List of Ornamental Trees
Gardeners plant some trees for the shade they provide, and others for the fruit they produce, but some they plant simply because of their beauty. Sometimes the appeal is the shape of the tree and the color of its foliage; in other cases, it's the early spring show the tree puts on when it flowers that makes it a precious asset in the garden. Does this Spark an idea?
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Japanese maple (Acer palmatum)
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A delicate-looking but surprising hardy ornamental tree native to Japan and Korea, the Japanese maple grows slowly to a height of 20 feet and will spread to that width or wider. In the spring, the emerging leaves are bright red; they turn to green as summer progresses, and then to yellow, scarlet or orange in the fall. The trees drop their leaves in the winter, revealing a charming network of red and green branches. These trees will thrive in Sunset's climate zones A3, 2 through 10, 12, 14 through 24, and 31 through 41, in full or partial sun. (For a description of Sunset's zones, please see the resources.)
Eastern Dogwood (Cornus florida)
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Every spring, the dogwood unfurls clouds of white or pink bracts on its bare branches. The tree is native to the eastern United States. They can grow to 40 feet in height, but most are smaller, with a charmingly twisted appearance. They produce tiny red fruit that many birds love. The dogwood will grow in zones 2B, 3 through 9, 14 through 16, 28, 29, and 31 through 41, in full sun or partial shade.
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Ornamental Pear (Pyrus)
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Gardeners plant ornamental pear trees strictly for their masses of early spring flowers, although some trees do also produce small, mostly inedible, fruits. They can grow to 12--15 ft. tall and 10--12 feet wide. Most varieties blossom very early, even before the danger of frost or snow has passed. The zones in which they will survive vary by cultivar, but, as a rule, they aren't fussy about soil conditions. They do prefer sunny locations.
Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis)
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A tree that blooms out in tiny, purplish-pink blossoms early in the spring, this particular redbud is native to the eastern United States. It grows quickly to 25-35 feet tall and wide, producing 3- to 6-inch green leaves with points. It will thrive just about anywhere, in zones 1 through 24, 26, and 28 through 41, in full sun or partial shade. It does require moderate watering in dry climates.
Ornamental crabapple (Malus)
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The ornamental crabapple is another early bloomer, putting out pink, white or red flowers in single, semi-double and double configurations, some of them fragrant. The trees produce fruit in later summer or early fall.
Widely hybridized, the different varieties can range in height from 4 to 35 feet. The fuzzy, pointed leaves emerge after the flowers have dropped.
Crabapple trees are hardy in zones A2, A3, 1 through 21, and 29 through 43; you should plant them in full sun. Some varieties are susceptible to disease, so keep that in mind when you're choosing one for your yard.
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