Crepe Myrtle

The crepe myrtle’s colourful trees tend to grow one to two feet each year, with blooms appearing as quickly as 12 to 24 months after planting – ensuring a speedy payoff for your gardening efforts.

Dan Herms, vice president and general manager at the Davey Institute shares: “Crepe myrtles are prized for their long-lasting summer blooms, which come in shades of pink, red, white, and purple. They begin flowering quickly, making them a great option for instant impact.” These trees are also drought-tolerant once they take root and are established.

Tulip Tree

The tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera) can reach heights of 60 to 90 feet and results in stunningly vivid spring colour displays and offers visual appeal throughout the year. Jacob Burns, curator of plant collections operations at the Chicago Botanic Garden explains: “The tulip tree is a native standout that quickly adds beauty and shade to larger landscapes. With its smooth gray bark and bold four-lobed leaves, it brings texture and dimension to your space.

“Come late spring to early summer, it bursts into greenish-yellow tulip-shaped flowers with a pop of orange streaking through. Don’t be tempted to trim those lower branches—leave them be, or you’ll be reaching for binoculars to catch a glimpse of the blooms.”

Golden Rain Tree

The Golden Rain tree with citrus-colored blossoms adorning its branches, often begins to flower just three years after planting. 

The Cassia fistula makes for a gorgeous addition to any landscape as it offers colour and leafy shade all year round, standing strong throughout the changing seasons. Dan shares: “This tree produces bright yellow flowers in mid-summer, followed by unique, lantern-shaped seed pods in fall.”

Flowering Cherry

Boasting some of the most easily recognisable blossoms in the world, the flowering cherry family (Prunus spp.) gives us breathtaking clusters ranging from pale pink to white in early spring. Dan explains: “The fragrant blossoms attract bees, butterflies, and other pollinators, supporting local ecosystems. In fall, the small cherries provide food for birds like robins and cedar waxwings.”

Blooming in just five to seven years after plantation, Jacob’s favourite is the Sargent’s cherry. He shares: “Sargent’s cherry brings a touch of Japan to the landscape with a spectacular early spring floral display. Its branches are covered in soft pink blooms with golden centers, creating a breathtaking contrast against its chestnut-brown bark.”

Sweetbay Magnolia

The sweetbay magnolia (Magnolia virginiana) is a more petite version of the Southern magnolia. Equally stunning and far better suited for damp, low-lying gardens than its larger counterpart, Jacob explained: “Sweetbay magnolia is a native tree perfect for small spaces, often multi-stemmed and full of character. 

“Its glossy evergreen leaves shine with a silvery underside, and in late spring to early summer, it wows with fragrant, creamy white flowers that take center stage, typically blooming around six years old. Afterward, it shows off striking red-tinged seed pods that linger through fall.”