When I ask friends which landscape tree they love most, Japanese maples (Acer palmatum) get the nod more often than any other species. These beloved trees offer a staggering range of leaf color, and are also small enough to find a suitable place in almost every garden. This lovely small maple is also suitable for growing in containers on the patio.

Japanese maple care is not complicated but it’s important to offer them some help during the hottest months of the year, including July. This month is the very heart of summer. So you’ll want to protect your Japanese maple trees now to help them thrive the rest of the year as well.

Here are 5 important steps to take to safeguard your Japanese maple trees in July.

1. Don’t Let Trees Dry Out

Dieback and Japanese maple leaves turning brown in summer is usually caused by a lack of moisture. In July, you need to keep on top of the moisture situation. If you see your tree’s leaves looking dry or scorched, you’re not doing enough. This is particularly true during the tree’s first year after planting. Be particularly careful if you are growing a Japanese maple in a container.

Keeping the soil well-watered under Japanese maples is the number one task for gardeners. How often should you water Japanese maple trees? The frequency depends a lot on climate and where the tree is sited.

During hot weather, you may need to water container-trees every single day. The soil of a potted Japanese maple should never be permitted to dry out. Count on watering a tree planted in the soil two times a week if it gets direct sun, once a week for a tree sited in the shade. A moisture meter, like this one from Amazon, is a useful gadget and will make sure you are acting on correct information.

2. Follow Good Watering Practices

While watering is crucial for Japanese maples in July, it is also very important to follow the best watering etiquette. Make these “rules” your habit:

• Every time you water your trees, give them a deep watering to make sure that the entire root system is hydrated. This means more than a quick splash. For trees in the soil, let the hose run and water around the drip line for several minutes. For container trees, be sure to water until the excess flows out the drainage holes.
• Although rainfall can provide a good source of water for an established Japanese maple, toss in a deep watering every few weeks to top off the irrigation.
• Well-draining soil is important since these trees will not tolerate consistently wet soil that comes from overwatering.
• Water early in the morning. Later in the day, it will be hotter and the water you provide your Japanese maple will evaporate. While some gardeners prefer to water in the cool of the evenings, moisture that remains on the trees at night can result in fungal diseases.
• Don’t use overhead sprinklers that wet the maple leaves, since this can cause leaf scorch during the heat of the day. Invest in a good soaker hose, like this one from Amazon, to deliver water to the tree’s root zone.

3. Provide Heat & Wind Protection

We think of July as hot and still, but in some regions, hot winds are a feature of summer. The combination of hot, drying winds and blazing sunshine will take a toll on your trees. You can avoid this issue by planting your Japanese maple in a site where it is protected from harsh winds and also shaded from hot sun. If it’s already established in an exposed location, you’ll need to step in.

Windy conditions in summer will both stress your Japanese maples and likely limit the leaf color. Mulch can provide wind protection as well as keep roots cool. If you already mulched around the tree in spring, it may be time to add some more.

Organic mulch is best for Japanese maples, since it will disintegrate into and improve the soil over time. You’ll want to weed the area under the tree up to the drip line before you add mulch. Then water deeply and well since the mulch will seal that moisture into the ground. Finally, add a 2-3 inch (5-7.6 cm) layer of mulch over the area beneath the canopy, extending it to the drip line.

The mulch should be far enough away from the trunk that there is no chance of it touching. Consider using a pine-based mulch, like this one from Amazon, for this acid-loving tree.

4. Prune Now, If Necessary

Japanese maples don’t need much pruning. They naturally have an elegant shape. But July is the perfect time to lightly prune Japanese maples to keep trees healthy and looking good.

Use sharp, sterilized pruners, like these expert-approved Felco pruning shears, and snip out badly-placed or crossing shoots. If you want to reduce the size of your tree, trim long branches back to a well-placed side branch. Make clean cuts just on top of the branch collar.

If your maple’s canopy is dense, consider thinning it out a bit to allow light and air to penetrate. Focus on inward-growing branches and be sure to maintain the tree's natural shape. Postpone major pruning tasks for late winter or early spring when the tree is dormant.

5. Watch for Pests & Diseases

It’s a sad fact of summer: pests and diseases show up to party hearty. Japanese maples are not immune to this, so inspect them regularly for aphids, spider mites, scale, and fungal infections. These trees are tough and can shrug off a lot of problems, but when they are attacked by insects or diseases in July while they are fighting heat stress, they can be seriously impacted.

If you spot an issue, act promptly. Treat fungal diseases with fungicides, like this spray from Amazon, and bugs with the appropriate organic insecticides. Neem oil, which you can also find on Amazon, mixed with water and dish soap works for many insects.

The prospect of sweet cherries is tantalizingly close as midsummer arrives. Cherry season usually peaks around this time, although the exact timing depends on your specific location, local weather conditions, and the type of cherry you are growing. If you’re cultivating sweet cherries like 'Bing', 'Rainier' or 'Stella' then a few timely tasks are going to influence the size, sweetness and bulk of your crop. Accomplishing these chores will have a direct impact on how sweet, juicy, and beautifully bird-free your harvest of summer cherries will be.

Fortunately, the work required for cherry tree care in July won’t break your back nor dampen your summer mood. These tasks are simple, fast, and intensely rewarding, as the payoff will be the sweetest, plumpest, and heaviest harvest of summer cherries you’ve ever had. But don’t put off these tasks: they are essential to protect and maximize the sugar and moisture content of your developing fruit.

You don’t want your precious fruits to fall foul of unexpected heat waves or sudden summer downpours. By stepping in with some simple deeds right now, you aren't just protecting this year’s bounty, either. You are also safeguarding the reserves your tree needs to return even stronger next season. So, here’s how to make the most of your July cherries and nourish your tree for future fruit.

Best Cherry Care in July

Taking time for cherry care in July is a win-win for your home orchard. Whether you live in a mild coastal zone or a blazing interior valley, cherry trees are under intense pressure to support heavy fruit loads while fending off seasonal pest surges. These basic care strategies prevent fruit splitting, premature dropping, and bird raids, ensuring your harvest lasts longer and tastes vastly superior across USDA zones 4-9.

These protective measures for cherries in early summer don’t just protect your harvests, they also replenish the tree. July is a great time to boost soil moisture, light penetration, and nutrient availability, to help your tree finish fruiting without depleting energy reserves. It also helps your tree transition into setting fruit buds for next year, protecting against biennial bearing, and keeping trees vigorous and productive for decades.

Before diving into these tasks, ensure your cutting tools are sharp, clean, and sterilized to prevent the introduction of systemic disease. Before adding anything else to the soil around your tree, check moisture levels in the ground using a soil diagnostic tool. The XLUX Soil Moisture Meter from Amazon can help you to gauge soil moisture deep within the root zone before you water or add any supplements.

1. Deep, Consistent Watering

Everyone knows that cherry trees need water to grow, thrive, and produce juicy fruit. But how much and how often depends on the growth stage and the weather. Sweet cherries are preparing to fruit and trees need deep, consistent watering. Temperatures are rising as we get to July. It’s easy to overcompensate by dramatically increasing the amount of water you give the tree, or watering twice a day. But this is neither ideal for the tree nor good for your summer cherry harvest. Instead, think deep, consistent watering to stop fruit from splitting.

Deep watering a cherry tree encourages strength and resilience, by encouraging the tree’s roots to dive deeper into the soil. You can deep water with a garden hose or a soaker hose, just as well as with a complex sprinkler system. Focus water around the drip line, not near the trunk (since this can cause disease). Go for a 50ft option such as the RainPoint 50Ft Flat Soaker Hose from Amazon. Try to set up a regular irrigation schedule and stick to it. Overwatering or inconsistent watering can cause cherries to split. Bear in mind that cherry trees in containers will dry out more quickly.

Aim for one deep soaking per week that penetrates 12-18 inches (30-45cm) into the ground, rather than shallow daily sprinkles. For container-grown varieties, check pots daily, as they can dry out entirely in a single hot afternoon, arresting fruit development and turning skin bitter. Use Pro-Mix Premium Moisture Potting Soil Mix from Walmart to help regulate water retention and enhance nutrient uptake.

2. Apply a Thick Mulch

Cherry trees grow best in soil that neither gets waterlogged nor dries out for long periods. Organizing your irrigation is an important step toward making this happen for your tree, but there’s another easy way to lock moisture into the soil beneath the tree and keep that soil cool, and that’s mulching. You may have mulched your trees in early spring, but by July we need to add more. Garden compost works well for cherry trees, but any well-rotted organic matter will do just fine. Try a sprinkling of an organic compost like Charlie's Compost from Amazon to help microbial life.

