When it comes to planting a tree in your yard, many people would like something that blooms; here are a few of Cobblestone’s top picks for prairie-suitable trees that produce flowers:
Flowering Crab- Flowering crabs are crabapple trees that are grown for ornamental use rather then the fruit. Growing typically 15-18ft tall x 10-13ft wide (although there are a couple cultivars that are columnar, growing only 10-15ft tall and 3-6ft wide), they produce a profusion of white or pink blossoms in the spring that are very showy and fragrant. These are followed by marble-like fruits that the birds will enjoy. Select from green or purple leaved varieties. A flowering crab in bloom is spectacular!
Hawthorn- Members of the rose family, hawthorns are lovely, small trees (10-13ft tall x 10ft wide) with white or pink blossoms in the spring and beautiful fall color. They are great for yards with limited space. Snowbird (white) and Toba (pink) are the hardiest varieties for our area. Often mistaken for elms when not in bloom, hawthorns feature a wonderful, vase-shaped growth habit.
Serviceberry- Closely related to Saskatoon berries, service berries are smallish trees (usually less than 20ft tall and 12ft wide) with white, elegant flowers in spring, blue-black berries for the birds, and usually bright red fall color. Not often used, but a lovely addition to any garden.
Pear- Yes you can grow pear trees in our area…and they are beautiful! They produce gorgeous, pure white blossoms in spring that unlike apples, are only very faintly scented. Pears grow slowly but eventually reach a height of 20 ft. or more with a canopy 15-20ft wide. Choose from Ussurian, Ure, and golden Spice for best results in the Chinook zone.
Plum- Ornamental plums are less popular then the fruiting types, but there are a few that produce a nice tree shape and little or no fruit. The muckle plum (pink) or the cultivar ‘Princess Kay’ (white) are both fabulous flowering trees with gorgeous and highly scented blossoms. Princess Kay further displays fire-red foliage in the fall. Ornamental plums tend to grow 15-18ft tall and 12-15ft wide.
Mayday Tree- Actually a species of cherry, the mayday tree produces a cloud of heavily fragrant, pure white blossoms in spring. The blooms are followed by tiny, bitter cherries that the birds will eat. Maydays are long,-lived, hardy trees that are a mainstay in prairie gardening. They grow 20-25ft tall and 15-20ft wide.
Ohio Buckeye- This is an unusual woody ornamental that eventually achieves significant grandeur. Very exotic in shape and habit, ohio buckeye features leaves that are grouped into clusters of five, heavily corrugated tree bark, and a perfect ball-shaped canopy at maturity. The cream colored blooms in the spring are beautiful when viewed up close and followed by large, spiny seedpods. (Squirrels like to eat these but they aren’t considered edible.) This is a great tree for areas with air pollution, such as boulevards. A mature Ohio buckeye will grow to approximately 30ft tall and 15 ft wide in our area.
Japanese Tree Lilac- A species of lilac that grows as a small tree rather then a shrub! Large, creamy yellow blooms are super fragrant and produced in late spring when the other lilacs are finished. The bark is shiny and gorgeous as well. This is a great alternative to a mayday for a smaller area, as it reaches a mature size of 15-20ft tall and 12-15ft wide.
Linden Tree- Lindens are beautiful, dense shade trees with heart shaped leaves and often stunning gold fall color. The flowers are small and off-white and you wouldn’t notice them except for the fragrance…it’s a pungent, sweet scent that reminds one of childhood days spent adventuring in the brambles of ravines. Lindens grow quickly and can reach 30ft tall by 25ft wide, making this tree a wonderful choice for a shade tree.
Mountain Ash- Mountain ash are stately trees with beautiful foliage, great fall color, and gorgeous red berries. The flower clusters are large, lacy, and produced in great profusion in spring. The trees are reliable growers provided they are planted in an area with ample drainage. Also known as the Rowan tree, nobility in Europe were historically avid fans of the mountain ash; so protected were the “noble” trees that penalty for cutting one down was the same as for killing a fellow citizen. Mountain ash come in various sizes, from 15ft tall x 10ft wide to 30ft tall by 20ft wide.
Flowering trees capture the best of both worlds in horticultural circles: they give a burst of color and offer structure to the landscape. Want to spice up your yard, cool your home, add oxygen to the air, decrease air pollution, and increase the value of your property? Why not plant a flowering tree or two!
