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In creative garden design, flowering trees are above short-lived fads. Its lavish splendor of flowers harmonises with every style from baroque-romantic and noble-modern to Asian-minimalist. For every garden size and almost all lighting conditions, there is the ideal tree as a floral figurehead. Browse through a hand-picked selection of 30 trees, sorted by color and flowering time with tips on the right location.
heydays
Flowering times - the local conditions decide
The information on the flowering time of a tree is based on the assumption that normal, central European weather conditions prevail. If the weather is capricious, such as late night frosts or extreme drought, most trees postpone their flowering period to a later date. In the worst case, the flower will fail completely because the buds have frozen. The following overview is sorted according to the usual start of the longed-for flowering period and indicates until when the flowers usually last. Furthermore, the assignment of the flower color refers to the hue that dominates at the zenith of the flowering period. Different tree species sprout in different shades of color or change their flower color at the end of the season. Where this is the case, you will find a corresponding reference to this variance.
Flowering time: February
flower color: greenish
Corkscrew Hazel (Corylus avellana 'Contorta')
The common hazel cultivar provides convincing proof that a greenish flower color does not have to be boring. It is the special form of a catkin blossom that qualifies the hazelnut tree for this selection. When February is stingy with colorful blossoms in the garden, the ornamental tree sets pretty accents with its male catkins and spherical female blossoms on twisted branches.
- Growth height: 400 to 600 cm
- Location: sunny to semi-shady
Corkscrew Hazel, Corylus avellana
Flowering time: March
flower color: White
copper pear, pear (Amelanchier lamarckii)
With a rush of flowers in pure white, the pear enchants the garden in spring. From a distance, the umbrella-shaped crown appears as if she has donned a floral bridal veil. By late summer, the starry blossoms are transformed into tasty, small fruits. The deciduous foliage also contributes to the play of colors by taking on a decorative autumn colour.
- Growth height: 300 to 400 cm
- Location: sunny to semi-shady
Serviceberry, Amelanchier lamarckii
flower color: Red
Hazelnut 'Red-leaved Cellar Nut' (Corylus avellana)
Spots of red are few and far between in early spring. How good that there is the 'red-leaved cellulosic nut', which spoils us with red catkin blossoms. At the same time, the red-brown buds on the leaves shine on the branches, creating impressive accents. The dark red foliage only turns green in the course of summer. The neat color ensemble is followed later in the year by light brown, reddish shimmering hazelnuts, which are ready for harvest from September.
- Growth height: 300 to 600 cm
- Location: sunny to semi-shady
Hazelnut, Corylus avellana
flower color: yellow
Cornelian cherry (Cornus mas)
The cornelian cherry turns out to be a flowering tree only at an advanced age. The waiting time until then makes the native flowering shrub as a shapely shrub palatable to us with an opulent, yellow spring blossom that smells seductively. In mild locations, the robust fruit tree surprises with its golden-yellow flowers as early as February, which turn into red berries in late summer.
- Growth height: 300 to 500 cm
- Location: sunny to semi-shady
Cornelian cherry, Cornus mas
Flowering time: April
flower color: White
Snowdrop Tree (Halesia monticola)
Here the name says it all, because the graceful flowers look confusingly similar to the bulb flowers. Long before the leaves sprout, the starting signal is given for the romantic flowering period, which lasts until the end of May if the spring weather is mild. The elegant tree sheds its leaves before winter, but the pretty fruits decorate the crown well into the next year.
- Growth height: 600 to 1200 cm
- Location: sunny, warm and sheltered
Snowdrop tree, Halesia carolina
Real almond tree (Prunus dulcis)
A real almond tree should not be missing in the planting plan for the Mediterranean garden. After all, it is well frost-resistant within hardiness zones 7 and 8. In cooler regions, it trumps in the tub with its white flowers, which are decorated with a red spot in the center. The 'Supernova' and 'Tuono' varieties bear crunchy almonds without the need for a pollinator variety.