A properly applied midsummer mulch layer functions as a protective shield, reducing surface evaporation by up to 70%. When applying your organic matter, layer it 3-4 inches (8-10cm) thick, extending all the way out to the tree’s drip line where the active feeder roots reside. Don’t let the mulch touch the bark, though. Keep a clear 6-inch (15cm) ring around the base of the trunk. Burying the root flare traps moisture directly against the wood, inviting collar rot, fungal cankers, and boring insects. For an extra boost to your soil, consider mixing fine wood chips with rich leaf mold to encourage beneficial mycorrhizal networks that enhance nutrient uptake.

3. Deploy Bird Netting

We love to watch garden birds on our backyard feeders, but it’s not so pleasant to watch them chowing down on our ripening cherries. But face it, birds love to eat cherries, so a polite sign is not going to help. The trick is to cover your tree with bird netting before you think you need to (in other words, before the fruit turns red). If your tree is small enough, cover the whole structure. Otherwise, cover individual branches. Keep the netting above the fruits, stretch it taut, and fasten it securely.

For whole trees, try a zip-bag such as Homada Fruit Tree Netting Cover with Drawstring from Amazon for a tangle-resistant mesh that won’t harm wildlife. For targeted cluster protection, use Agfabric Fruit Protection Bags from Home Depot. These are great for wrapping individual high-yielding branches or protecting patio cherry tree crops with ease. For container trees, consider a fruit cage or move the trees into the greenhouse until fruiting is done.

When installing protective netting, pull the netting tight over a framework (like PVC pipes or bamboo stakes) to keep the mesh suspended away from the outermost branches. If the netting rests against the fruit, clever birds will sit on top of the mesh and peck through the holes. If it is taut like a trampoline, birds will fly away safely without getting caught. Look for a mesh size of 20mm or less.

4. Tackle Aphids and Cherry Blackflies

Bugs are obviously annoying, especially when they are crawling on our favorite plants and trees. But biodiversity is important, so don’t make it your goal to take out every cherry blackfly or cherry aphid you spot. Cherry blackfly (Myzus cerasi) is an aphid that sucks sap from the foliage. This insect overwinters on the tree as eggs, and the aphids hatch in summer. Check the undersides of the leaves this month. If they are covered with shiny black aphids, you’ve identified the issue. You may also see leaves that are crumpled and curled. However, the aphids will leave the tree in summer, so if the damage is not severe, it might be better to leave them.

While a minor aphid infestation won't ruin your crop, severe leaf curling can compromise the tree's ability to photosynthesize, reducing the overall sweetness of this year’s fruit. If you must intervene, avoid harsh chemical insecticides that harm native pollinators. Instead, use a firm, targeted blast of water to dislodge colonies, or apply a gentle organic insecticide or insecticidal soap late in the evening. Arber Organic Bio-Insecticide Concentrate from Walmart is an exceptional planet-safe biological treatment that targets sap-suckers. Alternatively, import predator bugs. You can get a box of live ladybugs at garden stores and let them eat the aphids.

5. Trim Gently for Light and Airflow

It’s not a good idea to do a major cherry tree prune while cherries are ripening, for obvious reasons. But after your cherry harvest, it is a good idea to prune in July. It’s useful to prune sweet cherry trees every year to keep them compact. However, it's more important for tart cherries, since they bear their fruit on the ends of the branches. If branches get long and scraggly, they can break under the weight.

If you are gentle and reasonable with your cuts, July trimming can open up the inside of the canopy to airflow and sunlight. Take a good long look at the tree first to determine which branches are causing blockage problems and limit your trimming to these. Using clean shears or pruners, remove the least amount possible to open up the canopy. Use team favorites Fiskars Bypass Pruning Shears from Amazon, or Corona Forged Steel DualCUT Bypass Pruners from Walmart, for razor-sharp cuts that make clean, fast-healing cuts on fruit wood.

Cherry trees are highly vulnerable to fungal diseases like silver leaf and bacterial canker when pruned during cold, wet seasons. So the warm, dry midsummer window is perfect, as the exposed wood heals rapidly. Good pruning basics include removing dead, damaged, or diseased wood, alongside aggressive water sprouts shooting up through the center of the canopy. Opening up the center allows sunlight to reach the lower interior branches, which is beneficial for future ripening and sugar conversion.

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Caring for your backyard orchard doesn’t have to be a chore. These pro-approved care essentials will streamline tree maintenance and help you give timely checks and support in a way that is kind to trees during their most energetic phase of the year, while also great for your pocket.

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I’m spending time on my mountain in France, waiting for the canicule the radio is predicting, with temperatures rising to 100 degrees Fahrenheit (37.7°C). Here in Basque Country, the weather can top out at 70-75° (21-24C) during June. But the climate has warmed and I, for one, am grateful for all the trees I’ve planted. With my land full of mature trees, I feel sheltered from the worst of the heat. Oaks, chestnuts, and beech all provide excellent shade. That said, small shade trees are also useful, creating a mid-tier pocket of cooling shelter in areas of partial shade.

You might wonder, if an area is already cast in shadow, why on earth does it need a tree for cooling shelter? Well, while a high house wall or an overhanging neighbor’s roof can block direct sunlight, they can also trap radiant ambient heat, turning small courtyards and dark corners into stagnant, stuffy pockets. Introducing a mid-tier understory tree for shady areas breaks up this dead air. The process of transpiration (where leaves release moisture into the atmosphere) acts as a sort of natural air conditioner, lowering ground-level temperatures right where you sit.

If you seize the June planting window, you’ll get an immediate head start on reclaiming these underutilized areas of your yard, before any heatwaves bake the soil solid. There are a host of lovely smaller trees you can consider. These hand-selected small trees are adapted to limited sunlight, transforming parts of your yard you probably never thought were good for growing. These lovely small trees that grow in shade can filter breeze, offer visual privacy, and provide majestic shape and color that shifts gracefully from summer through to winter. These special trees are really cool, and they will help you stay cool, too.

Small Shade Trees for Color and Structure

Successfully integrating a small shade tree into a compact and partially shaded yard just requires a quick assessment of your available vertical space and soil condition. Understory trees naturally grow beneath a larger forest canopy, meaning they are hardwired to thrive on limited sunlight. However, small yards often suffer from soil compaction due to construction. Depending on your local climate, hardiness zone and nearby buildings, your yard can also suffer from dry shade, a common issue where dense overhead structures block natural rainfall from hitting the ground.

To guarantee your new tree establishes itself rapidly with a June planting, you must cultivate a loose, highly welcoming root zone. Before planting your tree, make sure your soil is in good condition. Use a comprehensive soil diagnostic tool like the Luster Leaf Rapitest Soil Tester from Amazon to check pH and nutrient levels. That way, you won't inadvertently plant an acid-loving specimen into highly alkaline concrete-adjacent earth before you have made necessary amendments.

If your soil is dense, heavy clay, or stripped of vital nutrients, mix a mycorrhizal-infused amendment, like Wakefield Biochar Premium Compost with Mycorrhizal Fungi from Lowe's, into the wider planting hole. Organic biochar will stimulate root branching in young small trees for shade. It’s great for June planting, helping to lock in the moisture needed to carry your tree through its first summer.

Here are seven small shade trees that grow fast and are lovely in a small landscape. Don’t procrastinate! Add these dinky shade-friendly beauties now for years of cooling shelter and transform the smallest courtyard into a multi-dimensional retreat.

1. Japanese Maple (Bloodgood)

Japanese maples (Acer palmatum) are beautiful small trees that grow in shade. They are among the trees with four-season appeal, offering blossoms in spring, lush green or burgundy foliage in summer, fiery fall foliage, and eye-catching bark in winter. Yes, they will grow in sunny spots too, but do best when you give them protection from hot afternoon sun. There are as many Japanese maple trees as there are stars in the sky. One we particularly like is the ‘Bloodgood’ cultivar. It grows rapidly and matures to about 20 feet (6m) tall and wide. The cultivar name refers to the bright red leaves in springtime. Plant in dappled shade with well-draining soil. These diminutive beauties thrive in USDA hardiness zones 5-8.

The 'Bloodgood' cultivar holds its rich wine color through the blistering heat of midsummer. From April through October, this tree behaves like a living stained-glass window, beautifully filtering soft understory light. Just ensure it is protected from harsh winds that can scorch its delicate, palmately lobed leaves. For a texturally diverse layout, underplant with low-growing Japanese forest grass or blue hostas. Buy ‘Bloodgood’ Japanese Maple Trees from Fast Growing Trees for exquisite foliage all summer long and excellent cold-hardiness.

