Add These Six Flowering Trees To Your Landscape For Both Beauty And Shade During The Summer Time

Creating a garden that’s both beautiful and functional can be a really rewarding challenge, and one of the best ways to achieve this is by incorporating flowering trees into your landscape.
These trees not only provide stunning visual interest with their blooms but can also offer some much-needed shade during the hot summer months. So, here are some of the best flowering trees you can add to your garden this season to enhance its beauty and create a cool retreat.
Yoshino Cherry
Native to Japan, the Yoshino Cherry is known for its profusion of delicate, pale pink to white blossoms that appear in early spring. The flowers form in clusters, creating a cloud-like effect that’s simply breathtaking.
This tree also typically has a rounded, spreading form and can grow up to 30 to 50 feet tall!
Yoshino Cherry trees thrive in well-drained soil and prefer full sun to partial shade. They require regular watering as well, especially during dry spells, and benefit from an annual application of fertilizer.
As for pruning, this should be done in late winter or early spring to maintain their shape and remove any diseased or dead branches.
Star Magnolia
Also hailing from Japan is the Star Magnolia, which is renowned for its white or pale pink star-shaped flowers. This tree’s blooms appear in early spring, often before the leaves emerge, giving the tree a striking appearance. Plus, it can grow to be about 15 to 20 feet tall.

marjancermelj – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only
These trees prefer full sun to partial shade and moist, well-drained soil. And while they are relatively low-maintenance, they should still be protected from strong winds to prevent damage to their delicate flowers.
Mulching around the base can help regulate soil temperature and retain moisture as well.
Kwanzan Cherry
The Kwanzan Cherry tree, which is a Japan native, too, is a showstopper with its double-pink blossoms that appear in mid to late spring.
The flowers are densely packed, creating a lush, almost tropical display. This tree has an upright, vase-shaped form and can reach heights of up to about 30 feet tall.
Kwanzan Cherry trees flourish in full sun and well-drained soil. They also require regular watering during any dry periods and benefit from annual fertilization. As for pruning, this is best done after flowering to shape the tree and get rid of any deadwood.
Hawthorn
Hawthorn trees are native to temperate areas in the Northern Hemisphere, particularly North America and Europe. These trees produce beautiful clusters of small white or pink flowers in late spring.
Hawthorns also have a dense, thorny structure and produce small red fruit that can attract birds and other wildlife.
But, arguably the best part about these trees is that they are hardy and adaptable, preferring full sun and well-drained soil.
They require minimal maintenance but benefit from occasional pruning to remove dead or overcrowded branches. They are also resistant to drought once established.
Crepe Myrtle
Crepe Myrtles are native to eastern Asia and known for their long-lasting summer blooms that come in a range of colors, including white, pink, red, and purple.
This tree has a smooth, mottled bark and can range in size from a small shrub to a large tree, up to 30 feet tall.
Crepe Myrtles thrive in full sun and well-drained soil. They are also drought-tolerant once established but benefit from regular watering during dry periods.
Finally, pruning should be done in late winter to remove any dead or crossing branches and to encourage new growth.
Kousa Dogwood
Last but not least is the Kousa Dogwood, which is native to Asia and features creamy white to pinkish blooms that appear in late spring to early summer. And these flowers are actually bracts that surround the small, true flowers.
The tree also produces attractive red fruit and has a unique, exfoliating bark. It typically grows up to about 25 feet tall.
As for care, Kousa Dogwoods prefer partial shade to full sun and well-drained, acidic soil. They require regular watering, particularly during hot, dry weather.
Mulching can help retain soil moisture and keep the roots cool; meanwhile, pruning should be done in late winter or early spring to maintain shape and health.
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