Mar 31, 2015
Flowering TreesMaster Gardener Core Training
Gerald Klingaman
and
Janet Carson
Cooperative Extension Service
Flowering trees
• Are accent points in the landscape plan
• Massed plantings give most impact
• Usually produce more blooms if given at least six hours of sunlight
• Being smaller plants, can be planted within five feet of the foundation of a home without concern
Flowering Dogwood• Cornus florida• Height 20 feet• Spread 25 feet• Growth rate - slow
to medium• Hardy zones 5 to 9• Moist but well
drained soil• Some afternoon
shade or high understory best
Flowering Dogwood
Pink Flowering Dogwood
Avoiding Dogwood Problems
• Plant in the right location and water as needed
• Avoid stress to reduce the chance of borers
• Don’t wound the trunk to avoid borers
• Put dogwoods where the foliage will dry early in the morning to avoid powdery mildew
Cornus kousa the Japanese Dogwood
Cornus kousa x C. florida Stellar Dogwood
Eastern Redbud• Cercis canadensis• Height - 25 feet• Spread - 25 feet• Growth rate - fast• Hardy zones 3 - 9• Best in full sun. • Transplants best
from container grown plants.
• Seed pods unsightly in winter
• Trunks can split in ice storms
White Redbud
Golden Raintree• Koelreuteria
paniculata• Height - 35 feet• Spread - 30 feet• Growth rate -
medium • Hardy zones 5 -9• Best transplanted
from container grown plants in spring.
• Very drought tolerant.
Golden Raintree
Bradford Pear • Pyrus calleryana• Height - 40 feet• Spread - 35 feet• Growth rate - fast• Hardy zones 4 - 9• Very formal in
appearance with many branches creating weak trees.
• Multiple seasons of beauty but overplanted.
Problems with Bradford Pear
• Formal shape limits their use to formal landscape settings
• Larger than most people realize• Break because of limb structure - prune up
and thin out excess limbs• Fruiting can result in escaped seedlings• Select more narrow clones to avoid
problems with the broad-spreading crown getting too large.
Buying Time by Severe PruningOne year after severe pruning
Capitol Flowering Pear
Fastigiate European Hornbeam• Carpinus betulus
• Height - 45 feet• Spread - 15 feet• Growth rate - slow• Hardy zones 4 - 8• Good substitute for
Bradford pear. • Very formal
appearance.
Crapemyrtle• Lagerstroemia indica• Height - 5 to 35 feet• Spread - 5 to 20 feet• Growth rate - medium• Hardy zones 7 - 9• Beautiful summer flower-
ing tree of the south. Blooms white, pink, purple and red.
• Transplant in spring.• Winterkill once a decade
in north Arkansas
Near East Crapemyrtle
Natchez L. x fauriei hybrid
Crapemurder
Southern Magnolia• Magnolia
grandiflora• Height - 100 ft• Spread - 80 ft• Growth rate -
medium• Beautiful specimen
but needs lots of room.
• Long lived.• Named selections
available
Southern Magnolia
Magnolia Little Gem
Saucer Magnolia• Magnolia
soulangiana• Height - 35 feet• Spread - 25 feet• Growth rate - slow• Hardy zones 4 - 9• Blooms very early
and flowers often destroyed by frost. Many hybrids and selections.
Saucer Magnolia Star Magnolia
Japanese Flowering
Cherries
• Prunus yedoensis• Height - 35 feet• Spread - 35 feet• Growth rate - medium• Hardy zones 5 - 8• Must have good drain-
age. Susceptible to a host of insect and disease problems but among the most beautiful small trees when in bloom in the spring.
Crabapples• Malus sp.• Height - 20 - 35 ft.• Spread - 10 - 40 ft.• Growth rate -
medium to fast• Hardy zones 3 - 8• Dependable spring
blooming tree with blooms in shades of pink, red and white. Plant only disease resistant selections.
Crabapples
Select Disease Resistant Crabapples
• Major diseases of crabapples in Arkansas include apple scab, fire blight, and cedar apple rust
• Resistant selections include Prairie Fire, Callaway, Donald Wyman, Sparkler, and many others
• Spraying is not recommended for landscape plantings unless in really critical site. For apple scab spray with fruit fungicide at bloom drop and twice as new growth appears.
Some Less Common Flowering Trees
FringetreeGrancy Gray Beard
• Chionanthus virginicus• Height – 20 feet• Spread – 15 feet• Growth Rate – slow• Flowers after dogwood• An interesting, but
uncommon native for the semi-shaded yard
Japanese Snowbell
• Styrax japonica• Heitht – 25 feet• Spread – 15 feet• Growth Rate – slow• Blooms appear in April• Plant near patios or
entries where flowers can be viewed up close
Witchhazel
• Hamamelis vernalis• Height – 15 feet• Spread – 15 feet• Growth Rate – slow• Blooms in mid winter• Flowers small so plant
where it can be enjoyed up close
Ozark Witchhazel
Chastetree
• Vitex agnus-castus• Height –15 feet• Spread – 20 feet• Growth rate – medium• Flowers in June• In northern Arkansas
plants can winterkill in severe winter