2. Pagoda Dogwood

Got a shady spot in the landscape? Plant a pagoda dogwood (Cornus alternifolia)! This easy-going, easy-growing species grows fast, but stays small enough for smaller landscapes. Pagoda is particularly lovely with its alternating tiered branches. In its preferred partial shade location, it will top out at 15-25 feet (5-8m) tall. The new foliage grows in a shade of purple-red. Spring brings flattened clusters of pale yellow flowers. These are followed by bluish-black berries that hang on the trees through winter, providing winter interest. This dogwood grows up to 2 feet (60cm) per year. It grows best in dappled sunlight in understory conditions in zones 3-7.

I love this tree’s tier-layered branching structure. Its open horizontal habit allows filtered light to pass through gracefully, creating an eye-catching sculptural focal point in dim courtyards. Apply a 3-inch (8cm) layer of organic mulch across the root zone to keep its shallow root system cool and damp. Underplant with native woodland ferns or wild ginger for a serene, low-maintenance shade sanctuary. You can buy Pagoda Dogwood Trees from Amazon for striking structural elegance.

3. American Hornbeam

This small hardwood shade-loving tree (Carpinus caroliniana) is native to the east coast of North America. It is also known as musclewood, because its fluted trunk and branches resemble muscle tissue. It’s an appropriate nickname, since the wood is very strong. Hornbeam grows slowly and tops out at 25 feet (8m) tall. Its foliage is dark green until fall, when the leaves blaze orange before falling. It thrives in zones 3-9.

American Hornbeam is great for urban environments, demonstrating glorious resilience even in heavy clay soil, occasional pooling water, and deep structural shade. Its summer canopy is dense and crisp, providing a superb privacy screen as well as cooling relief. Give it plenty of space to exhibit its smooth, fluted bark, which provides architectural interest even in winter. It pairs brilliantly with spring ephemerals like bleeding hearts or native columbines. Buy American Hornbeam Trees from Fast Growing Trees for impeccable structural growth.

4. Common Serviceberry

The name “serviceberry” makes this species sound like a short bush, but it’s not. Common serviceberry (Amelanchier arborea) is one of the small shade trees that grow to about 25 feet (8m). It offers year round interest with snowy white spring blossoms, dazzling late summer and autumn foliage, tasty fall berries, and lovely winter bark. Serviceberry is native to North America and makes a great garden tree. The fruits are delicious and can be eaten right off the tree. These multi-season beauties grow in zones 5-9, and can also grow in full sun.

Don’t neglect annual pruning, since good airflow is crucial. It’s a good idea to selectively prune out crowded inner branches during late winter to protect against rust and powdery mildew. Surround its base with a soft carpet of creeping phlox or bunchberry to catch any falling fruit and create a lush, edible garden aesthetic. You can buy Autumn Brilliance Serviceberry Trees from Fast Growing Trees.for glorious disease-resistant foliage and many years of refreshing pleasure.

5. Fringe Tree

You won’t see the fringe tree (Chionanthus virginicus) in many of your neighbors' yards. It is uncommon outside of its native range tree in the eastern United States, but it is utterly lovely if you can track one down. This small tree offers showy white flowers in late May and June which are extremely fragrant and look like clouds of hanging lace. Fringe tree leaves turn bright yellow in autumn. When they fall, you can enjoy the tree’s striped bark. The fringe tree tops out at 20 feet (6m) tall and makes a great specimen tree. These trees are hardy in zones 3-9.

This tree adapts flawlessly to partial shade understories and can easily tolerate tricky, damp soils. Look for female trees for the added benefit of its late-summer navy blue fruits, which local songbirds adore. Frame your fringe tree with deep green evergreens like rhododendrons or yews, to give those luminous white blooms a dramatic backdrop. You can buy White Fringe Trees from Amazon for a plentiful fragrant, flowering display and effortless cooling shade.

6. Vine Maple

Vine maple (Acer circinatum) is native to northern California and southern Oregon, a small deciduous tree that prefers shady settings. This little maple grows to 20 feet (7m) tall, often in the understory of taller trees, and can also grow in open sites. Planted in part-sun settings, vine maple turns into an upright, bushy tree, but when it grows in deep shade, it sprawls close to the ground. In early spring, tiny but beautiful red and white flower clusters appear. Foliage is tinged with red in spring, but matures to vibrant green. In the fall, trees that get some sun develop fiery tones. Check out ‘Pacific Fire’ with its bright red stems, or ‘Sunglow’ with peachy spring leaves that fade to chartreuse in fall. These trees are hardy to zones 6-9.

This maple shows great versatility in shaded urban spaces. In dense shade, its branches twist and drape, creating an artistic shape. You can take advantage of its sprawling habit to soften harsh structural fence lines or heavy stone retaining walls. Pair it with shade-loving companions like Western sword fern or bunchberry to create an authentic woodland vibe. You can buy Vine Maple Trees from Wilson Bros Gardens for gorgeous multi-seasonal interest, which includes bright winter bark.

7. Pawpaw

The pawpaw tree (Asimina triloba) is another North American native. It looks like a tropical tree and bears tropical-looking fruit: large, edible pawpaws that taste like a blend of banana and mango flavors. You aren’t likely to see pawpaw fruits in your local grocery store, since they don’t last long once picked. That makes planting one in your yard a special joy, but you’ll need two different trees for pollination. Pawpaw trees grow to 25 feet (8m) tall and 15 feet (5m) wide. In the wild, they grow as small shrub-like trees in a shaded forest understory, but they get taller and straighter when grown in dappled shade. They thrive in zones 5-8.

Pawpaw brings a lush tropical aesthetic, showing off huge, drooping, foot-long leaves that create a dense canopy of cooling shelter. In mid-spring, branches produce velvety maroon blossoms before the leaves emerge, followed by clusters of custard-like fruits that ripen in September and October. Plant your pawpaws near a shady patio edge, alongside big-leafed caladiums or golden creeping Jenny, for a dramatic jungle theme. Buy Pawpaw Nursery Pots from Amazon for huge tropical leaves and (if you are lucky) those delicious banana-mango fruits.

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Introducing understory trees is an amazing long-term investment to help lower local temperatures and transform tricky, light-deprived zones into stunning focal points. These highly resilient varieties offer incredible structural diversity, encompassing everything from delicate white flowers to bold, tropical canopies. But they are really easy to manage once their roots anchor. Try these curated picks to add impact, beauty, and breezy relief to your yard for decades to come.

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There’s a small flowering tree that's quietly replacing magnolias on the horizon, and little wonder; this compact cutie has proven time and time again that it still delivers that “wow” moment when it bursts into bloom... and all without demanding half the garden in return.

We all know that flowering trees are having a moment. After years of focusing on shrubs and perennial layers, designers are leaning back into structural planting – aka the kind that gives a garden its bones – which means trees that flower hard, anchor a space visually, and then quietly disappear into the background for the rest of the year are especially prized.

Sure, there might be a practicality to this; smaller urban gardens and increasingly intense seasonal weather patterns mean that we all crave low-effort plants that earn their keep. But there’s something deeply satisfying about a tree that marks the seasons so clearly, too. Especially when it blooms in a way that feels almost excessive in its generosity.

So, what could do that better than a magnolia?

The Small Flowering Tree Is Quietly Replacing Magnolias

At the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in the UK, one plant kept stopping people in their tracks. It wasn’t a towering magnolia or an imported exotic, but a refined, compact flowering tree with enormous blooms the size of a hand, used as a focal point at the back of a garden designed by Rob Hardy in the Trussell’s Together Garden.

That small flowering tree? Why, it’s Cornus × elwinortonii ‘VENUS’ – a hybrid dogwood that’s quietly becoming one of the most talked-about small flowering trees in modern landscape design.

Cornus ‘VENUS’ sits in that sweet spot between ornamental drama and practical scale. It’s a hybrid dogwood (a cross involving North American dogwoods) bred for its bigger-than-average blooms, strong disease resistance, and a more architectural growth habit than many traditional flowering trees.

In the US, it performs well across USDA hardiness zones 5-8, making it suitable for a wide stretch of the country – from cooler northern states through to more temperate southern regions, provided it gets some protection from extreme heat and drought stress. (In the UK, it’s considered fully hardy and increasingly reliable in mixed borders).

What makes it so striking are the flowers (technically large bracts rather than petals, fine) which can span up to 15–20 cm across in mature specimens. They emerge in late spring, floating above the foliage like oversized white stars. In the Chelsea garden, designer Rob Hardy noted he chose it specifically for its ability to create height and focus at the back of the structure, while still feeling light and elegant rather than heavy or overbearing.

“No one is getting past the Cornus VENUS,” he told The RHS. “The ‘flowers’, which are actually bracts, are just huge. When I went to the nursery a couple of weeks ago, the bracts were tiny and I couldn’t believe they would open to the massive size I’d been promised – but now they’re the size of my hand.

“I wanted something tolerant of light shade to become a focal point at the back of the garden, creating height at the back of the structure. It will eventually grow to five metres tall, but can be kept smaller by pruning.”

