Almost all garden plans, especially those for small gardens, call for at least one small tree. They can add season color, winter interest and fragrant to a garden space. Winter hardiness, disease resistance and insect resistance should be considered as well. When selecting a tree, consider all of its characteristics including flower color, bark and leaf texture, winter berries, fall foliage and winter silhouette. The following are 8 great small trees for the garden.
Thornless Honey Locusts (Gledetsia tricanthos) are a great tree for the city gardens or courtyards. The fine small textured leaves and open crown of the honey locust permits dappled sun and shade to filter through into the garden. There’s usually enough light beneath these trees to allow the growth of grass and part shade plants.
Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum) is a small deciduous tree with beautiful foliage. Japanese maples are used as a single specimen or in grouping. There also ideal, as the name suggests, in Japanese gardens. This plant is available as a single-stemmed or multi-stemmed tree. The classic Japanese maple has red-purple leaves which turn a brilliant red in autumn. Does best in full sun and moist well drained soils.
Allegheny Serviceberry (Amelanchier laevis) is the perfect tree for a natural garden. This small, multi-stemmed, upright tree blooms in early spring with fragrant, white flowers. The purplish-blue fruit attracts wildlife and makes wonderful pies and jams. This serviceberry prefers medium, well-drained soil in full sun to part shade. Allegheny Serviceberry makes an attractive understory tree for lawns, shrub borders, woodland margins or native plant areas.
Star Magnolia (Magnolia stellata) is a slow growing, small tree which produces showy and very fragrant white flowers in early spring. This magnolia is one of the best specimen trees available. The flowers can be injured by late spring frosts and wind. Star Magnolias produce a 2 inch long, reddish-green fruit which matures in early autumn. Prefers deep, acidic soil and full sun.
Flowering Cherry (Prunus sp.) is one of the best early bloomers. It produce clusters of fragrant pink or white flowers before developing leaves in the spring. They prefer full sun and well-drained soil and grow to about 15-25 feet in height. Weeping varieties are available which are often planted as specimen trees.
Red Maple (Acer rubrum) is a deciduous tree which will typically grows 40-60′ tall with a rounded to oval crown. Its leaves are shiny green above and pale green beneath, 3-5 lobed and 3-6″ across. As the name suggests red is a predominate color in this species. It produces red flowers in dense clusters in late March to early April., It also bears red fruit and has reddish stems and twigs, red buds, and, in the fall, orange-red foliage color.
Kousa Dogwood (Cornus kousa) is a beautiful small tree which is prefect as a specimen, near a patio, or in mass plantings. This deciduous tree has red fruit that resembles a big round raspberry. The fall color is red to maroon. Because of its disease resistance, it is becoming the best replacement for the White Dogwood. Kousa dogwoods have low water requirements and displays a moderate tolerance for salt and alkali soils.
Sourwood (Oxydendrum arboreum) is a native tree treasured for its summer flowers and brilliant scarlet-orange fall color. The Sourwood makes a nice small specimen tree for small gardens. The leaves are deciduous, up to 8″ in length and turn scarlet in the fall. The fruit is a small and gray appearing in spike-like clusters. Its has Lily-of-the-Valley like flowers in mid-summer. Plant in full sun to partial shade in acid, organic, moist, well-drained soil. Great for a small yard, patio or lawn tree.
No related posts.
Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.
