Springtime scene stealers in the flowering tree parade include plums, cherries and magnolias. Crabapples, redbuds and early flowering dogwoods set the stage for other beauties that take their time and bloom after Mother’s Day.
The loveliness of flowering trees need not end with April showers and May flowers. By choosing trees that reserve their bloom for late spring and the long days of summer, you can look forward to and look up to the beauty of flowers as they bloom on branches high above your garden beds. A special bonus beyond their appearance, summer-flowering trees will attract beneficial pollinators to your garden. Here are several beauties to consider:
Spring Showers Snowbell
Styrax japonicus ‘Spring Showers’
Fragrant white, bell-shaped flowers dangle in late spring beneath the lustrous dark green foliage of this petite garden tree.
Developed by the US National Arboretum’s landscape plant breeding program in McMinnville, TN, Spring Showers was trialed for more than a decade prior to its release in 2011. Late bud break makes this cultivar a good choice for areas subject to late spring freezes. Because it flowers two to three weeks later than is typical of the species, its flowers are less likely to be damaged by a late winter cold snap.
Height and spread of this conical small tree at 10 years of age – approximately 12’ x 8’. See USNA fact sheetfor details and photos.
Ivory Silk® Japanese Tree Lilac
Syringa reticulata ‘Ivory Silk’
Frothy white flower plumes float above the dark green leaves of Ivory Silk® Tree Lilac in early summer. While its blooms take center stage in summer, this unique flowering tree demands a curtain call in autumn when its rich, golden-bronze leaves stage a command performance. Adaptability to urban growing conditions, small stature and an upright spreading vase shape have earned this tough little tree a place on our UtiliTrees™ list. Mature height and spread of this USDA Zone 4 tree are about 20’ x 15’.
Venus® Dogwood
Cornus (kousa x nuttallii) x kousa ‘KN 30-8’ PP 16309
Extra-large flowers are traffic stoppers and the source of garden envy when they bloom in late spring. Branches are laden with gorgeous creamy white blooms that can exceed six inches in diameter. Nearly sterile, this exotic hybrid developed at Rutgers University bears little fruit and is hardy through USDA Zone 5b. Deep green foliage turns red to purple red in autumn. Form is upright and spreading as it reaches a mature height of 25’ and spread of approximately 20’.
Purple Robe Locust
Robinia pseudoacacia ‘Purple Robe’
Outstanding in late spring, new growth has a purple tint that becomes bronze green as the leaves mature to rich green. Racemes of pea-like, rose pink to purple blooms present a unique color combination as they emerge among the new leaves. Tough and fast-growing, this is an excellent tree for hot, dry areas of the west. Rated hardy through USDA Zone 3, this adaptable nitrogen-fixer reaches a mature height and spread of 50’ x 30’.
Goldenrain Tree
Koelreuteria paniculata
Turn green into gold by adding Goldenrain Tree to your landscape. Showy golden yellow flowers rise above the refined dark green, compound leaves. Together, they create a blaze of color in the summer landscape. This small tree is also a good choice for lawns, as it is deep rooted and casts relatively light shade. Goldenrain Tree is adaptable to both acid and alkaline soil and is tolerant of drought and air pollution. Hardy through USDA Zone 5, it is a heat and drought tolerant, adaptable, resilient tree.
Gardeners! Please note that our nursery is strictly wholesale. To purchase these and other trees grown by our nursery, please use our Retailer Locator to find sources of JFS trees near you.