- Growth height: 300 to 500 cm
- Location: sunny, warm and sheltered
Almond tree, Prunus dulcis
Hanging wild pear, willow-leaf pear (Pyrus salicifolia 'Pendula')
The willow pear is a hit among flowering trees for gardens where space is at a premium. The branches with silvery leaves hang down picturesquely. From April to May, the white flower spikes sprout in large numbers and complete the perfect performance. Thanks to the leisurely growth and robust pruning tolerance, the care of the Mediterranean ornamental tree is designed without gardening stumbling blocks.
- Growth height: 400 to 600 cm
- Location: full sun
Pear tree, pyrus, pear
Pear Quince 'Cydora Robusta' (Cydonia)
In April and May, the pear quince announces the coming harvest of elongated yellow fruits with large, white cup-shaped blossoms. The quinces are not suitable for fresh consumption. Nevertheless, the knowledgeable housewife knows how to conjure up a delicious compote or spread from the harvest. If you associate pear quince and apple quince, both trees benefit each other in terms of flower yield and crop yield.
- Growth height: 350 to 550 cm
- Location: full sun
Quince, Cydonia oblonga
Bird cherry (Prunus padus)
Shade-tolerant flowering trees are few and far between in the plant kingdom. The bird cherry is one of the few weak light specialists that adorn its crown with white flowers in April and May. In autumn, small black berries ripen as decorative fruit and a valuable source of food for birds. The native wild wood is reliably hardy and also thrives in problematic, damp and cold soil.
- Growth height: 600 to 1000 cm
- Location: sunny to shady
Bird cherry, Prunus padus
Tip: Spring-blooming trees usually bud in the previous year. The scissors should therefore be used very cautiously. The best time for a topiary is immediately after the end of the flowering period. In late winter, pruning is limited to thorough thinning of the crown.
flower color: pink
Tulip magnolia (Magnolia soulangiana)
We cannot deny its floral charm when the huge purple-pink-white, tulip-shaped flowers appear in April. By the time the summer green leaves thrive, the flowering season is almost over. If you want a longer flowering period, combine the tulip magnolia with the white-flowering magnolia 'Wildcat', which flowers as early as the beginning of April, and the later-flowering variety 'Heaven Scent', which puts on its flowers in May.
- Growth height: 250 to 450 cm
- Location: sunny and sheltered
Tulip magnolia, Magnolia soulangeana
Blood Plum 'Nigra' (Prunus cerasifera)
This small tree in the garden heralds spring with a festival of colours. From April, the brown-red to black twigs are covered with pink flowers. At the same time, the dark red ornamental leaves sprout from the rounded crown. The small, red, edible fruits ripen in August and September, while the autumn leaves turn brown to dark red.
- Growth height: 300 to 400 cm
- Location: sunny to semi-shady
Dwarf blood plum, Prunus cistena
Mountain cherry, scarlet cherry (Prunus sargentii)
With a legendary flower yield, the mountain cherry consoles you with its untasty fruit. When it blooms in April, the pink flowers contrast wonderfully with the bronze-colored shoots of the leaves. The tree says goodbye to the winter with splendidly colored leaves ranging from orange to scarlet. The shiny, dark red cherries are beautiful to look at, but have an unpleasant bitter taste.
- Growth height: 600 to 1000 cm
- Location: sunny to semi-shady
Cherry, Prunus
Peach 'Red Haven' (Prunus persica)
The cosmopolitan among the blossoming fruit trees is this peach tree with pink blossoms in April. It can be found all over the world as an ornamental and fruit tree. If your garden is blessed with busy insects, the wood will bear a rich bouquet of yellow-red fruits with soft flesh in late summer. Although the cultivar is considered self-fertile, keeping two specimens together or combining the cultivar 'South Haven' will increase florescence and yield.
- Growth height: 200 to 400 cm
- Location: sunny to semi-shady
Peach tree, Prunus persica
Canadian Judas Tree (Cercis canadensis 'Lavender Twist')
Behind its exotic appearance, the Judas tree hides a robust winter hardiness of up to - 25 degrees Celsius. Even a severe winter cannot spoil the pink-purple fairy tale blooms in April. Interestingly, the flowers spring directly from the branches. In addition, the distinctive sweetheart leaves retain their red color until autumn, when they sprout on the casually hanging branches.
