Flowering trees are an easy way to liven up any yard or storefront. Trees take less maintenance and care than bushes and have more flowers on each plant. Let’s look at the most common flowering trees in Oklahoma.
Let’s get straight to it, here are the best (in our opinion) flowering trees in Oklahoma.
Redbud
Redbud trees are a favorite in the midwest. Their deep pink blooms will brighten up any yard. Redbud trees are one of the first trees to bloom in the spring. Once you see the bright redbuds, you know spring is right around the corner!
Redbud trees bloom in late March/early April. Their blooms open before any of their foliage grows. Once the blooms are gone, their beautiful green leaves will leave a beautiful tree leading into the summer.
Prairiefire Crabapple
Crabapple trees can have a range of colors for their blooms. The Prairiefire variety boasts brilliant purple foliage with pinkish-red blooms. The beautiful blooms transform into dark red fruit.
All varieties of crabapple trees are disease resistant and great for Oklahoma gardeners. A mature Prairiefire crabapple tree will grow to be 15-20 feet, both tall and wide. Other crabapple varieties include Snowdrift and Sugar Tyme.
While the Prariefire Crabapple produces beautiful flowers, there are a number of apple trees that grow well in OK.
Flowering Dogwood
Dogwood trees are beautiful in any yard or garden. They have clusters of white blooms that will catch the eye of any passerby in mid-spring. Dogwood trees are beautiful in the summer and fall, too.
Their forest green foliage is a great contrast to their white blooms. Once the cold weather shows up and autumn is upon the dogwoods, their foliage turns a deep burgundy. Red berries are produced throughout autumn.
Desert Willow
Desert Willow trees are small trees, not a willow at all. They prefer dry, well-drained soil. Desert Willow is a great choice for western Oklahoma because they prefer dry soil.
They produce funnel-shaped flowers, blooming in early summer. Their flowers range from lavender, pink, white, or rose with purple markings.
Southern Magnolia
Southern Magnolia trees are very common in Oklahoma. They are evergreen trees, retaining their green leaves throughout the year. Magnolia trees can live up to 100 years, making them a great family tree that will last through generations.
The leaf color and bloom color of a Magnolia tree depend on the variety. One of the most common color combinations is dark green leaves and white blooms.
Hawthorn
Hawthorn trees are large bee-attracting trees. If you have fruit trees or other plants that need good pollination, planting a hawthorn nearby attracts bees to your other trees!
While the blooms attract bees and other pollinators in the spring, their leaves are eaten by caterpillars. Your garden will be bustling with bees, butterflies, moths, and birds if you have a hawthorn tree!
Japanese Lilac
Japanese Lilac trees produce beautiful clusters of white flowers. The panicles of white flowers grow to be 6-12 inches long. Their blooms last about two weeks in early summer.
Japanese Lilac trees are different than most lilacs. They are resistant to powdery mildew disease, which usually affects other lilacs. Because of this resistance, their leaves add to the beauty of the tree.
Bradford Pear
Bradford pears are a bustle of beautiful white blooms. However, they have been put on the invasive species list in Oklahoma. They have a rapid reproduction rate that allows them to invade.
Along with rapid reproduction, Bradford Pears are structurally weak. A strong gust of wind can break a Bradford pear tree.
Common Smoke Tree
The Common Smoke Tree gets its name from the billowy hairs that emerge after blooms are spent in summer. These hairs turn a smoky, pinkish purplish color. These hairs give the Smoke Tree a smoky, hazy look.
The smoke tree is attractive at other times of the year, too. It is known to have one of the best fall color displays in North America. Its gnarled limbs and interesting bark pattern give it appeal in wintertime, too.
Serviceberry
The Serviceberry tree is native to eastern Oklahoma, Missouri, and Arkansas. It is a beautiful flowering tree for Oklahoma. They can grow up to 30 feet tall, and they produce white flowers in the springtime. These flowers mature into a berry-like pomme fruit that is purple to dark red.