The Best Flowering Trees and Shrubs to Plant In Your Central PA Garden
July 11, 2023
It’s that time of year again when the weather has finally begun to warm and the time has come to spruce up your gardens and front lawns. And what better way to do so than to surround your house with flowering trees and shrubs?
Choosing what to plant may seem daunting at first, but once you become familiar with what’s available, it can become a fun project. This blog will help you to learn about the best flower blooming trees and shrubs to plant, what’s common to central PA, and how to plant them.
Flower Blooming Trees
As the name suggests, flower blooming refers to perennial trees and shrubs that produce beautiful flowers in both the spring and summer months.
Trees can be beneficial in many ways. They are most known for creating more shade, attracting helpful birds and pollinators, improving air quality, and mitigating the effects of soil erosion.
Here are a few different types of flowering trees that can be found in the central Pennsylvania area.
Common Flowering Trees
Beautiful trees that are notable for their bracts (modified leaves that look similar to petals) and their white, pink, and yellow true flowers.
Examples:
- Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida)
- Silky Dogwood (Cornus amomum)
- Chinese Dogwood (Cornus kousa)
Small trees that produce pink/dark pink and white flowers and require lots of sunlight and well-drained soil. Most are well-known for bearing small red fruit as well.
Examples:
- Black Cherry (Prunus serotina)
- Kwanzan Flowering Cherry (Prunus serrulata ‘Kwanzan’)
- Snow Fountains Yoshino Cherry (Prunus ‘Snow Fountains’)
Trees known for their big glossy leaves and fragrant flowers (ranging from white to pink). Along with often preferring acidic soil, some species have even been known to survive in colder climates.
Examples:
- Star Magnolia (Magnolia stellata)
- Sweetbay Magnolia (Magnolia virginiana)
- Southern Magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora)
Trees that quickly grow pink to purple flowers and heart-shaped leaves.
Examples:
- Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis)
Early spring bloomers that produce beautiful white flowers and thrive in moist soil. Requires frequent pruning and maintenance.
Examples:
- Callery Pear (Pyrus calleryana)
Flower Blooming Shrubs
These types of plants share many of the same benefits as their flowering counterparts listed above. They are recommended more for those who wish for a more subtle change in scenery for their lawns and gardens.
Here are a few different types of flowering shrubs that can be found in the central Pennsylvania area.
Common Flowering Shrubs
Smaller shrubs and flowers ranging from pinks to reds to lavenders that require partial shade and careful mulching.
Examples:
- Blaauw’s Pink Azalea (Rhododendron ‘Blaauw’s Pink’)
- Girard’s Karen Azalea (‘Rhododendron ‘Girard’s Karen’)
- Delaware Valley White Azalea (Rhododendron ‘Delaware Valley White’)
Known for their lilac and purple flowers, these shrubs are relatively easy to maintain and produce blooms that have a sweet fragrance.
Examples:
- Common Lilac (Syringa vulgaris)
- Dwarf Korean Lilac (Syringa meyeri ‘Palibin’)
- Bloomerang® Purple Lilac (Syringa ‘Penda’)
Shrubs that when in bloom, are covered in bright yellow flowers. They are especially popular in the spring and easy to care for due to their adaptable nature.
Examples:
- Lynwood Gold Forsythia (Forsythia x intermedia ‘Lynwood Gold’)
- Show Off® Forsythia (Forsythia x intermedia ‘Mindor’)
Easily grows red, white, or pink flowers under full sunlight, which can attract small insects and birds such as butterflies and hummingbirds.
Examples:
- Wine and Roses® Weigela (Weigela florida ‘Alexandra’)
- French Lace Weigela (Weigela florida ‘French Lace’)
- Sonic Bloom® Pink Reblooming Weigela (Weigela florida ‘Bokrasopin’)
Well-known for their large blossom bundles that can come in pink, white, lavender, etc. Many are good for growing along vertical structures and being adaptable to growing in the sun or shade.
Examples:
- Smooth Hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens)
- Climbing Hydrangea (Hydrangea petiolaris)
How to Plant Flowering Trees and Shrubs in 5 Easy Steps
Now that you have learned a bit more about the different flowering trees and shrubs in the central PA area, it’s time to pick your plants. Once you have done so, you can begin preparing and planting your trees and/or shrubs.
Here are five steps to help walk you through the planting process and what you should be aware of as you begin.