That flexibility is part of its appeal – it behaves like a small tree when you want structure, or a larger shrub when you need it to stay restrained. And its pollinator value cannot be denied, either. Sure, the showy bracts are sterile, but the central flowers still attract bees and beneficial insects, making it a useful part of a wildlife-friendly planting scheme rather than just a decorative feature.

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Whichever dogwood you choose, you can rest assured that it works beautifully with layered planting – whether that looks like Viburnum, soft grasses, or spring bulbs underneath. It also deals well with partial shade, which is a major plus for those who dwell on the darker side of the fence.

For gardeners used to the scale and spectacle of magnolias, Cornus ‘VENUS’ is a must-try, as it still delivers that unforgettable spring moment... albeit in a slightly more restrained, modern form that fits today’s gardens more comfortably.

Hey, anything that promises flowers that feel almost too big to be real, season after season, is a winner in our eyes!

As our weather gets wilder, we need to be choosing trees that are tougher, and resilient enough to stand up to whatever the climate has in store. Trees that rebound from a period of bad weather with branches that don’t snap in a strong breeze, trees that won’t faint on a hot day or wilt in a drought.

We all treat our garden trees like pets when we first plant them, catering to their needs with stakes and regular watering. And that's fine – all trees need our help until they grow their roots deep enough to be secure in their new home, and find their own moisture. But after a time, landscape trees have to be able to deal with the elements by themselves, from high winds to drought to cold weather. Because who wants to be forever wrapping their trees in plant cover?

The predicted super El Niño event means we're likely in for a rough ol' ride of weather, and who knows how the climate may change in future, so if you're planting a tree this year, make sure it's a tough, future-proof beauty. Are there attractive trees that don’t need coddling? Indeed there are, and here's our shortlist of favorite tough trees for backyards of all sizes.

1. Crape Myrtle

If you think tough trees aren't going to be gorgeous, think again. A close look at crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica) may change your mind on that topic forever. Gorgeous, when it comes to trees, means showy flowers, attractive bark, and brilliant fall color. Crape myrtles have it all.

Come early summer, their branches are overloaded with colorful blossoms in unbelievable shades of pink, red, and purple summer flowers. Fall brings fiery foliage, then winter reveals fabulous, exfoliating bark. And they come in sizes ranging from 3-foot (1 meter) shrubs to trees that are 30 feet (10m) tall. This makes it easy to pick a tree by mature size, depending on the dimensions of your garden.

As for resilience, that all part of the crape myrtle package. These pretty trees are tough. Crape myrtle is hardy down to USDA hardiness zone 6, and such a drought-tolerant tree that, once established, only requires irrigation twice a month. They're incredibly wind-resistant, too, with flexible branches and a low center of gravity.

Nature Hills Nursery stocks a good selection of smaller crape myrtle cultivars, including Black Diamond Purely Purple, which has deep purple blooms and dramatic black foliage.

2. Serviceberry

Serviceberry (Amelanchier spp.) is one of the most underrated native trees in the country. It’s exceptionally beautiful, produces delicious berries both your family and your wild birds will adore, and is tough as nails. Serviceberry trees are resilient natives, growing from 15 to 30 feet (5-10m) tall. They shrug off strong winds, clay soil, cold winters and late spring frosts, thriving in USDA hardiness zones 2–9.

As spring arrives, serviceberry trees fill their branches with airy white flowers. They blossom earlier than most flowering plants, which means that serviceberries provide spring pollinators with critical nectar supplies when other food is scarce.

When this spring show comes to a close, the next act is sweet summer berries that grow in pink and ripen to deep purple. Fall brings brilliant color with red, gold, and orange leaves. Then, in winter, the elegant structure of the branches and beauty of the smooth, gray-striped bark emerges.

Serviceberry trees are available from Jackson & Perkins.

3. Eastern Red Cedar

Eastern red cedar ((Juniperus virginiana) is a native evergreen tree that could have 'tough' as its middle name. It's a dependable tree that's drought tolerant and resistant to extremes of heat and cold. It copes in a wide range of soil from swamps to rocky, barren soil. And the strong wood, deep roots, and compact crown shape help it weather any wind that blows by. These trees are cold hardy to USDA hardiness zone 2.

An attractive tree by any standard, Eastern red cedar has blue-green, scale-like leaves and red-brown exfoliating bark. It offers food and shelter to wildilfe, its blue fruits consumed by birds and a wide variety of animals. Planted in full sun and well-drained soil, this juniper will eventually grow to 30 feet (10 meters) high.

Trees are available from Nature Hills Nursery.

4. Flowering Dogwood

Do you want a small tree that will bring exceptional four-season interest to your backyard? Then the flowering dogwood (Cornus florida) might be the tree of your dreams. The spring bract flowers fill the branches with incredible clouds of white, pink, or red blossoms. In summer, you’ll enjoy the deep green foliage that turns brilliant orange and wine-red in fall.

Flowering dogwood typically grows from 10 to 30 feet (3-10m) tall. It's a beautiful and versatile tree and loves a location near river banks or streams. The trees are very resistant to winds – often called hurricane-resistant trees – because of their strong wood structure and compact size.

White Flowering Dogwood is available from Nature Hills Nursery.

5. Dwarf Alberta Spruce

‘Conica’ is a slow-growing variety of Alberta spruce that is cold hardy, thriving in USDA hardiness zones 3 through 6. This slow-growing evergreen looks just like a Christmas tree, topping out at 13 feet (4m) tall at full maturity – and it will take years and years to get that high. Conica (Picea glauca var. albertiana 'Conica') has dense, attractive foliage that makes an excellent privacy screen in the garden.

Don't let its delicate looks deceive you because this bright-green spruce is very resilient, remarkably hardy and needs little maintenance. Once established, it tolerates both wet and dry sites, enjoys cold winters and is drought tolerant. It’s a very elegant tree without any hassle at all, a tree you will enjoy for years.

Dwarf Alberta Spruce is available from Fast Growing Trees.

6. Sand Live Oak

The sand live oak (Quercus geminata) is one tough, heat-tolerant tree. It’s an evergreen oak tree native to the coastal regions of the southeastern United States, known for its drought tolerance and ability to thrive in sandy soil. It has thick, leathery leaves, deeply furrowed bark, and a spreading canopy year-round, and will eventually grow to 20 to 30 feet (7–10m) tall.

Sand live oak is also known for its resistance to hurricane-force winds, thanks to its strong, deep root system, flexible wood and low center of gravity. This tree thrives in USDA hardiness zones 7–10.

May catches magnolias at a particular moment – blooms are finishing or already gone, new leaf growth is pushing hard, and the tree is actively channeling energy into the season ahead.

Solid magnolia tree care in May pays off through the whole season. A few of these tasks only make sense right now – others that get skipped tend to show up as problems later.

1. Assess after Blooming

With the flowers down, May is the right moment to actually look at the tree. Browning debris still clinging to branches is easy to spot now; so are crossing limbs that were buried under the blooms, or sections of canopy that seem a bit thinner than last year. Jotting a few notes or snapping a photo is worth the two minutes – it’s a lot easier to act on something later when there’s a record of what it looked like.

Magnolias don’t announce problems early and they recover slowly, so May is a useful checkpoint. Yellowing magnolia leaves spread across the whole canopy is usually systemic – a soil or nutrition issue. Dieback on specific branches is something different – more likely physical damage, a localized fungal problem, or a pest situation that’s been going on longer than it looks.

2. Feed with a Balanced Fertilizer

Magnolias are light feeders compared to many ornamental trees, but they’re not zero-feeders. In May the tree is actively putting on new leaves and building the bud structures that become next year’s flowers – which means a balanced slow-release fertilizer like this from Amazon applied now actually gets used rather than sitting in the soil waiting.

Spread granular fertilizer evenly under the canopy out to the drip line and keep it away from the trunk. Slow-release is the formula to use – quick-release nitrogen pushes a flush of soft growth that doesn’t harden well and tends to bring pest pressure with it. Most established magnolias only need one application; trees in their first few seasons may want a second light feed around midsummer.

3. Refresh the Mulch Layer

Magnolias have shallow, fleshy roots that run close to the surface – they don’t go deep, which makes them sensitive to what happens at ground level. A mulch layer applied in May slows moisture loss as temperatures start climbing and keeps the root zone from baking in the kind of heat that builds through a full summer. Two to three inches (5–8cm) of organic mulch under the canopy makes a real difference by midsummer, and it cuts down on weed competition while it’s at it.

Shredded bark or wood chip mulch works well for this. Pull it back a few inches from the trunk – mulch sitting against the base holds moisture against the bark and that invites rot over time. Extending the ring out toward the drip line matters more than many people bother with, since the feeder roots are operating out there, not right next to the trunk. A tight ring around the base is better than nothing, but it’s missing most of where it would actually help.

