Ornamental Garden Trees

A flowering crabapple tree.

Since there are numerous ornamental trees to choose from, you should first decide how you would like to complement your garden before deciding what to plant. Some people choose an ornamental tree for its flowers, while for others the shape of its leaves or color of its bark are the deciding factor. Once you decide on a vision for your garden, it's time to pick an ornamental tree to plant.

Japanese Maple

The Japanese maple trees are known for their distinct foliage. Though numerous cultivars of Japanese maples exist, these deciduous trees are small, growing from 12 to 25 feet tall. Foliage can range from green to purple to red, depending on the cultivar. Hardy in USDA zones 5 to 8, the Japanese maple likes partial shade to full sunlight. They also like moist to average soil. Do not plant in a place that is dry or windy.

Dogwood

If you are looking for a tree that produces showy flowers, consider planting a flowering dogwood. Flowering dogwoods will grow from 15 to 20 feet tall if planted in the sun, but when planted in the shade, they can reach up to 40 feet. Since they are slow growers, they only gain about 1 foot per year. The dogwood's "flowers" are actually bracts, and bloom time depends on the cultivar, blooming in white, pink or yellow.

Colorado Blue Spruce

The Colorado blue spruce is an evergreen, which keeps its foliage year-round. The tree gets its name for the bluish color of its tough needles. Best grown in USDA hardiness zones 3 through 8, the Colorado blue spruce is another slow-growing tree, gaining only a handful of inches per year. Besides regular watering, the Colorado blue spruce requires very little maintenance and is among the easiest ornamental trees to grow.

Crabapple

If you are looking for a hardy, colorful flowering tree, consider buying a crabapple for your garden. Numerous cultivars of the tree exist but all bloom in the early spring in blossoms that range from white to red to purple. Crabapple trees, hardy to zone 3, need full sunlight to grow. They also prefer moist, well-drained soils. Crabapple trees are small, growing from 10 to 25 feet. Their fruit will attract many birds and animals to your garden.

References

• Virginia Cooperative Extension: Japanese Maple; A. Niemiera
• Clemson University: Dogwood; D. Shaughnessy; 2000
• Iowa State University: Dwarf Blue Spruce: A Superb Year-Round Garden Plant; E. Moran; 2005
• North Dakota State University Agricultural Department: Flowering Crabapple