But don’t let these objections stop you from buying one. Most gardeners will tolerate its drawbacks for the chance to grow something that, for two weeks in late spring, will turn the heads of every neighbor on the street. The racemes of golden flowers are that showy. Complement golden chain with specimens that’ll pick up the slack the rest of the year. Flowering dogwood (Cornus florida) is indigenous to the U.S. Its blooms are often pink, but Cherokee Chief’s (zones 5 to 9) are red. It becomes 20 to 25 feet tall (12 to 15 feet wide). The fall foliage ranges from reddish-bronze to purplish. Weeping Higan (Prunus subhirtella Pendula, zones 4 to 8) is a popular selection, exploding with pink/white flowers in April. Make sure you have room for it because it becomes 20 to 30 feet tall, with a spread 15 to 25 feet. There are many cultivars; Prairie Fire and Spring Snow (both suited to zones 4 to 8) will serve as examples. Magnificent flowering trees, Prairie Fire plants have deep-pink flowers that later become dark-red crabapples. Prairie Fire has a mature height and spread of 15 to 20 feet. Spring Snow has fragrant white flowers; this cultivar is fruitless. Its mature measurements are 20 to 25 feet tall and 15 to 20 feet wide. North or South, it’s prized for its flower clusters. Color can be pink, red, or white. Date palms (Phoenix dactylifera) will survive where temperatures get down to 18 degrees Fahrenheit. It’s one of the “pinnate” kinds of palm, meaning the foliage resembles a feather. The other major class is the “palmate;” the leaves on this type remind you of a human hand. Holly is another of those plants with multiple desirable qualities. Its beauty comes not only from its leaves but also from its berries (which are red on many varieties). These features give it winter interest. The berries draw birds. And if you’re seeking a security hedge, the prickly foliage of holly makes it a great choice. One of the best traits of Bloodgood is that it looks good year-round. Not just a fall-foliage tree like some maples, Bloodgood’s leaves shine for three seasons. In winter, its nice branching pattern picks up the slack to afford interest.
Its yellow fall foliageIts flat-topped clusters of white flowersIts clusters of orange berries
Mountain ash is a medium-sized tree (30 feet high, with a similar spread). Birds eat the berries. The plant’s only drawback is that its blooms release a pungent and unfavorable odor. Paper birch (Betula papyrifera) is one such tree, with yellow fall color and peeling bark to admire in winter. This 70-foot-tall tree is for zones 2 to 9. Keep their root systems away from septic tanks. A better choice for planting around septic systems is Japanese maple. Red Bird of Paradise (Caesalpinia pulcherrima) is a short tree, hardy only in zones 8 to 11. But if you garden in warm areas, it gives you a dwarf option (4 to 6 feet tall, 6 to 8 feet wide) with orange flowers.
Cold-hardiness (zone 4) Ease of transplanting Pollution tolerance Strong wood (making it safer to grow near your house)
One is Malus pumila Honeycrisp. The name describes its fruit’s quality. Honeycrisp is one of the most cold-tolerant apples (zones 4 to 7). This dwarf is 8 to 10 feet tall and wide. As a pollinator for it, you’ll need another type of Malus. The pollinator can be a crabapple; the latter will give you lovely flowers, besides donating pollen. Not just any apple or crabapple will do; Prairie Fire is one of the crabapples listed as a pollinator for Honeycrisp. Maturing to 10 to 12 feet tall by 8 to 10 feet wide, in a small yard it should be pruned down, emphasizing its natural horizontal branching pattern.
Windbreak Privacy screen (when massed) Source for decorative boughs
