Having beautiful, flowering trees on your property adds a desirable aesthetic that has a huge impact on the overall look and feel to your yard. Not only do they provide tantalizing colours and smells, but they also come in a large variety of lovely shapes and sizes that you can get from spring until fall. Sometimes having a large variety of options can be hard to narrow down. But do not fret, Five Star Tree Services is here to help you figure out what small flowering trees will be best for you and your yard. We are also going to go over some awesome low-maintenance trees and which trees you might want to stay away from.
What Trees Are Considered to Be Small
As we all know, “small” is a relative word and can be interpreted differently depending on who you are talking to. Knowing exactly what is determined to be a small tree can be especially important if you have limited yard space. For instance, some people consider a 15-foot-tall tree to be small, whereas others might consider this to be a large tree. While others believe that shrubs are small trees. It is dependent on what you personally believe to be small, that will help you decide on the right tree. You will just have to make sure of the mature height, or what it will eventually grow to, in order to decide what height is best for you and your property.
Deciding On the Appropriate Tree
Some things to consider as you decide on a tree:
-Ask about what height the tree will grow to when it is fully grown, as well as how wide and full it will become.
-Ask about the watering needs, how much sun it requires, and the soil preferences. These things will tell you if your yard will be able to support your tree.
-Ask about any disease or insect susceptibility for the tree you are thinking about. Flowering trees in particular, can be prone to these things.
Tree Recommendations
Some flowering trees to consider:
-Hydrangea: if you are looking for a great perennial shrub, this is the one. It can also be grafted into a tree, if that is what you would prefer. It produces large bunches of snowball-like flowers that can range in colour from purple, to white, to pink, and even blue. This plant is also wonderful for attracting bees.
-Partridge Pea: usually considered more of a shrub, this is not a typically common tree in people’s yards. Just like the hydrangea, if you want a tree, it can be grafted to become an ornamental tree. Its leaves are similar to a black locust, or a honey locust, and it produces lovely yellow flowers.
-Kousa Dogwood: has signature white or pink flowers that bloom in the spring. This particular flowering tree also provides raspberry-like fruit in the late summer and fall. It is also resistant to fungal pathogens, which usually cause cankers on trees.
-Japanese Tree Lilac: this unique tree produces leaves that are in the shape of hearts. It also tends to bloom slightly later than other ornamental trees. This means that you can get a staggered bloom, if you have other spring blooming trees that will bloom first. The flowers that are produced have a sweet honey smell to them and because these are not typical trees, they are less likely to have disease or insect problems.
-Redbud: these have beautiful bright magenta flowers that come out in early spring, usually when all other plants are still dormant.
-Catalpa: if you are looking for a tree that is interesting all year round, this is the one for you. It has a unique form of knobby bark with large ridges. This, too, has large heart shaped leaves and it produces big bean pods. It will bloom white orchid like flowers in mid-summer, to create its ultimate dramatic look.
-Fringetree: not many people have this tree but if you find one, it will make you want to stop and take a look at it. This tree doesn’t actually produce a flower with petals, but more of a colourful string. You could compare this to a smoke bush or tree, with its feathery flowers. This is a very delicate looking tree. For a size comparison, you can expect this tree to fit in a spot where a serviceberry or crabapple tree would fit.
-Rose of Sharon: similar to the catalpa, this tree is visually unique and interesting all year round. Just like the Japanese Tree Lilac, it is also fairly resistant to diseases and insects, it is also very low maintenance
High-Maintenance – Avoid These Trees
There can be certain flowering trees you will want to stay away from simply due to the amount of work that needs to be dedicated to them. Sadly, plum and cherry trees are notorious for getting black knot fungus, which makes them less attractive for homeowners to want to deal with. Crabapples are another tree that tends to get a bacterial and fungal disease, which means that they need more maintenance work to keep them healthy. Due to these trees being very popular, this leads them to be overplanted. When this is the case, it increases the risk of disease and insects that target large groups of trees that are similar.
Tree Planting Tips
The best time to plant virtually anything, especially trees, is in the spring or fall. This is because the weather is typically calmer and more predictable, unlike the extremes you can see during the summer. However, if you have the option, fall is the most ideal time to plant your trees. There is more opportunity for it to get established, during the milder weather, and there is less chance of drought. If you plant in the spring, you need to be wary of frost and freezes, as well as the potential for drought during the summer.
The main goal of planting a tree is to make sure it recovers from transplant shock. To ensure planting success, follow these tips:
Watering -For new trees, they require about 1 inch of water a week. If you are unsure about the amount of water your tree is receiving, you can get a coffee tin and put it outside with an inch marked on the outside. Then water your tree until you see that the can is full to the mark you drew. This is going to inform you on how long you need to be watering for.
-Drip Lines- it is important to establish your tree’s drip line. A drip line is when you look at a tree with a green canopy, you see where the rain comes down, hits the leaves, and falls to the ground around your tree. What you are looking for is the water that makes it through your tree’s canopy and hits underneath the branches. You are going to want to conserve moisture around this area. Mulch is a great thing to use for this.
-Mulch- The best thing you can do for your new tree is put mulch around the trunk. You are going to want about 2-4 inches under the drip line but keeping it away from the actual trunk. Your mulch shouldn’t touch or pile up on the trunk. If it does, this has the potential to nurture fungal pathogens that will hurt your tree.
-Fertilizer- There are three components to soil: nutritional, physical, and biological. Fertilizer is part of the nutritional component. Make sure to speak to your local arborist about what nutrients your tree needs. For the physical component, this is referring to the soil compaction. Which essentially means how squished and tight the soil is. When it is really compact, it limits the water and air getting to the roots, which you don’t want. Especially for new trees, they need a lot of air and water getting to their roots to help them grow. Mulch can help to break it down over time. Lastly, the biological component is composed of microbes that live in the soil. To make sure you are enabling your tree to grow and making sure it receives everything it needs to be healthy and strong, fertilizer needs to be part of your soil. It will address a lot of these issues and is a tool that when used alongside proper watering and mulching, will help your tree flourish.
How Five Star Tree Service Can Help
Adding a beautiful flowering tree to your yard can boost the whole aesthetic appeal of your property. Picking the right one for you and your yard is important. If you are unsure about what flowering trees you can plant in your area, contact Five Star Tree Services at (416) 990-3355 to help you! Our team is very knowledgeable and will be able to suggest trees to suit your needs and your yard conditions. We specialize in Toronto Tree Care and can help you successfully plant a new flowering tree. You can also check out our website for more information.