You know how we Southerners like our warm weather and are not used to the bitter blast of coldness this winter brought! With such a cold winter we have had, it seems like Spring approaching this year is even more anticipated and exciting. It’s kind of like experiencing the warm weather as a trusted, old friend that moved away and is now back in town for a visit (hopefully it will stay!!). Like mentioned in the last post, the end of winter and beginning of Spring is an IDEALLY GREAT time to plant trees. I talked a bit about River Birches and Weeping Willows in my last post, and today I want to share with you some other true beauties that each have unique qualities of their own. Any tree I mention is sold at Riverbend Nurseries.
Cercis Canadensis (the beautiful Redbud tree)
Redbud trees come in many different varieties now adays, so when you think of Redbud, you do not have to ONLY think about the traditional Eastern Redbud we are familiar with in the South. That variety is tried and true and beautiful to boot, but there are also other options I’d like to share with you, too.
Cascading Hearts Redbud- (an option for the smaller spaces) This variety has purplish- pink flowers in the spring, followed by, literally, a cascade of heart shaped bright green leaves the rest of the summer. It is a weeping type of tree with a mature size of only 5-6′ x 6-8′, making it ideal for an ornamental tree; perfect for a small space where you would want a focal point (such as near your front door in your flower bed, or between two windows on the front of your house).
Ace of Hearts- Another great option, this one is for one who does not want a weeping flowering tree but still would like something relatively smaller in size. Reaches 12′ x 15′ when mature and has beautiful purple flowers.
Alba- A gorgeous WHITE blooming Redbud whose bloom is very similar to traditional redbuds except that it is a beautiful creamy white. This cultivar, when mature, reaches 20-25′ x 25-30′, and would be a stunning addition to a yard.
Magnolia grandiflora (the southern Magnolia tree)
Magnolias. Can you not think of one without thinking about lounging outside drinking sweet tea on a lazy Sunday summer afternoon? My grandmother had one of these beauties in her yard when I was a child, and I remember the excitement that it brought me (and her!) seeing it in bloom, year after year. The large, white blooms are nothing short of magnificent. Like with Redbuds, there are many different kinds of Magnolias, and one in particular is smaller than the others.
'Little Gem'- We find at Riverbend that this is one of our most popular selling Magnolias, because it has the gorgeous blooms and handsome leaves, yet it is compact for a magnolia. While many traditional varieties (such as Bracken’s Brown Beauty) reach up to 40-50′ x 20-30′ , 'Little Gem', at maturity, reaches 20-25′ x 10′, making it truly, a “little gem” of a tree (!).
Liriodendron tulipifera (Tulip Poplar tree)
For an expansive yard, tulip poplars are an awesome way to go. As the official tree of Tennessee, it is tall and stately, with creamy orange-ish flowers in late spring into early summer and warm yellow leaves in autumn. The flowers on this tree are reminiscent of a tulip flower. Moisture is important with this tree, so in a dry summer, regular watering is recommended to keep the leaves from becoming dry and falling off prematurely before it’s autumn display of color.
Acer palmetum (Japanese Maple tree)
Simply put, Japanese Maple trees are stunning. There are many different varieties and many of those are available at our nursery, including Bloodgood, Tamukeyama, and Crimson Queen. Some only reach 6′ tall while others reach 30′ tall. If you are looking for a tree that prompts guests to say “wow, what type of tree is that!?” when they see it in its glory in your yard, this may be the tree for you.
Cupressocyparis Leylandii (Leyland Cypress)
If you have a large yard and are looking for a great privacy screen of trees or a larger evergreen tree in general, look at Leyland Cypress. Green all year, it is a stout tree that reaches 30-40′ tall and 25-30′ wide. It is pyramidal in shape and given adequate room to grow, is a nice addition! We sell many different sizes of this tree, including 6-7 feet, 8-9 feet, and 10-12 feet tall.
Picking out a tree does not have to be overwhelming, it can be very fun! We at Riverbend are always eager to assist- bring us in a couple pictures of the space you’re thinking of, and we will help you pick out a great tree, ideal for your yard!