By Mike McKee
ISA Certified Arborist®
April 17, 2025
Flowering trees can be a great addition to any landscape. There is an unlimited range of options to add that splash of color to your property. The list is very large so I will pick 10 of my favorites that I have planted over my 35+ year career as an ISA Certified Arborist®. Flowering trees not only add a variety of colors, but additionally fragrance and many environmental benefits to pollinators, birds, and more! The timing of the blooms can be spread over several months with proper selections. There are many options among these genera, but I will concentrate on my favorites and best performers. The trees discussed in this article will stay in the small-to-medium size range.
Red Buckeye
I will start with one of my personal favorites, the red buckeye. Blooming in the April to May timeframe, this tall red blossom display is hard to beat in your landscape. This ovular shaped tree will produce red upright panicles that average 4 to 8 inches in length. This will make for a great specimen tree in your yard! If you’re an Ohio State fan, they will eventually produce buckeyes as well!
Common Name: Red Buckeye
Scientific Name: Aesculus pavia
Mature Height: 10 to 20 feet
Mature Width: 10 to 20 feet
Sun Preference: Partial to Full Sun
Spring Foliage Color: Green leaves with red flowers
Other noteworthy characteristics: Brown buckeye nuts. Brown leaves in the fall.
2. Flowering Dogwood
Dogwoods can be one of the most popular trees in central Ohio landscapes. There are many varieties which cover a wide color spectrum, mainly whites, yellows, pinks, and even some reds. These are also trees that can have all season interest due to their bark character, showy fruit, and vibrant fall color display. Cornelian cherry dogwood will be one of the first trees to bloom in the spring with small yellow flowers, but the species I prefer is flowering dogwood with its white spring bracts.
Common Name: Flowering Dogwood
Scientific Name: Cornus florida
Mature Height: 15 to 30 feet
Mature Width: 15 to 30 feet
Sun Preference: Partial to Full Sun
Spring Foliage Color: Green leaves in the spring with white flowers.
Other Noteworthy Characteristics: Red to purple fall color. Persistent red fruit in the winter.
3. Okame Cherry
Another of my favorite early flowering trees would be the Okame cherry. This tree typically blooms in March with vibrant pink flowers. This too is a compact tree that should stay under 25 feet tall. This tree was made famous with its display in Washington DC. It has a mild fragrance and attracts many pollinators.
Common Name: Okame Cherry
Scientific Name: Prunus x okame
Mature Height: 15 to 25 feet
Mature Width: 15 to 20 feet
Sun Preference: Full Sun
Spring Foliage Color: Pink flowers
4. Allegheny Serviceberry
Another tree with all season appeal would be the serviceberry. There are a few species and many cultivated varieties of serviceberry, but I prefer the Allegheny serviceberry. It produces early spring white flowers followed by edible fruit and finally, brilliant fall color!
Common Name: Allegheny Serviceberry
Scientific Name: Amelanchier laevis
Mature Height: 15 to 25 feet
Mature Width: 15 to 25 feet
Sun Preference: Partial to Full Sun
Spring Foliage Color: Green leaves with white flowers
Other Noteworthy Characteristics: Reddish orange fall color
5. PRAIRIFIRE CRABAPPLE
The crabapple is another longtime favorite among central Ohio landscapes. There are more varieties than I can count so I will just list a few of my favorites. If you are looking for white flowers, you cannot go wrong with Adirondack. My favorite pink choice would be prairiefire, with strawberry parfait coming in a close second.
Common Name: Prairifire Crabapple
Scientific Name: Malus x ‘Prairifire’
Mature Height: 15 to 20 feet
Mature Width: 15 to 20 feet
Sun Preference: Full Sun
Spring Foliage Color: Spring maroon leaves with pink flowers
Other Noteworthy Characteristics: Green leaves with red veins in the summer, bronze leaves in the fall
6. Saucer Magnolia
Next on my list are magnolias. Once again, there are too many varieties to list, but the longtime favorites are the saucer magnolia, which has pink flowers, and the star magnolia which has white flowers. The saucer magnolia typically blooms around late March to early April and puts on quite the show! If you are looking for fragrance, make sure you add a sweetbay magnolia to your landscape!
