|
Flowering Trees 
Flowering Trees are Easy and Beautiful in your Gardens.
Flowering Trees add colorful beauty to your landscape. They also attract great wildlife such as birds and butterflies.  Maintaining Flowering Trees: There are 5 primary aspects to proper care for flowering trees. These include: 1. Site Planning 2. Watering 3. Fertilizing 4. Pruning 5. Pest Control
[1] Site Planning – There are a few reasons this is important. 1. You’ll want to make sure a tree needing sun is placed where it will get sun.2. Consider also the future of how large it will grow and think about other nearby large trees as well as structures it may interfere with. 3. Think about the flowering trees impact on other surrounding flowers and plants. Will it add too much shade, or can it be a benefit by adding sun protection for shade flowers and plants. 4. Finally, flowering trees are beautiful so you may want to position it so you can easily see it while in bloom.
[2] Watering – All flowering trees need water but they do not do well with too much. Check the water needs by considering:
* The specific flowering tree (differing trees, differing needs).
* Your region because some regions naturally receive more rain than others. Free Newsletter Please sign up and enjoy our Gardening Advisor Newsletter. In this you will read both fun and serious gardening information covering a wide range of topics.
We will gaurd your Email with great care and NEVER send spam or sell your information.  [3] Fertilizing – Various flowering trees will require differing amounts and types of fertilizer. Note: If your flowering tree is getting 2-3 feet of growth per year there may be no need for fertilizer. Check with your local nursery to get advice for local requirements.
[4] Pruning – Trees have a great capacity for rapid growth especially when they are young. As a result, pruning in the first few years is highly recommended for the maximum potential of your flowering trees. If done right it can stimulate flowers as well as control the height and width of the tree. If done at the wrong time you may actually remove flower buds.
Timing – When pruning should take place depends on the individual tree as well as the region you live in.
* Summer Flowering Trees would generally be pruned in the winter.
* Spring Flowering Trees would generally be pruned once they have bloomed in early to mid spring.
Note: Pruning should be done smaller amounts at a time to avoid damaging your flowering trees. If your tree has become overgrown it is best to reduce its size over time.
Pruning Technique – Make your pruning cuts just outside the branch collar (this allows for quicker wound closure). Use sharp tools for clean cuts and avoid leaving stubs.
Topping – Avoid this. Topping is the practice of removing all parts of the tree beyond a certain height. This is very unhealthy for your flowering tree! It removes most of the leaves which are responsible for creating its food. Topped trees also are more susceptible to insects and disease not to mention the tree becomes very unattractive.
An alternative to topping is known as “reduction pruning” where the branches are reduced but not fully cut off.
[5] Pest & Disease Control – There are always some kind of pest or disease that affect any kind of flower, shrub or tree. Many of these problems are specific to certain flora as well to a specific region. Check with your local nursery for suggestions on localized problems and solutions before you begin.
Planting Flowering Trees:
Following are steps in planting your flowering trees:
* Start your planting project with good quality soil.
* Dig a wide hole but not too deep. You want to make sure the hole is not deeper than the tree’s root ball.
* If the soil is high in clay add plenty of organic matter to help the trees root system to spread out during growth.
Great Flowering Trees:
There are many beautiful flowering trees in any region. Each type of flowering tree usually also has several varieties within their family that can have differing preferences on temperature, shade, soil type, etc. The following flowering trees are awesome examples when grown in your gardens. You’ll want to make sure the particular flowering tree variety going into your garden is best suited for your particular region.
Magnolias:
Often thought of as only Southern Trees, but there are many hardy varieties of this flowering beauty available for colder regions. Plant magnolias in sunny spots and avoid drought conditions with ample watering.
Crabapples:
These produce beautiful flowers but are highly sensitive to changes in weather. In wet years for example, crabapples have more fungal disease problems. Local nurseries in your area will be able to counsel you on what too look for. These trees prefer a well-draining soil and soils that are more acidic. You will get best flowering results from crabapples when they get full sun. There are more than 200 varieties of crabapple trees.
Lilacs:
Awesome and beautiful with many varieties including some that grow to heights of 20+ feet (if that’s too tall the dwarf Korean grows to 5 Feet). Lilacs prefer well-draining soils and could even need irrigation during dry periods. Lilacs will grow in the shade but prefer direct sun and alkaline soils. They do just fine in some areas however growing in acidic soils but if in the shade too much it will greatly curtail flower production.
Weeping Cherries:
Any weeping tree or plant brings attention because of its uniqueness. All the cherries, whether fruiting or flowering, require well draining soils with pH levels around the 6.0 to 6.8 level.
Dogwoods:
These are beautiful flowering trees with several varieties. Some are hardier than others so you’ll buy the variety recommended at your local nurseries. Protecting dogwoods from exposure to harsh winter winds is recommended. They can grow to heights of 30+ feet but their growth is slow to moderate. Dogwoods need water during drought periods. Free Newsletter Please sign up and enjoy our Gardening Advisor Newsletter. In this you will read both fun and serious gardening information covering a wide range of topics.
We will gaurd your Email with great care and NEVER send spam or sell your information. Other Flowering Trees:
Eastern Redbud:
This flowering tree has purplish pink small flowers that bloom in clusters before leaves. It has yellow foliage in the fall and is generally a hardy tolerant tree in a wide range of soils.
Mountain Ash:
Grows to a height of 45 feet in ideal conditions. This flowering tree has flat clusters of white fragrant blooms in late spring and small orange-red clusters of berries in the fall. They do not do well in wet or disturbed soils.
Flowering Peach:
Flowering peach trees are a spreading tree that can reach heights of up to 25 feet. They produce single pink flowers right before foliage. These flowering trees are fast growing in good soil conditions but will loose vigor if not pruned, fertilized, and protected from pest. Flowering peach trees will not tolerate wet or extra heavy soils.
Flowering Plums:
They produce beautiful flowers as well as bright-colored foliage. They require regular pruning, fertilizing, and occasional spraying to maintain their vigor.
Hawthorn:
There are many varieties of hawthorns. They have beautiful flowers in addition to fruits. The flowers are white with red fruits and the tree is dense and thorny. Hawthorns are fairly hardy and will grow well in most regions except in very wet and poor soils.
Crape Myrtles:
Known as landscape trees of the South. Crape Myrtles have a long blooming period from mid-summer to fall and bloom in clusters. List of Additional Flowering Trees:
You will be delighted with Flowering Trees in your Gardens. They are Easy to grow, Beautiful, and attract wildlife life birds and butterflies. |