10 Favorite Flowering Trees to Add to Your Yard in 2022

One of the most popular spring-flowering trees or shrubs, lilac is a true showstopper. Hundreds of lilac varieties are available, offering large clusters of purple, magenta, pink, blue, white, or yellow flowers. The fantastically fragrant blooms attract butterflies and hummingbirds in late spring.

10 Flowering Trees and Shrubs that Will Make a Statement This Spring

Add spectacular color to your landscape when spring arrives with these flowering trees and shrubs. Your neighbors will thank you!

Sheryl Geerts is an editor and author who has nearly three decades of writing and editing experience. She enjoys writing about garden, food, and home topics. Her bylines have appeared in Better Homes and Gardens, Allrecipes, Martha Stewart Living, and several other publications.

Sylvia Duax has over 15 years of experience as a professional Horticulturist with expertise in: sustainable garden maintenance techniques; Southeastern U.S., especially in the mid-Atlantic regional gardening; native plants; wildlife gardening; small space, urban and container gardening and community engagement.

As winter fades, these flowering trees and shrubs light up the spring landscape more than any other plants. Many of these woody specimens burst into bloom before leaves start to grow, offering some of the first color of the season. Add a profusion of stunning color to your yard with these outstanding selections.

Eastern Redbud

One of the earliest flowering trees to bloom in the spring, Eastern redbud is an easy-to-grow, small tree native to North America. Its tiny but numerous rosy pink flowers line the branches before the heart-shaped leaves appear. It also has pretty yellow fall foliage.

Name: Cercis canadensis

Growing Conditions: Full sun to part shade and well-drained soil

Size: To 30 feet tall

Zones: 4-9

Southern Magnolia

Beloved for its huge, creamy white fragrant spring flowers, Southern magnolia does everything in a big way. It has large, shiny, evergreen leaves and can grow very tall. It bears cone-like fruit in the fall. Dwarf varieties are available and can even be grown in containers.

Name: Magnolia grandiflora

Growing Conditions: Full sun to part shade and well-drained soil

Size: To 80 feet tall

Zones: 7-9

Flowering Dogwood

One of the best flowering trees for spring color, dogwood has striking, horizontal branches that give this plant a graceful appearance year-round. Its eye-catching early-spring blooms can be white or pink. Its leaves turn reddish-purple in the fall, when it produces small, glossy red fruits.

Name: Cornus florida

Growing Conditions: Full sun to part shade and well-drained soil

Size: To 30 feet tall

Zones: 5-9

Forsythia

You’ll know that spring is just around the corner when you see the bright yellow flowers of forsythia. Its blooms emerge before the plant leafs out, making this beautiful shrub appear to glow in the spring sunshine. Plant forsythia as an informal hedge or in a border; either way, its foliage will maintain its fresh green color until late fall, and some varieties, such as ‘Lynwood Gold’ have purple fall foliage.

Name: Forsythia

Growing Conditions: Full sun to part shade and well-drained soil

Size: To 2 feet tall

Zones: 5-8

Rhododendron and Azalea

Although rhododendrons and azaleas are flowering trees that share many characteristics, one difference is the shape of their blooms: Azaleas have funnel-shaped blossoms, while rhododendrons have trumpet-shaped flowers. Azaleas also have small leaves and profuse flowers scattered over the entire shrub. The leaves of rhododendrons are leathery, and the flowers are in large clusters at the ends of the stems. Don’t forget to deadhead each cluster of flowers after the blooms fade.

Name: Rhododendron

Growing Conditions: Part shade to full shade and well-drained acidic soil

Size: To 6 feet tall

Zones: 4-8

Flowering Crabapple

Flowering crabapples are small to mid-size trees that can grow in low mounds, or have upright, narrow, or weeping shapes. In spring, they’re covered with fragrant white, pink, or red flowers, and produce tiny yellow, orange, or red fruit in fall. Look for newer varieties that are disease-resistant and hold their fruit into the winter.

Name: Malus

Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil

Size: To 30 feet tall

Zones: 4-8

Lilac

One of the most popular spring-flowering trees or shrubs, lilac is a true showstopper. Hundreds of lilac varieties are available, offering large clusters of purple, magenta, pink, blue, white, or yellow flowers. The fantastically fragrant blooms attract butterflies and hummingbirds in late spring.

Name: Syringa vulgaris

Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil

Size: To 12 feet tall

Zones: 3-7

Viburnum

A wide selection of viburnum varieties offers clusters of white or delicate pink flowers throughout spring and into summer. Certain types such as Koreanspice viburnum (V. carlesii) offer fragrant flowers and most also boast fall color.