4. Water Young or Recently Planted Trees

Established magnolias handle dry spells reasonably well once their root systems are mature, but trees planted within the last two or three years are still building that depth. May can be deceptive – there’s often enough spring rain that watering feels unnecessary, but a young magnolia putting on its first flush of new growth is pulling a fair amount of moisture. Checking the soil a few inches down is a more reliable read than going by surface appearance.

When watering is needed, slow and deep is the approach that actually builds the root system rather than just wetting the surface. Roots go where moisture is; frequent shallow watering keeps them near the top where heat and drought do the most damage later in summer. A soaker hose run slowly around the drip line for an hour or so does the job without anyone standing there holding a hose. This one from Amazon is a good choice.

Container-grown magnolias are a different situation – they dry out considerably faster and need checking more often once May temperatures start moving.

5. Hold Off on Significant Pruning

May is the wrong time to prune magnolias heavily. The tree has just finished flowering and is channeling energy into new growth – cutting back significantly now removes that growth and forces a redirect rather than a build. Warm conditions also keep cuts open longer, which gives fungal infection more opportunity than it would get from a cut made in cooler months.

Light tidying is fine any time – dead wood, a crossing branch that’s rubbing, something visibly dying back. Structural work is a different matter. Anything removing a meaningful portion of the canopy is better saved for late summer or early fall, once the main growth push has finished. Magnolias close wounds slowly, and giving them the right seasonal conditions to do it is part of what determines how cleanly they recover.

6. Check for Insects and Fungal Issues

Scale insects tend to become visible on magnolias in May – crawlers that hatched from overwintered eggs are moving, and the season’s population is just getting going. That’s the window where control is most effective, before numbers build through summer. Small brown or waxy bumps on stems and leaf undersides are what to look for. Sticky residue or sooty mold on surfaces below the foliage usually means something is already active up above.

Magnolia disease is also something to consider, especially fungal leaf spot. Small dark spots or blotches, sometimes ringed with yellow, are what early infection looks like. One affected season usually doesn’t cause lasting damage, but the same thing happening year after year wears the tree down gradually. Raking up and disposing of affected fallen leaves is the most practical step – it breaks the reinfection cycle before next season rather than treating a problem that’s already compounding. Most cases may not need a fungicide.

Bradford pear trees (Pyrus calleryana), also known as Callery pears, are extremely invasive plants. Until recently, they were a popular flowering tree and many landscapers and home gardeners planted them because of their spring blooms and ability to thrive in almost any growing conditions.

But those characteristics are why these invasive trees have become such a big problem. They spread easily via seeds and send up new shoots everywhere, crowding out native species and taking over entire areas in a matter of a few years. Not only are they upsetting the local flora along roadsides and in empty fields, parks, and woodlands, they are a nuisance in the home garden as well.

If you see Bradford pear tree saplings sprouting up in your garden or you have a mature tree already growing in your yard, here’s what you need to do. It’s time to stop this invasive species from spreading even more and taking over your landscape.

Why Bradford Pear Trees Are a Problem

Bradford pear trees are native to China, but were introduced to the United States by the Department of Agriculture over a century ago. They used them to hybridize with fruiting pear trees to improve disease resistance, particularly to fire blight.

Bradford pear trees were released commercially in 1961 and became extremely popular landscaping plants soon after that. They have attractive white flowers that appear in spring and they are able to thrive in almost any growing conditions. They were also believed to be sterile, until they started cross-pollinating with other nearby cultivars and began producing fruit with viable seeds.

By the early 2000s, Bradford pear trees had spread far and wide. They started taking over roadsides, abandoned fields, and woodlands where native plants couldn’t compete with their aggressive spread. They reproduce readily via seeds spread by birds and choke out valuable native species.

Another reason why Bradford pear trees are bad is the unpleasant scent that their flowers produce. They are also weak trees and limbs break off easily under the weight of snow and ice, risking serious damage to your home if you have one in your yard.

How to Identify a Bradford Pear Tree

Bradford pear trees are relatively small trees, rarely reaching over 40 feet (12 m) high. They grow in a pyramidal shape and produce clusters of white five-petaled flowers in early to mid-spring. The flowers have a strong and unpleasant scent.

The leaves that emerge after blooming are dark green and glossy. Their bark is grayish and starts out smooth then becomes scaly as it ages. Their fruit is small and round, less than 1 inch (2.5 cm) in diameter, and can be green or brown

What to Do If You Find a Bradford Pear Tree

If you live in the eastern or southern US, it’s likely you may have a Bradford pear tree in your yard. In 2015, this tree was the third most popular tree in New York and, in the past, many HOAs even required homeowners to plant this now invasive species.

The best way to get rid of Bradford trees is when they are young. If you see a seedling sprouting in your yard, dig it out and throw it away immediately. Never compost weeds or invasive plants, instead put them in the trash to prevent these plants from spreading.

If you have a mature Bradford pear tree in your yard, the best way to get rid of it is to chop it down and apply an herbicide to the stump immediately after cutting.

With extremely invasive plants like the Bradford pear, most environmental agencies recommend using a 25-50% diluted solution of glyphosate, which you can buy as Roundup from Home Depot, or triclopyr, which you can get on Amazon.

There are also specific stump killers, like this one from Tractor Supply that contains triclopyr, that you can use. But do not use any stump killers that require burning. This is a very dangerous way to try to remove a tree stump.

Brush the herbicide on the cut stump in order to stop new shoots from sprouting. Another effective and chemical-free method to try is covering the stump with a black trash bag. This is a method I’ve used on invasive honeysuckle stumps that were too large to dig out by hand right after cutting them down.

Leave the trash bag on the stump for at least one year to block the sunlight from reaching any new shoots that begin to grow. The following season, the stump may be covered in mushrooms and that’s good. That means the stump is dead or dying and the fungus is naturally breaking down the wood and speeding up the decomposition process.

What to Plant Instead

After removing a Bradford pear tree from your yard, it’s wise to replant a beneficial native tree species to help support your local ecosystem and add beauty back into your landscape. Here are some of the best native trees to grow instead of Bradford pears:

• Flowering dogwood (Cornus florida) is a beautiful native white flowering tree with blooms that appear in spring soon after Bradford pear flowers. You can get a dogwood tree from Fast Growing Trees.
• Serviceberry (Amelanchier spp.) also has delicate white blooms that show up in spring and dazzling orange foliage in fall. Get a serviceberry tree from Jackson & Perkins online.
• Eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis) is another stunning spring bloomer with purple pea-like blossoms that light up shady woodlands. They do spread easily via seed, so you may see lots of baby redbud saplings start popping up. But if you have a large area you want to fill with a native species, redbud is a great choice. You can get a redbud tree from Fast Growing Trees.

Some local municipalities actually provide free native trees to plant after removing Bradford pears. There are others who will pay you a reimbursement for removing invasive Bradford pear trees, which are actually banned from sale now in many parts of the country. Look online to see if there is a reimbursement program in your local area.

On the winter day I moved in, the flowering tree in the garden absolutely didn't look like one. In fact, it was nothing more than a tangle of bare, twisting branches against a pale sky. Its bare boughs looked quite striking, silhouetted against a grey sky, but I didn't really pay it much heed.

Then spring arrived. One week there were tight, almost fist-like buds along the branches, and the next the whole tree had erupted into huge pinky-white blooms that looked almost too perfect to be real. Honestly, it looked liked something out of a fairytale.

Now, I can’t imagine the space without my magnolia, as it puts on one of the most spectacular spring shows you can get from a single plant.

The Best Flowering Tree Ever? Yes!

Every spring, my magnolia explodes with large, tulip-shaped, soft pink and creamy white, all of which open directly on the branches before the leaves even think about appearing.

Come summer, the glossy green leaves take over, forming a dense canopy that birds absolutely love. There’s constant movement in it once it’s in leaf, with all of my favorite feathered friends just hopping through like they own the place. And my scrappy daughters love it just as much (the lower branches, in particular, have a kind of irresistible “climb me” energy to them).

Like most magnolia trees (which are hardy in USDA Zones 7 through 9), it’s not a one-season wonder either. Later in the year, there’s often a second, smaller flush of blooms when the weather cools again, which is less dramatic than spring, but somehow even more special because you’re not expecting it.

Come fall, the leaves turn buttery golds and warm bronzes before falling away entirely, leaving that beautiful sculptural silhouette for winter. Bare again? Yes. Boring? Never!

Truthfully, I figured it was just me who noticed this flowering tree doing its thing at first, but then both neighbors (on either side!) made their feelings very clear: under no circumstances am I to remove it. Not that I ever planned to.

