by Jennifer Poindexter
Do you live in the colder planting zones 3 through 6 and want to figure out what to plant to beautify your landscape? Flowering trees are usually a good option because they’re planted once but add beauty for years. I’m going to supply a list of flowering trees that will work well in this planting zone.
I’ll also slide a few trees in that don’t necessarily flower but have beautiful foliage, because they might pique your interest as well. If you need a gorgeous tree within these planting zones, here are a few quality options.
1. Wisteria Tree
The Wisteria tree looks like something out of a dream. It’s considered a tall vine but can grow to be as tall as thirty feet.
This tree produces purple and blue flowers that droop from the vine. The whole thing looks rather whimsical and is a great choice starting in planting zone four.
2. Fruit Trees
I’m one who loves to plant things which are functional but add beauty along the way. Fruit trees certainly fall under this category.
By planting fruit trees (even dwarf varieties) you’ll frequently get beautiful blooms, nice fragrances, and fruit. If you like the idea of functional beauty, consider planting fruit trees, such as apple or cherry, for beautiful blooms and a tasty product at the end of the season.
3. Witch Hazel
The witch hazel tree is an interesting choice for a flowering tree. It produces unique golden-yellow foliage.
The flowers aren’t clustered. Instead, they branch out which provides a distinctive appearance. If you’d like a tree that produces golden flowers, witch hazel is a great option for most people, beginning in planting zone three.
4. Crape Myrtle
I love crape myrtle. There are many varieties which means there’s surely something for everyone. Though these trees are gorgeous, they can become quite large.
Crape myrtle trees are known for growing as large as twenty to forty feet. Though this variety of flowering trees is known for warmer climates, they can be grown in planting zones five and six with some help to overwinter.
5. Mimosa Tree
Mimosa trees are large, beautiful, and produce vibrant blooms. This makes them a great fit for people with more room for the tree to sprawl out.
However, be advised that mimosa trees are considered invasive in some areas of the world. The flowers produce seed pods which are easily cultivated. Therefore, do your research before planting this flowering tree in planting zones six and higher.
6. Flowering Dogwood Trees
Flowering dogwood trees are another flowering option which will produce brightly colored blooms in the spring.
This tree’s foliage will become a bright red in the fall and even produce a type of fruit, for wildlife consumption, during the winter. Flowering dogwoods are hardy starting in planting zone three.
7. Weeping Cherry
I’m a sucker for a weeping cherry tree. There’s something about the beautiful, cascading branches that bring an instant calm over me every time I see one.
This tree comes in dwarf and regular sizing which means it can grow to be anywhere from eight feet to forty feet tall. It can also produce pink or white blooms during the spring. If you love this look, you can have it, starting in planting zone four.
8. Ruby Red Horse Chestnut
This is probably one of my favorite trees on this list. The ruby red horse chestnut tree has dark green foliage which produces bright spears of ruby red flowers.
The show isn’t over after the tree’s flowering mid-spring. During the fall, the leaves turn yellow for a final show of color for the year. If you’d like this type of beauty in your yard, know that the tree can grow to be as tall as forty feet, but it’s hardy starting in planting zone four.
9. Star Magnolia
This magnolia tree produces white or pink flowers in the spring. It gets its name from the flowers because, when open, they look like stars.
The tree can grow to be as tall as fifteen to twenty feet and is hardy beginning in planting zone five. If you’d like these unique flowers on display in your landscaping, the star magnolia could be for you.
10. Fringe Tree
The fringe tree is one with a unique appearance. It reminds me of a flapper from the 1920s. The flowers look like fringe on the branches.
Finding a flowering tree with a unique appearance is the goal for many landscapers. If this is your goal, consider growing a fringe tree. It’s hardy beginning in planting zone three.
11. Cockspur Hawthorn
This tree has many pros but a few cons if selecting it for your landscape. To begin, the tree produces beautiful white flowers in the spring.
During the warmer months, it produces a vibrant red fruit which adds a splash of color. It rounds out the year with orange or golden leaves. The only drawback to this tree is that it produces harsh thorns and is prone to disease. However, if you need a tree that will produce color throughout most of the year, the cockspur hawthorn could suit your needs beginning in planting zone three.
12. Serviceberry
The serviceberry tree starts off the year by producing star-shaped, white flowers during the spring. These flowers form into berries which are great for attracting wildlife.
It ends the year with green foliage which gives way to a golden color. This is a great option for a flowering tree in colder planting zones as it’s hardy beginning in planting zone four.
