Flowering trees are often considered “ornamentals” leaving many to question their purpose beyond just “looking pretty”. But don’t let these beautiful blooms fool you, these trees offer numerous practical benefits to your landscape. Take advantage of these benefits and plant a flowering tree this year!
The 2024 Arbor Day Tree Giveaway will feature numerous native flowering trees, including Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida) and Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis).
Delightful Dogwood
Considered one of the most spectacular native bloomers, flowering dogwood is a small to medium sized understory tree reaching 20 – 40 feet tall and 20 feet wide. The fragrant white flowers bloom March through June followed by bright red berries. As a deciduous tree, flowering dogwood will lose its leaves in winter, but not before the pale green leaves turn into scarlet-red foliage in the fall.
Radiant Redbud
A “fan favorite” among The Township residents, Eastern redbud is one of the most beautiful native trees to grace North America. This showy, deciduous tree can reach 15-20 feet tall making it a perfect species for yards with existing, taller canopy trees. The easily identifiable heart-shaped leaves emerge with a reddish tinge, turning a dark green when they unfurl, and finally yellow in autumn. The show-stopping pea-like flowers are rosy pink and will develop right before the leaves return in spring. A profusion of flowers appear from March to April that are one of the sure signs of spring. Eastern redbud also produces legumes that will ripen in October and persist through winter.
Growing Success
This species of dogwood brings wonderful aesthetic value to your landscape, although it will take a few seasons to get rooted in. With its slow growth patience is a virtue, yet the reward is truly beautiful when it blooms in your landscape. You can find flowering dogwood flourishing in thickets, near streams or riverbanks, shaded woods, and dry upland areas. For your home landscape, it’s important to plant this tree in a location where it can bask in full sun or enjoy partial shade. It thrives in well-drained, slightly acidic soils with a high organic matter content, which can be achieved by enriching the soil with compost. Adding a layer of mulch assists in maintaining cool and moist roots during the hot summer months. With its multi-season appeal, this tree serves many purposes in the landscape – as a pollinator plant, a bright spot in the winter garden, or a unique shade tree to accent a patio or play area.
Unlike the dogwood, eastern redbud is a relatively fast grower. It thrives in the garden, whether planted in small clusters or as a stunning standalone feature. You can cultivate this tree in full sun if it is spared from hot afternoon rays, as full sun encourages abundant flowering. However, in our hot climate it prefers the dappled or partial shade provided by taller overstory trees. Redbuds thrive in moist, well-drained soil. They typically require watering once a week, or whenever the soil is dry, during the first 2 years to get established. Past that time it’s advisable to give supplemental watering during dry spells. As a legume, the eastern redbud fixes nitrogen, benefiting itself and neighboring plants by enhancing fertility within its root zone. Because of its deep taproot, it’s best to carefully consider the planting location, as transplanting is not recommended. Once established, eastern redbud boasts a moderate growth rate, reaching a height of 8-10 feet within the first 5 years.
Attract the Locals
Flowering dogwood is extremely beneficial to wildlife, ranking third on the Favorite Fruits List for fauna and #13 on the Best Browse List. There is no denying the value when over 30 different wildlife species and 13 species of birds depend on these delicious fruits. This species also makes for a perfect addition to your pollinator garden. Having a great source of nectar, the lovely white flowers are often visited by butterflies and bees, and it is the larval host plant for the Spring Azure butterfly.
While the showy springtime flowers are one of eastern redbuds’ most commendable traits, its greatest virtue is being an important source of sustenance for honeybees and native pollinators. The redbud is so indispensable that experts rate it as one of the top ten most important native flowering trees. Since this species blooms before most trees develop leaves, it serves as an essential source of nectar and pollen for pollinators during their most difficult time of forage in late winter and early spring. Eastern redbud also serves as a larval host plant for Henry’s Elfin butterfly. Other than its immense pollinator value, this tree also provides seeds and shelter for an abundance of bird species.
Adding fall color and spring blooms to your landscape will not only enhance the aesthetics of your garden but also add value for wildlife. Consider incorporating flowering dogwood and Eastern redbud as they make wonderful understory species, offering numerous benefits beyond their inherent beauty.
Join us tomorrow at the 48th annual Arbor Day Tree Giveaway on January 27th, 2024, from 9am – noon at Rob Fleming Park, where you can pick up your very own flowering dogwood or Eastern redbud seedling courtesy of The Woodlands Township! Be sure to check out all the previous Trees on the Trail posts to see highlights of many of the species being offered.
For more information please reach out to the Environmental Services Department at 281-210-3800 or enviro@thewoodlandstownship-tx.gov