In fact, they’ve both gone one step further. Each has now planted their own young magnolia trees, little saplings that bloomed beautifully in the springtime. And I love this quiet ripple effect of a tree spreading through the street one garden at a time.

It’s become a shared seasonal event without anyone actually agreeing to it, I suppose.

Buy Your Own Magnolia:

If you'll allow me the chance to expose my inner nerd, one of the things I love most about magnolias is how ancient they feel. They’re often described as living fossils, as these flowering trees evolved long before bees existed in their current form (and, yes, dinosaurs would have chomped on them once upon a time, too).

Even more exciting? The flowers themselves are edible, although, admittedly, I rarely do anything with them. I’ve tried frying them lightly (a little like you might with squash flowers) and they were tasty, but it usually feels more natural to just leave them be, scattered on the ground like confetti.

My favorite thing about my magnolia, though, is the fact that it's so much more than just a flowering tree; it's a marker of time. Spring begins with its bloom, summer settles beneath its shade, fall warms it up again in color, and winter strips it back to something stark and beautiful and architectural, waiting for the whole cycle to begin again. When I fell pregnant with each of my girls, I marked the months by the tree outside. I associate it so much with them both as a result.

Underneath it, I’ve planted spring bulbs like daffodils and crocuses to create a layered effect of color: blossoms above, flowers below, everything working in earnest to pull me out of any winter slump I might be in.

It also just… makes people happy. Neighbors stop to look at it. People message each other when it’s at peak bloom. Someone always takes a photo. And every year, without fail, there’s that moment when the petals fall and it feels like the end of something, even though you know it’s only temporary.

Not bad for a tree that was already here when I moved in, looking like nothing much at all, right?

Ah, the magic of Japanese maples in spring! Even against a backdrop of spring-blooming bulb flowers popping out colorful heads, these small, beloved maple trees stand out.

Japanese maples start their blooming period in March or April. Their tube-shaped flowers appear in shades of red, purple, yellow, or pink. The blossoms are lovely, but the long-lasting appeal of these trees comes more from their stunning foliage and graceful structure.

With proper Japanese maple care, your tree can last for five decades or more. Keep your tree looking its best by taking these important steps in April.

1. Check for Damage

With winter on its way out the door, spring is the perfect time to make sure your Japanese maple has passed the cold months unscathed. Give your tree a spring checkup before the leaves mature, if possible. It’s easier to see winter damage.

Take a careful look at the tree, walking around it slowly and inspecting the branches. Identify any branches injured by snow, ice or wind. Prune these off carefully to prevent further damage. Use clean, sanitized pruners.

Shop Live Trees

2. Prune Lightly

Spring is not the moment to reshape your tree or undertake heavy pruning. The tree is just waking up from dormancy and is ready to grow. In April, limit trimming to structural issues. If you note crossing branches, eliminate one or both now. The time for heavier Japanese maple pruning is the dormant season in late winter.

Most Japanese maples are grafted to hardy rootstock. Look for the graft line on the maple’s trunk. If there's growth below that line, prune it out now. This will give the tree more energy to build its canopy for the new season.

3. Be Water Wise

Spring looks different in different parts of the country. Some regions are wet in springtime, with spring rains washing the landscape for days on end. Elsewhere it still may be dry and cool, while southern regions can be hot and dry. Check the weather report first, but the soil will tell you most of what you need to know to help your tree blaze through spring.

Remember, Japanese maples like the moisture somewhere in the middle. They grow best in moist, well-draining soil. Either extreme – dry or wet – is detrimental. Lack of water in April stresses the tree and can prevent leaves from developing. Waterlogged soil can damage and even kill the roots. If your soil is dry when you stick one finger into it, water around the tree deeply.

In April, the tree needs deep watering once or twice a week, whether from the rain or the garden hose. Do the task in the early morning to help your maple prepare for the heat of the day.

Shop Japanese Maple Essentials

4. Review the Soil

While you're checking on broken branches and the soil moisture, take a close look at the soil itself. Rain, snow and cold can cause compacted soil, hard as rocks. Compacted soil is not a good way for the tree to start the growing season, since water cannot seep through to the roots.

You can improve compacted soil by aerating the top layer. You can either dig small trenches running from the tree trunk outward to let the water, nutrients and even air enter. Alternatively, break up the hard top layer using an aerator like this one from Amazon around the base of the trunk. This has the same effect as the trenching, enhancing water flow into the soil.

Once the compacted soil is addressed, work in some organic compost and/or a balanced fertilizer. This will give the tree a boost for growth for the year.

5. Mulch Mulch Mulch!

I think of mulch as a soft blanket for my maple tree. I use wood chips, but pine needles are also a good choice. Keep all the “rules” of mulching in mind. Never pile the mulch so that it laps up onto the trunk and keep the level modest, no more than a few inches.

What does mulch do? It offers so many benefits for the tree: helping to hold the moisture into the soil, protect the soil from heat and cold, and keeps down weeds looking to share the nutrients in the maple’s soil. It’s an easy gesture and goes a long way toward a good year for your tree.

6. Inspect for Pesky Pests

This is not a one-and-done task, alas. Japanese maple pests in April are looking for the soft new growth a maple offers to land and dig in. Some insect pests, like aphids, literally dig their sap-sucking mouth parts into the new leaves to sip out the fluids inside. Signs of aphid issues include leaf curling, leaf discoloration, and/or sticky residue called honeydew that attracts ants. Look underneath the leaves for aphids.

Scales are another spring pest, since they can overwinter on or near the tree. Japanese maple scales are small and they blend in with the tree bark. That means you have to keep a close eye out for their tiny bodies, shaped like oystershells, and covered in wax. Inspect the lower section of the trunk, which is where you will usually find them in spring. Horticultural oil spray will reduce the problem. Signs of a scale infestation include dropping leaves and twigs dying back.

Artemis II is all anyone’s talking about right now, and little wonder; it’s one of the most hopeful and awe-inspiring adventures humanity has undertaken in the past 50 years. Still, it’s worth remembering that the astronauts aren’t travelling alone. Thousands of native tree seeds are flying through space alongside them.

Amaze, amaze, amaze? Absolutely! The Artemis II crew – who witnessed a total solar eclipse from orbit and set a new record for the farthest humans have ever travelled – are slated to return to Earth on April 11. That means these tree seeds are poised to continue a legacy that began with the Apollo 'Moon Trees' of the 1970s.

While their journey sounds extraordinary, the real story for gardeners is closer to home – because these familiar native trees are a reminder that the simplest acts, like planting a resilient maple, birch, or pine, can nurture life, support wildlife, and help our gardens thrive for years to come.

The Native Tree Seeds Aboard Artemis II

The seeds aboard Artemis II represent five native North American tree species: red maple, white birch, eastern white pine, white cedar, and lodgepole pine.

None of these are exotic specimens. All, in fact, are trees that many gardeners will recognize and, with the right care, could grow themselves. That being said, their role on Artemis II elevates them from familiar to extraordinary, as they’re now part of something genuinely out-of-this-world.

It's worth noting that these species weren't just chosen for their recognizable beauty, but for their ecological importance and resilience. Each provides habitat and nourishment for wildlife, stabilizes soils, and has adapted to withstand a wide range of environmental conditions – all qualities that make them ideal for gardeners thinking about climate-smart planting.

'We wanted to think about trees that were representative across the country, but may also be good indicators of the problems that trees are facing,' National Tree Seed Centre coordinator Darren Derbowka told CTV News.

'It’s been a really great opportunity to sort of elevate that conversation about conservation, about forestry and about all of the values that we hold dear to us as part of our national identity.'

Once the seeds return to Earth, they will be planted alongside control seeds that never left the ground. Comparing their growth, health, and resilience may reveal subtle effects of space travel – all insights that could help scientists understand how plants adapt to extreme conditions.

In a world where climate change and environmental stress are affecting ecosystems, every piece of knowledge counts, because planting native trees matter. By taking inspiration from Artemis II and including them in your garden, in fact, you’re planting for the long-term – and helping future-proof your outdoor space.

Take Inspiration from Artemis II:

There’s something quietly extraordinary about the idea that the same types of seeds you might plant in your garden have travelled hundreds of thousands of miles into space – and will soon be planted back on Earth. Especially as you don’t need a spacecraft to participate in their story.

Honestly? Every native tree you plant – whether it's one of the Artemis II species, your birth month tree, or something completely different – can help create a miniature ecosystem in your backyard, supports wildlife, and contributes to a healthier planet. As Derbowska puts it beautifully, 'there’s already one planet in this solar system that needs terraforming and we are standing on it'.

Artemis II may be pushing the boundaries of exploration, but its message is firmly grounded in Earthly care: the seeds of the future are already in our hands. Time to boldly go where no gardener has gone before, we say...