- Growth height: 200 to 400 cm
- Location: sunny
Canadian Judas Tree, Cercis canadensis
flower color: Red
Indian banana 'Sunflower', Paupau (Asimina triloba)
Gardeners with a soft spot for exotic trees include the Indian banana in the imaginative design plan. The name of the plant is somewhat misleading, because the Indian banana has nothing in common with the tropical banana. Rather, the tree thrives in April and May with a pyramidal or broadly oval foliage crown, leaves up to 30 cm long and brown-red to purple flowers. Nutritious fruits thrive in warm, sheltered locations provided there are 160 frost-free days and 16 to 20 days with temperatures below freezing.
- Growth height: 300 to 500 cm
- Location: semi-shady (in the first 3-5 years), sunny (older specimens)
Indian banana, Asimina triloba
Flowering time: May
flower color: White
Handkerchief tree (Davidia involucrata vilmoriniana)
Are you looking for a spectacular flowering tree for your garden or large front yard? Then you can't get past the handkerchief tree. The creamy white petals measure more than 10 cm and suggest white handkerchiefs flapping in the wind. The furious flowering period extends well into June, accompanied by heart-shaped to broadly ovate, summer-green leaves.
- Growth height: 600 to 800 cm
- Location: sunny to semi-shady and well protected
Handkerchief tree, Davidia involucrata vilmoriniana
Rowan (Sorbus aucuparia)
Pure white flowers with up to 10 cm large, single flowers in spring are not the only decorative attribute of rowan berries. By fall, the wilted blooms turn into bright red berries, something your feathered gardeners will appreciate. The deciduous tree says goodbye to the winter with a furious coloration of its leaves.
- Growth height: 600 to 1200 cm
- Location: sunny to semi-shady
Rowanberry, Sorbus aucuparia
ornamental apple (penalty)
Ornamental apples are highly valued in the home garden due to their lavish flowering period in May and uncomplicated care. The numerous white cup flowers have a pink tinge, which gives the tree a special magic. The premium variety 'Red Sentinel' found its way into our gardens from New Zealand because its cherry-sized, red ornamental apples colorfully decorate the autumn and winter garden.
- Growth height: 400 to 500 cm
- Location: sunny to semi-shady
Apple tree, malus
Flower Ash, Flowering Ash (Fraxinus ornus)
A special gem within the genus of ash trees immigrated to us from southern Europe. The flower ash gets its name from the fragrant, white flowers that last from May to June. In mild climates, flowering can begin as early as April, much to the delight of bees, bumblebees and butterflies. The distinctive, deciduous pinnate leaves are also decorative and turn a bright yellow in autumn before they are shed.
- Growth height: 800 to 1000 cm
- Location: sunny to semi-shady
Flowering Ash, Fraxinus ornus
flower color: Red
Autumn apple 'Elise Rathke' (malus)
Picturesque apple blossoms are not limited to a white color scheme. This historic autumn apple from 1880 inspires with red blossoms on elegantly hanging branches. The yellowish fruits are reddish on the sunny side and taste fruity-tart.
- Growth height: 200 to 400 cm
- Location: sunny to semi-shady
Blood apple, Malus purpurea
flower color: blue
Bluebell tree (Paulownia tomentosa)
Blue blooms in the spring garden are not reserved for flowers and perennials. The blue bell tree from the Mediterranean region also gives you flowers in this noble and rare color nuance. Huge, heart-shaped leaves stylishly round off the exotic habit. If your garden is in a mild wine-growing region or on the Lower Rhine, you can plant the tree. In cooler climates, it is worth cultivating in a tub with a frost-free hibernation to enjoy the blue spring blossoms.
- Growth height: 800 to 1000 cm
- Location: sunny, in winter down to - 15 degrees Celsius
Bluebell tree, Paulownia tomentosa
flower color: yellow
Tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera)
If you are in the mood for a flowering tree with extravagant flower shapes, you are well advised with the tulip tree. The North American ornamental tree gives you a special aesthetic experience with 10 cm large, yellow flowers and lobed ornamental leaves. The most important prerequisite for vital growth is enough space, because the tulip tree not only thrives quickly, but also covers a wide area with a width of up to 2000 cm.