Name: Viburnum

Growing Conditions: Full sun to part shade and well-drained soil

Size: To 16 feet tall

Zones: 2-8

Flowering Cherries

The white or pink blossoms of flowering cherry trees are so showy they can draw crowds as they do in Washington, D.C. every spring. In fall, these small to mid-size trees have festively colored leaves in amber, orange, and red shades.

Name: Prunus

Growing Conditions: Full sun to part shade and well-drained soil

Size: To 30 feet tall

Zones: 5-9

Dwarf Fothergilla

A compact native shrub, fothergilla can be tucked into a perennial border or a narrow foundation planting. It’s prized for its bottlebrush-like spikes of fragrant white spring flowers and brilliant shades of yellow, orange, and red fall foliage. You can even use it in a hedge with a bit of pruning.

Name: Fothergilla gardenii

Growing Conditions: Full sun to part shade and well-drained soil

Size: To 3 feet tall

Zones: 5-8

10 Favorite Flowering Trees to Add to Your Yard in 2022

The season of vibrant blooms and sweet scents is almost here. And although the weather might say otherwise in some parts of the country, many people will be starting their spring planting very soon. Flowering trees are a great choice if you’re looking to spruce up your landscape and add splashes of color.

Here are 10 popular flowering trees that may be the right fit for your yard.

1. Eastern Redbud

Scientific Name: Cercis canadensis

Hardiness Zones: 6–9

The eastern redbud’s delicate blossoms are one of the season’s most dramatic displays. A profusion of small, rosy pink flowers burst forth every April.

But this tree’s beauty doesn’t end with its flowery show. Unique and irregular branching patterns combine with heart-shaped leaves, and yellow fall color to serve as a show-stopper in any season.

Mature Height: 20’–30′

Mature Spread: 25’–35′

2. Saucer Magnolia

Scientific Name: Magnolia x soulangeana

Hardiness Zones: 4–9

As the name suggests, the saucer magnolia features large, saucer-shaped blooms that cover the tree. The pinkish-purple and white flower coloring make quite a splash in early spring.

The tree spans most hardiness zones within the United States and is one of the most popular flowering trees in the country. Just one look at this magnolia in full bloom and you’ll know why!

Mature Height: 20’–30′

Mature Spread: around 25′

3. White Dogwood

Scientific Name: Cornus florida

Hardiness Zones: 5–9

White dogwood trees are a popular choice for yards and gardens. The white petal-like bracts surround clusters of tiny yellow flowers to create breathtaking blooms each spring, April to May.

In addition to the beautiful flowers, this tree offers great fall color. The dark green leaves turn reddish-purple as the days grow shorter.

A great choice for a specimen tree, the white dogwood also works well near utility lines, buildings, and patios.

Mature Height: around 25′

Mature Spread: around 25′

4. Sweetbay Magnolia

Scientific Name: Magnolia virginiana

Hardiness Zones: 5–9

Creamy white flowers with a light lemon scent are the iconic trait of the sweetbay magnolia. While it may not bloom quite as abundantly as other magnolias, the blossoms appear later in the spring. The typical May to June window avoids any late frost that might spoil a flowering tree’s beauty.

Other standout features include a multi-stemmed trunk, lustrous dark green leaves, and clusters of red fruit that attract wildlife.

Mature Height: 10’–20′

Mature Spread: 10’–20′

5. Yoshino Cherry

Scientific Name: Prunus x yedoensis

Hardiness Zones: 5–8

This species is considered the darling of the flowering tree world. It produces a blanket of white-pink blossoms with a faint almond fragrance from March through April.

In addition to the delightful spring show, the Yoshino cherry is beloved for its unique branching structure and dark green leaves. It also has the benefit of some drought tolerance.

Mature Height: 40’–50′

Mature Spread: 25’–40′

6. Prairifire Flowering Crabapple

Scientific Name: Malus ‘Prairifire’

Hardiness Zones: 3–8

Its showy, dark pink to red flowers are what draw most people to the prairifire flowering crabapple. And for good reason. The stunning, long-lasting blossoms are a sight to behold in April and May.

To add to its appeal, the prairifire flowering crabapple provide beautiful bronze fall color, is disease-resistant, and adapts to many different site conditions.