Most people looking for privacy trees run into the same problem. The ones that grow fast tend to get enormous and the ones that stay a manageable size grow at a glacial pace. Plant a Leyland cypress and in fifteen years you’re managing a 60-foot wall. Plant a dwarf evergreen shrub and you’re still waiting on results a decade later.

The sweet spot is fast-growing privacy trees that won’t get too big and take over your entire yard. Certain evergreens and columnar trees have a limit to their height or a slow enough growth rate that they don’t need constant fighting to keep them compact – but they’re not too slow to grow either.

The trees below cover a range of sizes, climates, and situations – from the most planted privacy tree in North America to a few underrated but equally beautiful choices. These trees are compact, quick to mature, and add tons of privacy to your yard.

1. Arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis)

A compact arborvitae is a common choice for a fast-growing small privacy tree – and honestly it’s hard to argue with. This tree is able to put on around 1 to 2 feet (30-60 cm) a year, but it caps out around 12 to 14 feet (3.5-4 m). It also tends to hold its pointed shape without any pruning.

The winter color is worth thinking about when choosing an arborvitae variety. A lot of cultivars turn bronze by December and stay rough-looking until spring, but the better compact forms hold their green all the way through winter, like the 'Emerald Green' arborvitae from Fast Growing Trees.

Mature spread sits around 3 to 4 feet (1-1.2 m) wide, so a row at that spacing is likely to close into a solid screen quickly. Hardy down to zone 3, arborvitae handles clay soil better than most conifers.

2. Columnar Juniper (Juniperus chinensis)

If your yard is hot and dry, a columnar juniper tree is a great choice. It grows 12 to 18 inches (30-45 cm) per year – faster than many trees. Its mature size is 15 to 20 feet (4.5-6 m) tall by 4 to 5 feet (1.2-1.5 m) wide. Juniper remains green and dense year-round.

It's hardy in zones 4 to 9, which is broader than most arborvitae varieties, and juniper's drought tolerance after establishment is a genuine asset for dry landscapes. The columnar shape means this type of juniper can fit in narrow front yards where a wider tree would get crowded.

You can find live columnar juniper trees on Amazon.

3. Columnar Arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis)

This is the same species as the standard pyramidal type of arborvitae, but the columnar tree form tends to stay noticeably slimmer. On a tight fence line or in a narrow side yard, that small difference matters.

Columnar arborvitae only reach about 2 to 3 feet (60-90 cm) wide at maturity versus the 4 to 5 feet (1-1.2 m) width for your typical standard selection. This fast-growing privacy tree tops out around 15 to 20 feet (4.5- 6 m).

The foliage will often carry a slight spiral texture that looks a bit more interesting than the flat uniform look of the standard type. The difference is subtle, but worth it in a formal garden setting.

Hardy in zones 3 to 8, columnar arborvitae handle most soils well without complaint. Most gardeners overlook this as an option, which is a shame given how well it fits into tight spots. Choose a high-quality cultivar like the 'American Pillar' arborvitae from Fast Growing Trees for fast results.

4. False Cypress (Chamaecyparis pisifera)

False cypress has a feathery texture and unique colors that are completely different from the other conifers here. If you're looking for fast-growing privacy trees to plant close to a path or a play area, the prickly foliage on junipers and arborvitae can be quite unpleasant when people brush against them. False cypress doesn’t have that problem.

This tree grows about 1 to 2 feet (30 to 60 cm) per year and matures at 6 to 8 feet (1.8-2.4m) tall by 3 to 4 feet (1-1.2 m) wide. It is better suited as a lower screening hedge near windows or in small foundation beds rather than as a full-height screen.

False cypress is hardy in zones 4 to 8 and prefers consistent moisture. Their color, often blue-green or gold, holds through winter and adds beauty year-round. Shop a wide array of false cypress bushes and trees from Nature Hills Nursery to find the perfect one for your yard.

5. Cherry Laurel (Prunus laurocerasus)

Cherry laurel grows fast – often 2 to 3 feet (60-90 cm) a year – and looks nothing like the conifers on this list. Its large, glossy dark green leaves create a lush screen that reads more like a proper hedge than a row of evergreens.

Cherry laurel matures around 10 to 15 feet (3-4.5 m) high, takes an annual trim without complaint, and is hardy in zones 6 to 9. Shade tolerance is really what sets the cherry laurel apart, though. Junipers and arborvitae turn thin and patchy in shade gardens after a few seasons – and that problem is not easy to fix.

If your fence line sits under a neighboring tree canopy or runs along a north-facing wall, cherry laurel is often the most reliable option that will actually do well there. You can get cherry laurel plants in a range of sizes from Garden Goods Direct.

6. Upright Holly (Ilex attenuata)

Holly sometimes gets a reputation for being slow-growing, but upright holly moves at a pretty solid 2 feet (60 cm) of growth per year and reaches 15 to 20 feet (4.5-6 m) at maturity. It has a naturally narrow, upright habit that stays tidy without much work from you.

Its dark, spiny foliage screens well year-round and the red berries in fall and winter give it an extra sparkle that a row of conifers just can’t offer. These fast-growing privacy trees are suited to zones 6 through 9 and are easy to establish.

A male holly tree improves berry production, though female trees set some fruit on their own most years regardless. For a screen that looks good and provides tons of privacy, this might be the most underused option on the list. This upright 'Monarch Holly' tree from Fast Growing Trees is a regal choice for any garden.

7. Columnar Japanese Holly (Ilex crenata)

The columnar Japanese holly tree is one of the best options for extremely tight spaces. Measuring 8 to 10 feet (2.4-3 m) tall and barely 2 feet (60 cm) wide at maturity, this tree is perfect in tight planting strips or narrow side yards where nothing else can possibly fit. Growth is more moderate than the other trees on this list at just 6 to 9 inches (15-23 cm) per year.

The foliage stays dense from top to bottom without any pruning. This tree is hardy in zones 5 to 9, so it's a good option for a wide variety of landscapes. Three or more planted together make a proper privacy screen. Planted on its own, Japanese holly reads more as an accent tree than a barrier.

You can find elegantly slender Japanese hollies for sale on Fast Growing Trees.

Deciduous trees in winter have a different kind of beauty. Their green canopies are gone, leaving only trunks and branches silhouetted against the sky. They seem to be safely sleeping through winter’s worst, but that’s not always the case. Extreme winter weather can damage tree bark in more ways than one.

Winter tree problems often begin with damage to the bark, which is often the result of common tree care mistakes people make without realizing it. Bark is the tree’s protective covering, and when it’s injured, the tree’s vascular system can be put at risk. You can protect your tree trunks from winter weather – and we’re here to show you how. Understanding how to prevent and address winter tree damage will help you keep your landscape trees healthy and vigorous.

Tree Trunk Problems

Nature didn’t create tree trunks just to add vertical interest to your landscape. Think of the trunk as the body of the tree. It’s covered in bark, which protects the tree’s vascular system – the internal pipeline that transports water and nutrients from the roots to the branches.

Both sunscald and frost damage can injure tree bark in winter. The damage isn’t always obvious at first, but you may be in for an unpleasant surprise come spring. Warm sunshine and icy frost – together and separately – can harm bark tissue, and the effects can show up in a variety of ways.

What Is Sunscald?

Extreme winter weather can damage tree bark. How does that happen? Much of the harm is caused by sunscald, and the trees most at risk are younger ones with smooth bark. Mature trees with thick bark are rarely affected.

Sunscald in trees is a bit like sunburn in humans. It typically occurs in late winter, when the sun grows stronger but nighttime temperatures remain below freezing. The south or southwest side of the trunk warms in direct sun – sometimes reaching as high as 77°F (25°C) – then cools rapidly after sunset. Covering vulnerable trees can help protect them from frost cracks, especially young trees growing in exposed sites.

Recognizing Sunscald Damage

Here’s how sunscald works: the sun warms the south or southwest side of the tree trunk. This warmth causes cells that went dormant during winter to become active again. As they reactivate, they lose their cold hardiness, making them more susceptible to freezing injury. When nighttime temperatures fall, the previously warmed tissue can be damaged.

Sunscald injury can produce visible symptoms on the bark, including discoloration and surface cracking. Affected areas may fail to grow properly, creating sunken patches, or the bark may slough off entirely, revealing dead tissue beneath. This leaves the tree vulnerable to pests, diseases, and additional stress.

Preventing Sunscald Injury

While you can’t control the sun or winter temperatures, you can take steps to protect your young deciduous trees from sunscald. This process should begin in late fall.

Purchase light-colored tree wrap from your local garden center, or use a breathable protective wrap designed specifically for young trees. Identify trees with southern or southwestern exposure, and wrap their trunks before winter sets in. The wrap helps shield the bark from extreme temperature fluctuations.

