PLANT WHAT WHERE | Flowering Deciduous Trees

There’s nothing like a garden to highlight the changing seasons, and flowering deciduous trees can play a leading role. Whether you’re looking to create shade, or add drama to the landscape, deciduous flowering trees are the perfect combination of function and form.

Deciduous trees are ideal for temperate climate gardens, letting in sunlight through Winter, and providing much needed shade during the hotter months. Once established, they are also well equipped to cope with extreme weather conditions such as frosts and drought.

While deciduous trees shed their foliage through the Winter, the appearance of flowers isn’t restricted to Spring. There are flowering options from August through to March, and while flowering is generally over by Easter, the changing Autumn foliage colour is stunning.

The flowering displays of deciduous trees are as diverse as the trees themselves. Deciduous magnolia blooms  appear by stealth from bare sticks during winter and the Pear bursts with white blossoms heralding the arrival of spring. Whether it’s bold or subdued, long-lasting or fleeting, each one brings it’s own signature beauty to the landscape.

There are many splendid options to choose from with a few considerations. Deciduous trees come in all shapes and sizes. Consider the available space when selecting the right tree, and allow for growth to maturity.

Plant Selections:

AUGUST / SEPTEMBER FLOWERING

Magnolia Denudata
One of the most popular – and certainly more beautiful - deciduous magnolia species. Grows as an attractive spreading small tree and will look stunning when its ivory white flowers open in late Winter/ early Spring. Its flowers have a rich sweet perfume and really stand out against a blue sky.

Magnolia soulangeana 'Burgundy Glow'
Welcome the start of Spring with this strong, spreading magnolia. Features large dark purple-pink and white goblet-shaped flowers. This two-toned look is an improved variety of the ever-popular soulangeana magnolia.

Magnolia x soulangeana 'Black Tulip' pbr
A superb, frost hardy deciduous magnolia variety with a compact growth habit. Features fragrant deep black/red tulip shaped flowers. ‘Black Tulip’ pbr will flower at a young age, but the flowers may take a few seasons to develop to their true size and colour.

Magnolia x 'Genie' pbr
Magnolia ‘Genie’ is an incredibly compact small tree, with stunning deep burgundy, goblet-shaped blooms. ‘Genie’ is the perfect choice for smaller gardens

Pyrus calleryana 'Cleveland Select'
A narrow pyramidal tree with a dense growth habit and attractive symmetrical branching. Produces brilliant orange/red foliage during Autumn, followed by white flowers in Spring. Our Pyrus are grafted for optimal growing performance.

Cercis chinensis 'Avondale'
A compact deciduous tree flowering spectacularly in late spring with deep pink blooms appearing from near bare branches followed by heart-shaped deep green foliage. A wonderful compact feature tree with year round appeal.

LATE OCTOBER / NOVEMBER FLOWERING

Malus ioensis 'Plena'
The most popular Crab apple, thanks to its lovely Spring and Autumn foliage colour. This is a small tree with a spreading habit and large white double flowers which start out as pink buds. These beautiful blooms are produced in abundance in spring. The branching structure of this tree is very attractive during winter. Ideal for small formal gardens or where space is limited. High grafted specimens can be used where clear spaces are required beneath

Malus trilobata
This flowering crab apple grows with an upright, conical shape. Features broad maple-shaped green leaves that turn yellow with burgundy tints in au- tumn. Features large, white flowers often with a delicate pink tinge near the yellow stamens through early Summer, making it a striking selection. Great for narrow spaces.

SUMMER FLOWERING - JANUARY / FEBRUARY

Cydonia oblonga 'Smyrna' (Quince)
Commonly known as Quince, ‘Smyrna’ is a rounded, deciduous, fruiting tree that produces large pear shaped, fragrant bright yellow fruit from March through to May. During autumn has a spectacular display of bright yellow leaves and throughout spring and summer has fragrant pinkish-white flowers. 

Jacaranda mimosifolia
With its distinctive mauve flowers, the Jacaranda is an elegant specimen. Features soft green, fern-like foliage, which turns yellow in Autumn. Abundant bell-shaped blooms appear in Summer making it a perfect shade tree.

Lagerstroemia
Crepe myrtles are a medium sized, deciduous ornamental tree with dark green leaves, which change yellow to orange/red in Autumn, before revealing an attractive mottled trunk in Winter. Flowers resemble crinkled crepe paper, and vary in colour from bright white to showy reds, pinks and corals. Our favourite varieties incude ‘Natchez’ and red-flowering ‘Tuscarora'

Lagerstroemia Natchez Flowering in March

For more inspiration:
DOWNLOAD our Plant What Where PDF