Mature Height: 15’–20′

Mature Spread: 15’–20′

7. Kanzan Cherry

Scientific Name: Prunus serrulata ‘Kanzan’

Hardiness Zones: 5–9

The Kanzan cherry is the most popular cultivar of all the double-flowering cherries, thanks to its stunning pink blossoms, good fall color, lack of fruit, and vase-shaped form. The tree blooms from April to early May.

While it has a limited lifespan that typically doesn’t exceed 15–25 years, the beauty of the Kanzan cherry tree makes it well worth planting.

Mature Height: 30’–40′

Mature Spread: 30’–40′

8. Shadblow Serviceberry

Scientific Name: Amelanchier canadensis

Hardiness Zones: 4–8

The delicate white flowers of the shadblow serviceberry appear in cluster each spring. Star-like in shape, the blooms typically arrive in March and April (depending on location).

In addition to the spring show, this serviceberry features vibrant fall foliage and purple-red fruit that attracts wildlife. It grows as a multi-stemmed shrub or small tree

Mature Height: 15’–25′

Mature Spread: 15’–25′

Scientific Name: Lagerstroemia indica ‘Muskogee’

Hardiness Zones: 7–9

A stately variety, the Muskogee crapemyrtle is a summertime bloomer. It’s light lavender blossoms appear in clusters and continue for up to 100 days. The lavender color is then followed by red-orange foliage in the autumn.

This variety grows as either a large shrub or small tree and makes a great choice for lining a path, road, or property line.

Mature Height: 15’–20′

Mature Spread: 10’–15′

10. Delta Blues Vitex

Scientific Name: Vitex agnus-castus ‘PIIVAC-1 PPAF’

Hardiness Zones: 6–9

The aromatic, dark purple flowers of the Delta blue vitex burst into bloom in mid- to late summer. It will attract both butterflies and hummingbirds to your yard, so this is a nice choice for borders and butterfly gardens.

The cultivar can be grown as either a small tree or shrub and offers the additional benefits of yellow fall color and a tolerance to salt.

Mature Height: 8’–10′

Mature Spread: 8’–10′

Also Read: Top 10 Shade Trees

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Willie Newsom March 14, 2019 at 3:16 pm I received a Smart Power Bank for my current membership, but no good instructions came with it and I can’t find anything online by Googling the name. Also can’t find anything on your website. Any help appreciated.

Sheereen Othman March 15, 2019 at 9:08 am Hi Willie, We will email you instructions for your power bank.

Bev April 22, 2019 at 1:58 pm My trees arrived and 3 did not have any color coding that were supposed to have a color. How can I identify these root seedlings?

Emmanuel June 1, 2019 at 6:22 pm Please i need help What are the good trees i can grow in my city surrounded by water

Sheereen Othman June 5, 2019 at 1:57 pm Check out the tree wizard to see which trees are best for your area.

Nicole Andreola March 10, 2020 at 5:57 pm Hello! We live in the city, so we are looking for a tree for our back yard. We had a Japanese maple tree that actually died. I am looking for a pink or white flowering tree. What do you suggest?

Sheereen Othman March 11, 2020 at 11:06 am Hi Nicole, try the Tree WizardTree WizardTree Wizard to see which ones will work for your yard.

Kelly Russel July 9, 2019 at 12:56 am Hello, Gina. I got my 10 trees some years past and today I noticed the 3 trees that I thought were only an ornamental flowering small yard tree by the name of Sergents white flowering Crab apple. Today one Tree has 8 or more small green apples. I was supprised. I checked the other one that seems to have a disease and I saw one apple but it was getting too dark to see. I was getting ready to cut it down. Now I need to know if two is needed to bare fruit.

Sarah Packer August 16, 2019 at 10:09 am My husband and I are building our dream house, so I wanted tips and advice on plants we should have in the backyard. I didn’t know lilacs could be used as borders in your yard because it’s a hardy shrub. I’ll have to keep that in mind as I browse for tree services that can have easy access in my yard to the trees that need pruning in early spring, thanks to this post!

Kenneth Van Woerkom May 21, 2020 at 12:45 pm several months ago I continue my membership and received several free trees.I lost the color chart and trees are all growing but it is difficult to identify trees. I wonder if you could forward me a color chart . thanks!

Sheereen Othman June 4, 2020 at 4:54 pm Hi Kenneth, check out the tree id sheets online.

Grace Thwaites September 1, 2020 at 7:00 am Thanks for writing this great article for us. I have gained good stuff from this website. Looking forward to your next article. I am happy to share this post to my friends. Keep it up.

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