The Top 10 Small Flowering Trees Trees That Bring Color To Your Gardens

As you're considering which small flowering tree to plant in your gardens, there are several things you must contemplate and decide.

The size of your space versus the eventual size of the tree is one of the most important considerations - and one that is often either forgotten or mis-interpreted.

For instance, magnolias grow very tall and should not be considered an ornamental, whereas the "star magnolia" is a much shorter variety.

Other considerations include the tree's sun and/or shade needs plus it's water needs.

Finally, you should consider the timing of the flowers. When does the tree actually flower?

Many ornamental trees flower in the spring. As the weather warms, their buds start to pop open into beautiful flowers, after which time the leaves emerge into a thick foliage.

Some however, like the crepe myrtle, bloom in early summer and continue blooming throughout the season.

Some, such as the kousa dogwood bloom after the leaves come out.

It's a very good idea to include one or more spring flowering small trees in your garden or landscape around your home because they usually flower before other plants. This gives your garden a pop of color early, before most other plants, especially perennials, produce blooms.

Sometimes, a flowering tree will start showing it's color before you've even planted your summer annuals.

What better way to signal the comming of spring and put a smile on your face and a spring in your step!

Then, once they're done flowering, your other perennials and summer annuals will be there to provide the summer color. This alternating pattern of flowering is a good feature to plan into your garden.

Below is our top 10 list of small flowering trees. These are some of the most popular here in our region of the U.S. There are others no doubt, but you can start with these and include them in your own gardens for a great spectacle of blooms.

We've not only listed the species or genus but have been very specific and listed the actual variety or cultivar itself. Some species include different varieties or cultivars that grow very tall, some short, some have more showy blooms, etc.

Therefore, we wanted to list, not only the species, such as cherry tree, but it's specific variety or cultivar, for instance, "weeping cherry" and "kwansan cherry."

What is the difference between a variety and a cutivar? This article explains it  in easy to understand terms (in case you're curious about these scientific explanations.)

Growth: 10-20 feet
Light: Full Sun To Full Shade
Zones: 5-9

Flowering dogwood trees are arguably one of the most used and most popular ornamental trees used today.

It's a very versitile tree, growing in almost any location.

Their flowers show themselves in the spring, usually late April or May here in planting zones 6-7, after which the leaves emerge and create a dense canopy.

Even though they can grow to a height of 20 feet, it will take many years to get to that height, so keeping them small is usually a matter of either doing nothing, or trimming them ocassionally.

Dogwoods will produce berries and turn bright orange in the fall and defoliate in the winter, leaving bare twigs and limbs, which is a look undesirable by some people but for us, it's makes for a great winter presence in an otherwise bare garden.

Growth: 10-40 feet, some dwarfs available
Light: Full Sun
Zones: 4-8

Cherry trees in general are one of the most beautiful small flowering trees found anywhere, and the weeping cherry is a type, more accurately, a cultivar, that should be at the top of your list.

It's called "weeping" for obvious reasons - the branches hang downward in a weeping fashion and when flowering ,making for a gorgeous show.

This tree produces blooms that are light to dark pink in the spring, after which time leaves will fill in the canopy.

If you're space is confined, look for dwarf varieties that don't grow as tall. However, depending on your space, they can grow up to 40 feet, so make sure you know what you're buying before taking it home.

Growth: 10-40 feet, some dwarfs available
Light: Full Sun
Zones: 5-9

The kwanzan cherry tree is another popular type of cherry tree planted here in the U.S.

Like most, if not all, cherry trees, it's not finiky and will grow as thrive in full sun and well drained soil.

The blooms on this variety emerge in spring like other varieties and are pink as well. However, they are larger than others and tend to last a bit longer.  You can see in the complexity of the blooms in the image.

This variety of cherry tree will grow wider than it is tall. You'll notice this as the tree matures, so choose your planting location accordingly.

Growth: 15-20 feet
Light: full sun to partial shade
Zones: 7 and above

The crepe myrtle is the quintessinal summer flowering tree that sports big, bright, beautiful blooms of reds and pinks through the entire summer.

It's considered a southern tree, preferring warmer climates. Indeed, crepe myrtles will most likely not survive above planting zone 6 and at times, it may even struggle in zone 6. However, we've seen it in zone 6 and it survives and does well.

As you can probably tell, colder temperatures are not tolerated well, so depending on weather patterns, it might or might not do well, depending on your zone.

Crepe mrytles prefer full sun and will flower profusely in a sunny location. Although they will usually survive in partial shade, they won't flower as much and will be thinner.

Crepe Myrles can grow to 15-20 feet tall, which is pretty large, and depending on where you plant it, it might outgrow the space.

Many people seem to plant crepe myrtles in locations that they outgrow. Because of this, they are often cut back in a process known in some circles as "crepe murder." There is a right and a wrong way to trim them for sure.  See our article here for more information on trimming crepe myrtles.

Growth: 10-20 feet
Light: Full Sun To Partial Shade
Zones: 4-9

Not to be confused with the tree magnolia, the star magnolia is one of the small flowering ornamental tree types of the species.

Star magnolias are one of the classic southern plants because of the warmer climate, although they will grow in areas a little further north.

Their blooms come out in early-spring and are a light pink to white star shape, multi-peddle blooms.

They will grow in most regions of the country and the blooms last for a few weeks.

There is a downside to their blooming pattern though and it's a significant one.  Unfortunately, a late frost will damage the blooms and bring them to a premature end. This means if you live in an area that is subjected to this kind of weather frequently, and you're planting this tree for the flowers, then it might be best to choose something else.

Here in our area of the U.S. we have late frosts often, so our star magnolia flowers are often killed off before their time.

Growth: 10-20 feet
Light: Full Sun
Zones: 4-8

Like most small flowering trees, there are many varieties of crabapple.

Their flowers, like other ornamentals, come out in spring and last for a short period - 1-3 weeks. Interestingly, the budding process offers a range of colors. Buds often look deep purple then as they open, the color fades into lighter pink or white.

Crab apple trees also bear fruit that is edible, although much smaller than regular apples. With some varieties, the fruit is just as much of a draw as the flowers becuase of it's bright color, sometimes more.

The fruit will fall from the tree at the end of the growing season. Depending on it's size, which could be as little as 1/4 inch but as large as 2 inches, this could present a problem of litter that needs to be picked up. This characteristic makes it either a novelty you'll love, or a pain you'll be sorry you planted.

Crab apple trees prefer full sun where they will flower and produce fruit the best. However, some will tolerate light shade as well, but the flowers and fruit may not be as showy.

Growth: 10-20 feet
Light: Sun to Partial Shade
Zones: 4-8

This small ornamental tree sports white blooms in the spring, and continues to provide interest with berries in early summer, making it a great tree for attracting polinators in the spring and birds in the summer.

In the image you can clearly see an example of the berries that have been enjoyed by a critter, probably a bird.

The blooms are smallish and look similar to star magnolias or daisies, with their long white pedals around a center.

This tree grows wild in parts of the eastern US. especially along creeks and streams and is a hardy down to zone 4, which means it's quite cold hardy. It does well in many locations, including cityscapes.