GARDEN DESIGN
Four Spectacular Spring-Blooming Trees Don’t sleep on these ornamental spring stunners. Early spring in the northern part of our country brings forth a burst of color and beauty as flowering trees begin to bloom. A welcome sight after a barren winter, the trees add life and fragrance to the landscape and serve as important sources of nectar for pollinators. Here are four of the best early spring flowering trees for our region.
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Magnolia
Magnolia stellata In early spring, look for a mass of white in local gardens. This snowy cloud announces the bloom of ‘Royal Star’ magnolia and, to me, it symbolizes the beginning of the gardening season. Most magnolia cultivars hardy to the north are small trees or shrubs ranging from 10 to 25 feet tall. ‘Royal Star,’ the earliest bloomer, stands 10 feet tall in my yard and wafts a pleasing fragrance. Before it blooms outside, I bring in branches to force so that I can experience an even earlier spring. For zone 3 gardeners, North Dakota State University has introduced a winter-hardy selection of Loebner magnolia that blooms reliably. Aptly named Spring Welcome®, the flower buds are pale pink and open to a bright white blossom. Other desirable zone 4 cultivars that bloom a bit later than ‘Royal Star’ are ‘Jane’, ‘Ann’, ‘Leonard Messel’ and ‘Merrill’.
STO RY A N D M AG N O L I A P H OTO D I A N E M C G A N N
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SPRING 2024 / NORTHERNGARDENER.ORG
