How to Recognize the Different Spring Flowering Trees & Shrubs

Right now it is prime flowering time for shrubs and ornamental trees of all kinds. As you drive or walk through your community take note of what you like, when they bloom, and for how long.

By making a list of your preferences you will be able to assemble a landscape plan that incorporates these flowering plants for maximum effect.

Although the trees and shrubs are flowering now, you can still purchase them at your local nursery or garden center and plant them this spring.

There are numerous types of flowering plants to explore but some of the old favorites are the lilac, forsythia, cotoneaster, flowering quince, viburnum, crab apple, magnolia and dogwood.

Lilacs are very fragrant with white to purple blossoms. Standard lilacs can grow to 18 feet and the newer dwarf hybrids grow to approximately 4 to 6 feet high. Two other lilacs are the villosa type, which blooms later in the year and the Persian, which has smaller leaves and flowers.

There are four to six different kinds of forsythia in various shades of yellow and gold. The mature standard forsythia is 4 to 8 feet tall by 4 to 8 feet wide. The dwarf forsythia comes in two types; one is a ground cover, the other is shrublike and grows to two feet high.

The cotoneaster has over six different varieties from ground cover types to large colorful berried shrubs and small trees. It has beautiful white and pink non-fragrant blossoms and red or coral fruit.

The flowering quince blooms early with white, pink or red blossoms. It is not fragrant and comes in dwarf size, which grows to three feet by three feet, and standard size which is six feet by six feet.

The viburnum family of plants have white to pink flower clusters and some varieties that are extremely fragrant. Some get as large as 20 feet high and others grow only knee-high.

The crab apple is a very popular flowering tree with white, pink or red blossoms and grows as large as 25 feet high and wide. The magnolias are another very popular and fragrant group of trees with white to pink blossoms. They grow from 10 to 50 feet high depending on the variety.

The dogwood is one of the most familiar kinds of flowering plants but it is very sensitive to soil conditions, wind and sun. They thrive in acidic soil and grow to 8 to 20 feet high.

By selecting the flowering plants you enjoy this year, you will have lots of color next year and each one thereafter.