13. Sugar Maple
A sugar maple tree isn’t technically a flowering tree, but if you live in colder climates it still deserves your attention.
This tree puts on a splendid display of color during the fall, and it’s what you need to make your own syrup. It’s such a favorite, a handful of states have picked it as their state tree. As if this isn’t enough, the trees are hardy beginning in planting zone three.
14. Chaste Tree
Chaste trees are another unique flowering tree. It has dark green foliage and peeking through the leaves are spikes of colorful blooms.
The tree can grow to be anywhere from three to twenty feet in height, and it’s hardy beginning in planting zone six. However, it can survive in temperatures as low as negative nine degrees Fahrenheit, but it will function more like a perennial in these places where it dies back over winter.
15. Japanese Lilac Tree
This tree is considered to be either a tree or shrub. It grows to be approximately thirty feet tall and can be as wide as twenty feet.
It produces flowers for a couple of weeks per year in early summer. They’re white and produce a pungent fragrance. This tree is hardy starting in planting zone three.
16. Tulip Trees
Are you a fan of tulips? You’ll love this tree because it got its name due to producing blooms that are shaped like the tulip flower.
The tree blooms in May and June and stands out due to its brightly colored yellowish-orange flowers. The tulip tree is hardy starting in planting zone four.
17. Korean Sun Pear
The Korean sun pear tree produces small white blooms similar to other pear tree varieties. During the fall, the tree puts on another show of color due to its changing leaves.
Even if you have a small area to landscape, this flowering tree could still fit because it only grows to be about fifteen feet tall. If you like the idea of delicate blooms in spring and bright colors in the fall, this tree could work for you beginning in planting zone four.
18. Russian Olive
The Russian olive tree can grow as tall as thirty feet. This may not be the best fit for every landscape. It’s also considered invasive in some areas, so be sure to do your homework prior to planting.
However, it does produce a quality fruit to feed wildlife, and it produces dainty yellow flowers. If you have a love for the Russian olive tree, you can grow it beginning in planting zone three.
19. Aristocrat Flowering Pear
This is a flowering tree which will display beauty throughout most of the year. In the spring, it produces large clusters of white flowers which can be seen for miles.
In the summer, the tree displays dark green foliage, and the leaves change color in the fall. If you’d like a flowering tree that stands out all year, this flowering pear could be a great fit for you. It’s hardy beginning in zone five.
20. Amur Maple
This maple is another tree variety which doesn’t technically flower, but it’s certainly a showstopper. To begin, the tree produces dark green foliage.
However, in the fall, the leaves change into a jaw-dropping red. Be sure to give the tree full sun for the best color. You can have this brilliant display of color starting in planting zone three. Plus, the tree only grows to twenty feet in height which makes it a great fit for many areas.
21. European Mountain Ash
The European mountain ash tree is an interesting choice for a flowering tree. The tree has dark green foliage and produces white flowers.
When the flowers give way, it produces bright red berries which stand out quite well against the green backdrop. This tree will provide color in a variety of ways beginning in planting zone three.
22. Ginkgo Biloba
This is one of the oldest tree varieties we know of. It’s thought to be the only living species in its classification.
Though this tree doesn’t produce flowers, it does add a bright display of color when its leaves change. Between its history and beautiful foliage, it deserved a spot on this list. It’s hardy beginning in planting zone four.
23. Eastern Redbud
The final tree on our list is the eastern redbud tree. This is a small tree which only grows to be approximately thirty feet tall.
It produces redbuds, as its name suggests. Though it’s small, it will certainly draw attention from those who pass by due to its brightly colored blooms. You can have this flowering tree beginning in zone six.
These are a few options for flowering trees for those who live in colder climates. Don’t assume that because you live where the temperatures aren’t extraordinarily high that you can’t have beauty in your landscape.
You can and this list will, hopefully, serve as a guide for things that will fit in well around your home. Plus, it’s great to be able to plant something once and enjoy it for years to come. Pick a few trees on this list and begin enjoying their beauty as soon as possible.
More About Flowering Trees
https://extension.unh.edu/blog/what-are-best-flowering-trees-small-yard
https://mnhardy.umn.edu/varieties/trees/flowering-trees
I am looking for a beautiful tree that is just big enough to sit under for some shade in full sun. I live in Prince George, BC, so it must be cold-hardy. Can you recommend anything suitable? I would prefer something unique.