Flowering Trees for Zone 5

The flowering trees of Zone 5 can take your breath away when they begin to bloom in early spring after the dull gray of winter. Most are specimen trees that may grow 15 feet to 20 feet in height, adding beauty and fragrance to your yard alone or in groupings. Consider height, shade tolerance, soil requirements and disease resistance when making your selections so you can get years of satisfaction and enjoyment from your trees. You can check with your local nursery for information on these specifications.

Growing 10 to 25 feet high, the flowering crab apple is prized for blooms so thick they often hide the tree's limbs. In fragrant shades of white, pink and red, the trees are striking whether alone or in mass plantings. Disease-resistant varieties are common, as well as varieties that do not bear fruit.

One of the earliest flowering trees, redbuds literally burst with a mass of bead-like blossoms even before their leaves begin to appear. A native tree, it will grow 10 to 40 feet tall and wide, with flowers in shades of purple to rose.

Several varieties of hardy flowering dogwood are available with both standard and horizontal branching structures. They will reach heights from 10 to 25 feet and generally grow well in most well-drained soils. The flat, dramatic flowers range from white to pink.

The Japanese cherry is the ornamental variety of the cherry tree and produces a glorious spring show of perfumed flowers in masses of pink and white. It can grow to a height of about 20 feet.

The spring flower show of a magnolia is second to none. Gardeners in colder zones envy the spectacular beauty of a magnolia in the landscape. In Zones 4 and below, buds may form before the threat of a frost is past, killing the bud. The magnolia tree prefers enriched, slightly acidic soil in a protected location and generally reaches 15 to 20 feet high.

The tree version of the lilac family, also known as Korean lilac, produces clustered blooms with a musk-like fragrance. This rounded or oval specimen can grow to 30 feet, or 15 feet as a dwarf version.

A hardy little tree with lots of pizazz, the peegee hydrangea is a summer bloomer with amazing, creamy flower cones. As fall approaches, the cones turn coppery-rose and last throughout the winter. This dependable bloomer can reach 15 to 20 feet high and wide.

The hawthorn may not be quite as sought-after as the pagoda dogwood, but it provides the horizontal gracefulness that is exceptional in the northern limits of Zone 5. With white flower clusters in June, it tolerates drought and reaches a height of 15 to 20 feet.

Commonly a shrub, witch hazel prunes easily to a tree form by removal of the lower branches. A late-fall bloomer with leggy yellow spice-scented flowers, witch hazel prefers a damp acidic soil and can reach 20 to 25 feet tall.

This round-shaped tree displays multitudes of white flowers in spring against shiny golden bark, which is a major reason for its cultivation. The Amur chokecherry thrives in moist, well-drained soil and needs pruning to maintain its tree shape to a height of 20 to 30 feet.

Serviceberry is a native ornamental tree with pink-tipped white blooms in spring that develop into purple fruit in fall. The fruit is edible for both humans and birds. Serviceberry spreads 15 to 25 feet tall and 10 to 15 feet wide.

All mountain ash trees produce insignificant white spring flowers that develop to large flashy clusters of bright orange berries from fall through winter. The ornamental variety of Sorbus decora grows to 20 feet.