Common Name: Saucer Magnolia
Scientific Name: Magnolia x soulangeana
Mature Height: 25 to 30 feet
Mature Width: 25 to 30 feet
Sun Preference: Partial to Full Sun
Spring Foliage Color: Green leaves with pink flowers
7. Eastern Redbud
Another early blooming favorite that is being produced with several new cultivated varieties is the eastern redbud! They are being developed with a variety of leaf colors, variation in bloom color, and growth habit as well, such as weeping. A classic selection that you cannot go wrong with is the straight species of eastern redbud with its beautiful pinkish purple flowers in the spring! This is the early flowering tree that is often seen along the edge of the woods in natural areas as well as in many landscapes. It flowers at a similar time as magnolia trees but is less likely to be damaged by freezing temperatures and Ohio’s wishy-washy weather.
Common Name: Eastern Redbud
Scientific Name: Cercis canadensis
Mature Height: 20 to 30 feet
Mature Width: 25 to 35 feet
Sun Preference: Partial to Full Sun
Spring Foliage Color: Dark green heart-shaped leaves with pinkish purple leaves
8. Washington Hawthorn
One of the later bloomers in the spring would be the Washington Hawthorn. This is another tree that can have all season interest with the white flowers, fragrance, red fruit, and fall color, making this a great selection for your landscape. Its abundant red fruit supports many pollinators, birds, and more!
Common Name: Washington Hawthorn
Scientific Name: Crataegus phaenopyrum
Mature Height: 25 to 30 feet
Mature Width: 15 to 25 feet
Sun Preference: Full Sun
Spring Foliage Color: Green leaves, white flowers, and red fruit
Other noteworthy characteristics: Orange and scarlet leaves in the fall
9. IVORY SILK JAPANESE TREE LILAC
Next on this list is the ivory silk tree lilac. This is a plant that produces a creamy/white plume, usually long after other trees have bloomed.
Common Name: Ivory Silk Japanese Tree Lilac
Scientific Name: Syringa reticulata
Mature Height: 20 to 30 feet
Mature Width: 15 to 25 feet
Sun Preference: Full Sun
Spring Foliage Color: Dark green leaves with creamy white plumes
Other Noteworthy Characteristics: Golden to bronze fall color. Cherry-like bark that is attractive in the winter.
10. American Witch Hazel
Last (or first) on this list is witch hazel! Some witch hazels bloom in early spring such as Jelena and vernal witch hazel, but a personal favorite (and classic) is the American witch hazel. This plant blooms in the fall with beautiful yellow color that persists into winter, sometimes up to early spring.
Common Name: American Witch hazel
Scientific Name: Hamamelis virginiana
Mature Height: 15 to 25 feet
Mature Width: 15 to 25 feet
Sun Preference: Partial to Full Sun
Spring Foliage Color: Green leaves that turn yellow in the fall and winter
This is just a small list of trees that could add a splash of color to your landscape. With a little research and planning, you can have color, fragrance, fruit, and other interesting characteristics throughout the year! Choose wisely and plan for the mature size of your plants when making selections and picking planting locations.
Please review our other articles on planting, mulching, watering, and other related topics before adding additional trees to your landscape in the coming year. For a free tree quote by one of our 20+ ISA Certified Arborists®, visit RussellTreeExperts.com/Quote or speak with our friendly, local office staff at (614) 895-7000!
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Mike McKee | Regional Manager, Russell Tree Experts
Mike graduated from Hocking College in 1983 with a degree in Natural Resources specializing in urban tree care. He has been an ISA Certified Arborist® since 1991. Mike started his career in the private industry in 1985 before becoming a municipal arborist in 1989. He retired after serving thirty years before joining us at Russell Tree Experts in September 2018. His love of trees has never waned since trying to climb up the ridges of the massive Cottonwood tree in front of his childhood home.