- Growth height: 2000 to 3500 cm
- Location: sunny, warm and sheltered
Tulip tree, Liriodendron tulipifera
Flowering time: June
flower color: White
Trumpet tree (Catalpa bignonioides)
The high profile of the non-flowering 'Nana' trumpet tree has pushed the wonderful properties of the majestic trumpet tree out of the public's mind. Thanks to its enchanting, white bell-shaped flowers with a yellow striped throat, the pure species cannot be missing from this selection. The spectacle of flowers lasts until mid/late July with large, heart-shaped leaves as a green passe-partout.
- Growth height: 1000 to 1500 cm
- Location: sunny to semi-shady
Trumpet Tree, Catalpa
American Yellowwood (Cladrastis lutea)
This flowering shrub is characterized by fragrant white flower clusters over light green feathered leaves on yellow shoots. The short-stemmed tree with multiple shoots is very popular in semi-natural gardens because it is considered a valuable food source for insects. In autumn, 6 to 8 cm long pods dangle from the crown, filled with a few seeds. In a warm, wind-protected place, the lepidoptera bravely braves winter hardships.
- Growth height: 600 to 1000 cm
- Location: sunny to semi-shady
Tall white-colored dogwood, pagoda dogwood (Cornus controversa 'Variegata')
While other dogwoods thrive as flowering shrubs with many shoots, the tall dogwood takes center stage as a small, flowering tree. Its branches are arranged in tiers, dotted with white flowers in June. At the end of the flowering period, the Asian tree loses nothing of its expressiveness, because the white-green leaves decorate the garden until they turn red in autumn and fall off.
- Growth height: 350 to 600 cm
- Location: from sun to shade in slightly acidic garden soil
Hornbush, Cornus, Dogwood
Stone linden, small-leaved linden (Tilia cordata)
The whitish-green flowers only catch the eye on closer inspection. You will definitely head for the blossoming tree, because the tiny flowers exude an intoxicating scent that arouses curiosity. Bees, bumblebees and butterflies follow this magical attraction in flocks. Therefore, the stone linden is considered one of the best bee pastures in the plant kingdom.
- Growth height: 1500 to 3000 cm
- Location: sunny to semi-shady
Small-leaved lime, Tilia cordata
flower color: yellow
Cucumber magnolia (Magnolia acuminata)
With yellow blossoms in the summertime, curious glances over the garden fence are inevitable with this magnolia. When the yellowish-green, large flowers open in June, other magnolias have long since ended their floral appearance on the garden stage. The exceptional phenomenon owes its name to the cucumber-shaped, green fruits in autumn over brown-yellow leaves.
- Growth height: 800 to 1200 cm
- Location: sunny and well protected
Cucumber magnolia, Magnolia acuminata
Tip: Summer-blooming trees receive their shape and maintenance pruning in the period from January to March. This choice of date gives the trees enough time to bud for this year's blossom festival.
Flowering time: July
flower color: pink
Silk tree (Albizia julibrissin)
The pink brush flowers exude exotic flair in the summer garden. The Asian silk tree feels right at home in regions with mild winters, even north of the Alps, so that it can be found more and more frequently as a result of ongoing global warming. The furious flowering period extends from July to August, which is given a magical touch by the huge feathered leaves.
- Growth height: 600 to 800 cm
- Location: sunny (in the first 5 years with winter protection)
Silk tree, Albizia julibrissin
Flowering time: November
flower color: White
Bodnant Winter Snowball 'Dawn' (Viburnum x bodnantense)
In locations with mild winters, the whitish-pink flowers open as early as November and exude their fragrant magic well into April. The deciduous foliage adds another pop of color, turning red in fall before falling to the ground.
- Growth height: 250 to 300 cm
- Location: sunny to semi-shady
Winter Snowball, Viburnum bodnantense
flower color: pink
Snow cherry, winter cherry (Prunus subhirtella f. autumnalis)
When the pink blossom festival begins in November, the deciduous leaves have long since changed color and are falling to the ground. This is no obstacle for the snow cherry to immerse the winter garden in a sea of blossoms. If the winter comes with severe frost, the flowering period pauses from the end of December to come up with a magnificent second bloom in March and April.
- Growth height: 350 to 500 cm
- Location: sunny
Winter cherry, Prunus subhirtella