Spectacular Small Trees for Your Landscape
by Meagan McDonald

ARTICLE FIRST APPEARED: 1999 Fall

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Crabapples, serviceberries, lilacs, and many of the "old favorite" garden trees are often planted near the house or patio. These are wonderful choices, but there are other small trees and shrubs that hold extraordinary possibility for your landscape.

Corneliancherry dogwood (Cornus mas) is one of my favorites. This small tree is incredibly unique and beautiful. It blooms bright yellow in March, sometimes while snow is still around! It has nice, deeply-veined foliage that is disease free. The yellowish fruit turns bright red in late summer and is a fantastic alternative to crab-apples--besides it is much better looking in summer. This 20-25' tree should be grown as a single-stem specimen or a multi-stemmed shrub.

Running a close second is the graceful redbud (Cercis canadensis). This spring beauty is a tough one to get started but once established is one of the most spectacular trees in the landscape. Redbuds (20' x 20') are umbrella shaped trees with glossy, heart-shaped leaves that are bright yellow in the fall. Redbuds prefer to be in a somewhat protected spot away from the brisk winds and cold of winter or the southwest sun of summer. They also tolerate shade from the canopy of bigger trees. Be sure to acquire your redbud from a source that has grown them locally or has used northern trees as a seed source. Otherwise, hardiness will be questionable. Keep in mind this is a moderately slow growing tree and it will have dead wood from year to year. Come check out Spring Bluff Nursery's 25-year-old beauty!

Pagoda dogwood (Cornus alternifolia) is similar in size and shape to the redbud. Flowering white in mid- spring, this tree offers a different look for the garden. The shape is reminiscent of Japanese-type gardens, as the layers of branches are very defined and horizontal. The leaves are glossy dark green turning to burgundy in the fall. The black fruit appears in late August; coupled with its chocolate colored bark, this tree has great four-season interest.

Ironwood (Carpinus caroliniana), also known as musclewood or blue beech, is another attractive native tree. Growing to 20', the sharply veined leaves and smooth gray bark make this tree a great addition to the garden.

The ironwood will grow in the under-story of larger shade trees or out in the yard as a small specimen.

The thornless cockspur hawthorn (Crataegus crusgalli var. inermis) is definitely worthy of consideration. At 15-20', this glossy leafed tree provides interest through all four seasons. Its white flowers precede bright red berries. Use a multistemmed version as a specimen in a courtyard or near patios (allow room for berry drop). This tree has a reddish-gold fall color. You may consider a thorned variety as well but avoid locating it near walkways due to the thorns. (Note: Hawthorns are susceptible to cedar apple rust, which is a fungal disease. It usually turns the fruit an unsightly but harmless fuzzy orange.)

A close cousin to the thornless cockspur is the Washington hawthorn (Crataegus phaenopyrum). Although very thorny, this tree is gorgeous spring through fall. The leaves are similar to a maple and turn bright crimson red in fall. White flowers produce scarlet fruit in late summer that birds love. I recommend trimming the interior branches that are crossing or pointing inward, as this hawthorn is very branched and could use periodic thinning. Keep in mind it has thorns when placing it in the garden. Limb it up to avoid confrontations!

Another white flowering tree is the native nannyberry viburnum (Viburnum lentago). While it is commonly grown as a shrub, the tree form is a very versatile 12-15' small tree. It tolerates sun to part shade, flowers white in the spring, and has glossy lilac-like leaves in summer, burgundy leaves in the fall, and iridescent purple fruit. The nannyberry viburnum can be identified by its very unique buds in spring. They look like little purple hats, which are actually tiny naked leaves.

Several other viburnums can be trained as small trees; for example, the native blackhaw viburnum (Viburnum prunifolium). It's less susceptible to powdery mildew, has small, glossy leaves, and has great fall color. The Koreanspice (V. carlesii) and Judd viburnums (V. x juddii) can be multi-stemmed small trees with a little more trim work, but are rewarding when flowering. Nothing compares in fragrance to these two viburnums in spring!

The wafer-ash (Ptelea trifoliata), also called hoptree, is good for sun or shade. Reaching 15-20' tall and 10-15' wide this small native tree should stake a place in any woodland or patio garden. It has fragrant white flowers in June followed by a wafer-like seed capsule. The wafer ash also has a nice yellow fall color.

Although not necessarily a small tree (growing to 35'), the Japanese tree lilac (Syringa reticulata) is worth including here. This tree is spectacular in bloom with huge creamy white plumes and a strong lilac fragrance in late June. Add to it the large glossy leaves and attractive peeling bark and you have a great corner or patio tree! Look for multi-stemmed versions and trim it up slightly to enjoy the bark.

I really do not get "heart flutters" from the crabapples (Malus spp.), because so many get scab in the dog days of summer. However, several varieties seem to be fending well in Zone 5. 'Harvest Gold' is an attractive white flowering version (I think the white types perform better). It has bright orange and yellow fruit and a yellowish bark. By far the best performer is the dwarf Sargent--a huge cloud of white flowers in the spring followed by bright red clusters of fruit that are persistent into winter, with never a spot on the leaves. Look for a multi-stem and use it as a screen or specimen. The 'Prairifire' crab, introduced by the University of Illinois in 1982, is fantastic with shocking pink flowers and small red fruit. 'Snowdrift' is a larger white version with orange berries that hasn't had problems with leaf loss.

Finally, the serviceberry (Amelanchier x grandiflora) holds the title of the ultimate four-season small tree. Delicate lacy white flowers in spring, an abundance of lime-green leaves all summer, red fruit changing to purple (they taste like blueberries), followed by bright yellow, orange, and scarlet fall color. In addition, bright silver, smooth bark in the winter. Wow! Although moderately overplanted, the serviceberry surely does add a service to the landscape!

All of these small trees have their own unique characteristics, but all share the common trait of being worthy specimen trees. Be bold--try one of these interesting varieties. You will not be disappointed!

Meagan McDonald is a landscape designer and the nursery manager at Spring Bluff Nursery in Sugar Grove, IL. She can be reached at (630) 466-4278.

Plant Food For Thought
"No one ever sits in their own gazebo."
Ð Tony Avent
Plant Delights Nursery
Raleigh, North Carolina

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