exceed 15–25 years, the beauty of the Kanzan cherry tree makes it well worth planting.
Hardiness Zones: 5–9
Mature Height: 30'–40'
Mature Spread: 30'–40'
Amelanchier canadensis
Shadblow Serviceberry
The delicate white flowers of the shadblow serviceberry appear in cluster each spring. Star-like in shape, the blooms typically arrive in March and April (depending on location).
In addition to the spring show, this serviceberry features vibrant fall foliage and purple-red fruit that attracts wildlife. It grows as a multi-stemmed shrub or small tree
Hardiness Zones: 4–8
Mature Height: 15'–25'
Mature Spread: 15'–25'
Lagerstroemia indica ‘Muskogee’
Muskogee Crapemyrtle
A stately variety, the Muskogee crapemyrtle is a summertime bloomer. It's light lavender blossoms appear in clusters and continue for up to 100 days. The lavender color is then followed by red-orange foliage in the autumn.
This variety grows as either a large shrub or small tree and makes a great choice for lining a path, road, or property line.
Hardiness Zones: 7–9
Mature Height: 15'–20'
Mature Spread: 10'–15'
Vitex agnus-castus ‘PIIVAC-1 PPAF’
Delta Blues Vitex
The aromatic, dark purple flowers of the Delta blue vitex burst into bloom in mid- to late summer. It will attract both butterflies and hummingbirds to your yard, so this is a nice choice for borders and butterfly gardens.
The cultivar can be grown as either a small tree or shrub and offers the additional benefits of yellow fall color and a tolerance to salt.
Hardiness Zones: 6–9
Mature Height: 8'–10'
Mature Spread: 8'–10'
