What are flowering trees?Flowering trees are trees that produce vivid, beautiful and eye-catching blossoms in the spring and summer. Flowering trees are not just all about flowers. Many offer brilliant or deeply colored leaves in the summer or fall, colorful fruit in the spring, and many have beautiful bark that becomes more visible in the winter. Flowering trees vary in size, ranging from eight feet to eighty feet in height. What season should I plant flowering trees?For non-fruit bearing flowering trees, the early fall months of September and October are the best times to plant flowering trees. This allows the tree to acclimate and set roots down before the cold of winter. The months of September and October offer the advantages of temperate, cool weather and plenty of sunlight. The spring months of February, March, and April are also good times to plant. In addition to the rain spring brings, the spring months allow your flowering tree to establish its root system before the high temperatures of summer weather. For fruit bearing flowering trees like the American Plum tree and Kentucky Coffeetree, you can plant fruit trees during the spring, summer, or fall as long as you consider any adverse conditions such as dryness and heat in the summer. In the summer, make sure you do long, thorough soaks when watering, and perhaps provide some shade coverage for freshly planted flowering fruit trees. With cold temperatures in the winter be sure to wrap your newly planted flowering fruit tree with burlap or cardboard. There are also many products designed for keeping trees, especially fruit trees, protected from winter climates. These range from polyester pop-up tents to large plastic bags. Where is the best place to grow flowering trees?All flowering trees enjoy full sun, and many can do well with partial shade. There are certain trees that require full sun, such as the American Plum tree, the Dynamite Crape Myrtle tree, the Japanese Red Maple tree, the Natchez Crape Myrtle tree, the Shadblow Serviceberry tree, the Sioux Crape Myrtle tree and the Tulip Poplar tree. Trees that do well with, or tolerate, partial shade are the Akebono Flowering Cherry tree, the American Holly tree, the American Smoketree, the Ann Magnolia tree, the Black Gum tree, the Catawba Crape Myrtle, the East Redbud tree, the Jane Magnolia tree, the Kentucky Coffeetree, the Kousa Dogwood tree, the Kwanzan Flowering Cherry tree, the Lilac tree, the Okame Flowering Cherry tree, the Pink Dogwood tree, the Royal Star Magnolia tree, the Saucer Magnolia tree, the Sourwood tree, the Southern Magnolia tree, the Sweetbay Magnolia tree, the Washington Hawthorn tree, the White Dogwood tree, the Whitefringe Tree, the Yellowbird Magnolia tree and the Yoshino Flowering Cherry tree. What are the tallest flowering trees?Tall flowering trees are visually striking and can provide protection from the elements including rain, sun, cold and wind. Most flowering trees are on the smaller side, but some of the taller flowering trees include the American Holly tree, which grows up to fifty feet at maturity, the Black Gum tree, which grows up to fifty feet at maturity, the Kentucky Coffeetree, which grows up to seventy-five feet at maturity and the Southern Magnolia tree, which grows up to eighty feet at maturity, the Sweetbay Magnolia, which grows up to fifty feet at maturity, the Tulip Poplar which grows up to ninety feet at maturity, the Yellowbird Magnolia, which grows up to forty feet at maturity and the Yoshino Flowering Cherry, which grows up to fifty feet at maturity. What are the widest flowering trees?A sprawling, wide canopy of flowering branches is a beautiful sight to behold. The Akebono Flowering Cherry tree grows up to forty feet wide, the American Holly tree grows up to forty feet wide, the Black Gum tree grows up to thirty feet wide, the Eastern Redbud grows up to thirty-five feet wide, the Kousa Dogwood grows up to thirty feet wide, the Kentucky Coffeetree grows up to fifty feet wide and the Southern Magnolia grows up to forty feet wide. How do I care for flowering trees?For non-fruit bearing flowering trees, water deeply and frequently during the first few months after planting your flowering tree. Avoid short watering in general, and once your tree is established, avoid frequent watering, since this will encourage the growth of shallow, short roots. Instead, place a hose close to the tree and water thoroughly for a longer amount of time. Mulching around the tree protects the roots and promotes water retention. Leave two to three inches of space between the base of the tree and the mulch to prevent rot. Prune more often during the first three years, and then as needed. Fertilize your flowering tree in the spring. Measure the width of your tree from about four feet above the ground, and then use one quarter pound (1/4lb) of nitrogen per inch of your tree’s diameter. For fruit bearing flowering trees, examine your tree often for signs of disease and pest infestation. The best defense against these common flowering fruit tree afflictions is a good offense. Flowering fruit trees are thirsty, so water frequently, and up to weekly, during the summer months. Use the common tree adage of watering deeply for flowering fruit trees, so water for longer periods less frequently. Pruning away any sucker branches (new growth coming from the trunk of the tree), and any waterspout branches (branches that grow straight up from horizontal branches) in the winter and summer encourages fruit growth. Use 2-3 inches of mulch around the base of the tree and over the roots, leaving a few inches of space between the trunk and the mulch to prevent rot. Fertilizing with organic compost, placing around the tree similar to mulch, will support your growing flowering fruit tree. Fertilize more for trees that aren’t growing well. Thinning out diseased and poorly formed fruit will keep your tree from growing more fruit than it can support. For young trees, it’s good to spread out branches with wooden spacers. |
