A thick profusion of blooms covers several different genera and species of ornamental trees. Some bloom in the spring, offering a glimpse of the warmer weather to come; others bloom during the summer. Pink color is one of the most preferred for gardens as many people associate it with romance and tenderness. Whether you’re looking for large, impressive blooms or tight clusters of smaller pink blossoms, here is are some of the common trees with pink flowers that can make the centerpiece of your landscape.
1. Eastern Redbud (Cercis Canadensis)
Eastern redbud (Cercis Canadensis) is an attractive native tree with a range that stretches from Canada all the way down to Florida and into Mexico. It signals the start of spring with a striking floral display. Redbud’s rapid growth and small size make it an excellent choice for gardeners hoping to add color or fill an empty space in the landscape.
The Eastern redbud tree reaches 20 to 30 feet high and 25 to 35 feet wide. It forms into a vase shape and is prone to growing multiple trunks. The leaves are heart-shaped (cordate) and are approximately 3 to 5 inches across. They are green for most of the growing season, fading to a yellowish-green in the fall. The pea-like flowers appear in late winter or early spring, even before the leaf buds start unfurling. Most redbud trees have pink flowers, and there are some varieties with white flowers.
The fruit of the tree is also like those of its relatives. The blooms give way to green pods filled with black seeds. As the summer progresses, the pods turn brown and dry out. Redbud trees are typically planted in spring. They have a moderate growth rate; in favorable conditions, expect yours to grow about 7 to 10 feet in the first five or six years.
2. Jane Magnolia
The ‘Jane’ magnolia tree (Magnolia x ‘Jane’) belongs to the Little Girl group of magnolias, a group of early spring blooming hybrids originally created at the U.S. National Arboretum in Washington D.C. in the 1950s by crossing M. liliiflora ‘Nigra’ and M. stellata ‘Rosea’. The tree is on the small side, growing to a mature height of between 10 to 15 feet, with a spread from 8 to 12 feet. It produces thick leaves and tulip-like, lightly fragrant flowers.
The flowers Jane magnolia are fairly large, especially relative to the overall size of the plant. Under ideal conditions, the blooms can reach 8 inches across when fully open. The flower color is displayed in two different time periods. When the flower is still closed, the color is burgundy-purple, and the flowers are shaped like tulips. After the flower has been fully open for a while, the color of the outer side of the petals fades to pink. The petals are white on the inside.
3. Black Diamond Crape myrtle
Whether as a shrub or a multi-stemmed tree, crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia) has something to offer during every season of the year, from colorful flowers to fall leaves to interesting bark. Most crape myrtles have dark green leaves, some tinged with red upon opening. The leaves on a few varieties turn dark red, yellow or orange-red in the fall. All crape myrtles begin with smooth gray or light brown bark, which begins to peel in early summer and continues to peel during the summer and fall, showing mottled patches of new bark in shades of pale cream to dark brown or orange. In the winter, the branches become smooth again and their gnarled, curving forms are revealed.
The Black Diamond Crape Myrtle grows to heights of between 8 to 15 feet and can spread from 6 to 10 feet. Its flowers start blooming after the middle of spring and continue throughout the fall. The flowers grow in panicles and have a crepe-like crinkled texture. The blooms are generally 1- to 2-inch in size and in shades of purple and pink.
4. Pink Dogwood
Pink dogwood (Cornus florida “Rubra”) native to eastern North America and northern Mexico. It brightens the garden each spring by filling their branches with vibrant pink flowers. In addition to their spring beauty, these trees provide berries for birds in the fall. Pink dogwoods prefer rich, well-drained soil that is slightly acidic. This is a good tree for planting near utility lines, next to buildings, or near patios. It is also an excellent contrast tree for larger evergreen backgrounds.
Also Read: Trees With Pink Flowers
5. Sweet Sugar Tyme Crabapple
Often referred to as a crabapple for all seasons, the Sugar Tyme crabapple tree is a beautiful yet compact tree with an oval canopy that makes a striking addition to your garden or landscaping. The Sweet Sugar Tyme Crabapple features delicate, pale-white buds that turn into clouds of pink flowers in spring. These are followed by big crops of cherry-sized fruits, that begin bright red and darken to maroon and burgundy over winter. This tree grows to 20 feet tall and almost as wide, making it ideal for a specimen on a lawn, avenues, or at the back of large beds.
6. Pink Flowering Almond
The flowering almond bush (Prunus triloba) is a small tree or big shrub that’s covered in pretty, pearly pink blossoms every spring and offers lush greenery throughout the year. It’s exceptionally cold hardy and is one of the first shrubs to bloom in the springtime, and it can grow up to 12 feet in height. It’s a fairly resilient plant that’s easy to care for, provided you know about its specific water, soil and fertilizer requirements, and how to combat pests and diseases. Flowering almond (Prunus triloba) leaves have an elongated oval shape that are typically medium- and gray-green. Leaves are about 1 to 2 inches long.
Flowering Almond mixes well with other blooming shrubs such as hydrangea, beautyberry, viburnum, weigela, ninebark, and bluebeard, to create a colorful perimeter planting that will have something in bloom from spring through late summer.
7. Orchid tree
Sometimes called mountain ebony, the orchid tree (Bauhinia variegata) is a deciduous species known for its fragrant purple flowers and unusual lobed leaves. The tree does double duty in the home landscape as both a flowering ornamental and a tree for lining driveways, curbs or streets. Although it is a shorter tree, it is still a dramatic addition to warm-weather gardens.
The orchid tree has a fast growth rate, which means it is capable of adding 24 inches or more to its height in a single growing season. Because it reaches a maximum height of 20 to 40 feet, it may reach full growth in as little as 10 years. Its spread is between 20 and 25 feet, giving it an irregular vase shape. It generally grows as a tree with several trunks rather than a single main trunk. Although its branches are sometimes rather weak, they usually will not break off unless there is a storm.
8. Kwanzan Cherry Tree
The “Kwanzan” cherry, a cultivar of the flowering cherry (Prunus serrulata), produces showy, deep pink blooms in spring and brilliantly colored orange, yellow or copper foliage in the fall. It is a small ornamental tree growing to a height and spread of 15 to 25 feet. Young trees have a vase-shaped habit that becomes more spreading with a rounded crown into maturity. These trees prefer sandy to clay moist well-drained loams in full sun but will tolerate light shade.
Further References
- Types of Trees: https://stylesatlife.com/articles/types-of-trees/
- Trees With Yellow Flowers: https://www.fast-growing-trees.com/collections/trees-with-yellow-flowers
- Trees With White Flowers: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/trees/white-flowering-trees.htm