Small spaces can bask in colorful trees, too

Color, it seems, is high on the list of priorities for gardening and landscaping enthusiasts. After last week’s column about vividly colorful flowering trees, I received a lot of e-mails from readers essentially saying, “Tell me more!”

Because not everyone has a yard the size of Central Park, my suggestions today focus on trees that work well in smaller-scale areas.

Red Bud Forest Pansy

If you’re searching for a colorful tree that wouldn’t overpower a smaller garden, take a look at the Forest Pansy. The tiny, delicate leaves emerge in spring and suddenly you see a brilliant display of deep maroon-red ‘confetti’ that will last all through summer, turning to yellow in the fall.

Because the Red Bud Forest Pansy will only attain a height of 20 ft or so at maturity, with a spread of around 15 ft, it has the right scale for a modestly-sized area. It has a moderate growth rate and prefers sun to partial sun and well-drained soil.

Red Bud Lavender Twist

While we’re thinking about Red Buds, let’s not forget this unusual variety. The good news is that it’s easy to grow. The bad news? It’s not easy to find. Essentially, the Lavender Twist is a weeping form of the native Red Bud with contorted stems and shoots arching to produce an umbrella-shaped crown.

When it comes to color, the lavender-pink flowers stand out in bright contrast against the dark stems in spring before the leaves emerge. Even after the flowers have gone, the blueish-green foliage is very pleasing to the eye. If you have a spot that gets the early sun then partial shade for the rest of the day, you have the perfect location for a Lavender Twist, particularly if the soil is somewhat moist but well drained. Again, a good candidate for modest-sized lots, topping out between 6 and 10 ft with the gnarled limbs spreading 5 to 8 ft wide.

Sourwood tree

This is one of our favorites. Cheryl and I enjoy the sight of the drooping panicles of brilliant white flowers that begin around the middle of summer and persist into autumn. Sourwood’s foliage puts on one of the most spectacular fall displays of any tree, often transitioning from orange to brick red to flaming scarlet!

A Sourwood looks good as a specimen and works well in small groupings, too. Select a lightly-shaded location that has moist, acid, well-drained soil and incorporate some organic material to give it a good start.

Cherry “Akebono”

In the previous column, I described the cherry known as “First Lady.” If you missed that column, you can find it archived at my Web site. Go to www.landsteward.org and find the “flowering trees” column under the Plant Man heading. The Akebono is another of my favorites.

In the spring, the Akebono sports fluffy clouds of delicate pink flowers that are even more brightly tinted than the better known Yoshino variety, famous for the annual blossom display in Washington, DC. A good choice for admirers of spectacular cherry blossoms.

Tree-form Persian Lilac

Plant a pair of these tree-form Persian Lilacs to accent the entrance to your garden or to frame a walkway and you might find your landscape drawing admiring glances from neighbors and passers-by.

Good things certainly can come in small packages and this little fellow will probably not exceed 6 ft in height at maturity. I really like the abundant blooms with their pale lilac color and distinctive fragrance. This one is quite rare. If you can’t find it, try Googling “tree form Persian Lilac” or send me an e-mail and I’ll send you some shopping information.

Whatever the size of your landscape, from tiny to vast, you can enjoy colors that go beyond green!

The Plant Man is here to help. Send questions about trees, shrubs and landscaping to steve@landsteward.org. For resources and additional information, or to subscribe to Steve’s free weekly e-mailed newsletter, go to www.landsteward.org

Flowering trees add vivid bursts of color

For me, at this time of year, nothing lifts my spirits quite like the sight of the beautiful flowering trees that Cheryl and I have planted over the years as part of our landscape. And it’s not just our trees. Driving around the neighborhood I can see splashes of crimson, pink and snow white where, only a few weeks ago there were only greys and muted browns.

Maybe you’ve seen some colorful trees that really delighted you, but you weren’t sure what they were exactly and so you couldn’t your own specimens or even investigate them online.

Here is a quick glance at some of the most spectacular and breathtaking flowering trees (at least in my opinion!) that should help you identify your favorites as you plan some eye-popping color for your own landscape!

Crape Myrtle “Dynamite”

Let’s start with a bang: This thing really does look like an explosion, the vivid red blooms bursting outwards as if caught in a freeze-frame by an action movie director. As you can tell, I really like this one!

I first saw this particular Myrtle variety while leaving a drive-through restaurant and immediately circled back to take a photo. With some detective work, I tracked down the plant to a nearby nursery wholesaler and just had to buy a few for our own landscape!

It grows quickly, is fairly mildew-resistant and reaches a mature height of between 10 and 20 feet. You can use it as a colorful border or screen, but I like to see them planted in groups of three, about 15 ft apart.

Cherry “First Lady” (Prunus campanulata okame x)

The name “First Lady” makes sense as soon as you see this cherry tree. It is slim, elegant and regal, reminding me of Jackie Kennedy or Nancy Reagan in front of the White House. The upright shape makes it a good choice where “spread” is an issue: expect a mature height of maybe 20 ft and a spread of 15 ft.

The bell-shaped flowers appear in mid April with a vibrant hue somewhere between deep pink and red. The blooms look stunning against the glossy, dark green leaves (which will turn to a warm yellow in the fall). First Lady grows quite quickly and does fine in full or partial sun or shade.

Venus Kousa Dogwood (Cornus kousa nuttalli)

This is a rare one but definitely worth seeking out, particularly if you like a dogwood with large (as in HUGE) flowers. A single creamy white bloom can entirely cover a man’s hand. It grows to about 20 ft tall and appears to be resistant to dogwood anthracnose and mildew.

The Venus was produced by Dr. Elwin Orton, Jr, a plant breeder at Rutgers University. It’s new and not easy to find. Try typing dogwood kousa venus into Google or send me an e-mail at steve@landsteward.org and I’ll help you.

Magnolia Sweetbay

This is probably my favorite magnolia because of the creamy white blossoms nestled in the vibrant, glossy green foliage. The blossoms give off a distinctive, almost lemony scent that seems evocative of an earlier, less hurried era.

Cheryl and I planted a Sweetbay near our mailbox so we could enjoy the fragrance and sight of the blossoms every morning from spring through late summer as we went out to pick up our mail. Sweetbay is evergreen to semi-evergreen and is tolerant of most soil from moist to wet in zones 5 through 9. Expect a mature height of 30 to 50 ft.

Those are just four of my personal flowering favorites. In a future column, I’ll review some more to help you add a vivid splash of color to your own outdoors. Meanwhile, drop me an e-mail if you need some personal suggestions for brightening up your landscape.

The Plant Man is here to help. Send questions about trees, shrubs and landscaping to steve@landsteward.org. For resources and additional information, or to subscribe to Steve’s free weekly e-mailed newsletter, go to www.landsteward.org