Tree Protection Picks

What Is Frost Damage?

The other primary cause of winter tree damage is frost. This type of injury is easy to spot: deep, vertical cracks in the trunk. It won’t surprise you to learn that this condition is called a frost crack.

While sunscald can sometimes split the outer bark, a frost crack is a far deeper injury, extending into the wood of the trunk.

What Causes Frost Cracks?

The same temperature swings that trigger sunscald can also lead to frost cracks. This typically occurs during repeated, dramatic swings in temperature. As inner wood and bark tissues expand during the day and contract at night, stress builds within the trunk. Over time, that stress can produce a vertical crack that extends deep into the stem. If pathogens enter through the crack, the tree can decline, or even die.

Preventing Frost Cracks

Covering vulnerable trees can help protect them from frost cracks, especially young trees growing in exposed sites. You’ll need breathable burlap screens or frost blankets. Install them when sudden temperature drops or hard freezes are forecast.

Trees have a remarkable ability to heal their own wounds, gradually sealing damaged areas with protective tissue and producing new wood over time. So even if your tree develops a frost crack, it will likely recover.

What to Do if Your Tree Has Winter Bark Damage

If you notice sunscald injury or frost cracks on your tree, don’t panic. In many cases, trees are able to heal the damage naturally over time.

Avoid cutting away damaged bark unless it is loose or clearly dead. Healthy trees will gradually form protective tissue around the wound and seal the damaged area. Keeping the tree healthy through proper watering, mulching, and fertilization will help it recover.

If the crack is severe or continues to widen, it’s best to consult a certified arborist. Large trunk injuries can sometimes weaken the structure of the tree and make it more vulnerable to pests or disease.

Proactive Winter Tree Care

Here are some proactive steps you can take – well before winter – to help prevent issues like sunscald, and frost cracks.

• Keep your trees properly irrigated. Well-hydrated trees are less susceptible to winter injury than drought-stressed ones. Continue to deep water throughout fall and into early winter, stopping once the ground freezes. A tree watering bag, like this Greenscapes product, can help deliver slow, deep irrigation to young trees before winter arrives.
• Mulch helps protect tree roots from drying out and from extreme cold. Apply a generous layer of organic mulch in autumn, keeping it a few inches away from the trunk, or use a mulch ring, like these from Amazon, to help retain moisture and regulate soil temperature.
• Purchase tree guards and keep them on hand. You don’t need to keep trees wrapped all winter, but install guards when needed to protect bark from direct sunlight.
• If you can shade the south and southwest sides of a tree, you can reduce the risk of sunscald. Consider planting shrubs or small trees nearby to provide that protection.

Trees are always magnificent, but birth month trees? Well, they're genuinely magical.

Rooted in ancient Celtic tradition, the idea comes from the Ogham tree calendar, a symbolic system that connected different trees to periods of the year. Each tree was believed to carry its own meaning and energy, reflecting the rhythms of nature... and, more importantly, the personalities of people born under its influence.

Now, most of us know our birth month flower, and some people have even discovered their birth month bird, too. Birth month trees, though, take that concept a step further, connecting us to the deeper symbolism of the woodland world.

It means that, while modern gardeners might be more familiar with practical considerations – like choosing plants suited to their USDA planting zones – the Ogham calendar offers something a little different: a more poetic way of thinking about trees and our relationship with them.

Your Birth Month Tree

From the pioneering energy of birch to the protective symbolism of rowan, each birth month tree has its own story.

Here’s what yours says about you...

January – Birch

In Celtic folklore, birch symbolised renewal and fresh beginnings. As one of the first trees to recolonise woodland after fire or clearing, it was seen as a pioneer – a plant that blazes a trail for others to follow.

That symbolism makes birch a fitting birth month tree for January, the start of a new year. People associated with birch are often thought to be determined, resilient and forward-thinking, with a natural ability to start fresh and inspire others to do the same.

In gardens, birch trees are loved for their striking white bark and light, airy canopy, which brings year-round interest to landscapes across many USDA planting zones. If you have the space, try something like the Paper Birch Tree (Betula papyrifera) from Nature Hills for its ornamental bark.

February – Rowan

The rowan tree has long been linked with protection in Celtic folklore. Its clusters of bright red berries and delicate leaves made it a striking presence in the landscape, and it was traditionally planted near homes to ward off evil spirits.

As a birth month tree, rowan symbolises intuition, courage and quiet strength. People born under its influence are often said to be thoughtful, perceptive and deeply protective of the people they care about.

Rowan trees – also known as mountain ash – are also valued by gardeners for their wildlife-friendly berries, which provide an important food source for birds and other beneficial garden friends in fall and winter.

March – Ash

The ash tree was considered sacred in many ancient cultures. In Celtic tradition, it was seen as a powerful connector between the worlds of earth, sky and spirit.

Because of this, ash became associated with wisdom, perspective and a strong sense of balance. Those linked to the ash birth month tree are often thought to be imaginative, insightful and naturally curious about the world around them.

Ash trees are known for their tall, elegant form and feathery leaves, which create beautiful dappled shade in parks and larger gardens. Try something like the Modesto Ash from Nature Hills if you'd like one in your yard.

April – Alder

The alder tree thrives in places many other trees struggle, often growing along riverbanks and in damp soils. Because of this resilience, it became a symbol of determination and courage in Celtic mythology.

As a birth month tree, alder represents leadership, confidence and the willingness to take bold steps forward. People connected with alder are often seen as natural problem-solvers who aren’t afraid to stand up for what they believe in.

Alder trees are also valued for their ability to improve soil health, as their roots help fix nitrogen and support surrounding plants.

May – Hawthorn

The hawthorn tree has long been associated with love, fertility and the arrival of late spring. In Celtic traditions, its delicate white blossoms were closely linked with the festival of Beltane, which celebrates growth and abundance.

As a birth month tree, hawthorn symbolises warmth, creativity and emotional depth. Those born under this tree are often described as compassionate, passionate and deeply connected to the people around them.

In gardens and hedgerows, hawthorn is cherished for its wildlife value, providing nectar for pollinators and berries for birds (particularly cardinals) later in the year. Try something like this bare-root Washington hawthorn from Arbor Day.

June – Oak

Few trees carry as much symbolic weight as the mighty oak. In Celtic culture it represented strength, endurance and wisdom, and was often regarded as the king of the forest.

People linked with the oak birth month tree are often seen as natural leaders : steady, dependable and fiercely protective of those around them.

Oak trees can live for centuries, and their towering branches support entire ecosystems, making them one of the most valuable trees for wildlife in temperate landscapes. Try something like the Northern Red Oak Tree from Nature Hills if you want yours to add some striking color to the equation, too.

July – Holly

With its glossy evergreen leaves and bright red berries, holly might feel like it belongs to Christmas, but its actually the birth month tree for July babies everywhere.

It has long symbolised protection and resilience. In Celtic lore, it was believed to guard homes and sacred spaces. And, as a birth month tree, holly represents strength, determination and an ability to remain calm in challenging situations. People connected with holly are often described as loyal, courageous and quietly powerful.

Holly trees also provide important winter shelter and food for birds and other wildlife, making them a valuable addition to many gardens. Try something like the China Boy Meets China Girl Holly Combo from Nature Hills for some berry-clad majesty.

August – Hazel

The hazel tree was closely associated with wisdom and inspiration in Celtic mythology. According to legend, magical hazelnuts that fell into sacred waters granted knowledge to those who ate them.

As a birth month tree, hazel symbolises intelligence, creativity and a love of learning. People connected with hazel are often seen as curious thinkers with a natural ability to share ideas and insights.

Hazel trees are also wonderfully practical, producing edible nuts and providing valuable habitat for wildlife. You can bag a Hazelnut Bush easily enough from Nature Hills to do exactly this.

September – Apple

The apple tree has long been linked with generosity, nourishment and abundance. In many traditions it symbolises knowledge, love and the rewards of patience.

As a birth month tree, apple represents kindness, warmth and a deep appreciation for life’s pleasures. Those born under its influence are often thought to be thoughtful, optimistic and naturally generous.

Apple trees are also among the most rewarding fruit trees for home gardeners, producing beautiful spring blossoms followed by delicious harvests later in the year. We rate the Honeycrisp Apple Tree from Nature Hills.

October – Ivy

This writer understands your surprise here (I'm an October baby myself), but, while technically a vine rather than a tree, ivy holds an important place in the Ogham calendar.

Known for its ability to thrive in difficult conditions, it symbolises resilience and perseverance. And, as an honorary birth month tree, ivy represents determination, loyalty and the strength to keep growing even in challenging circumstances.

In the garden, ivy can provide valuable shelter and late-season nectar for pollinators, making it an important plant for supporting wildlife. Stick to English Ivy from Nature Hills if you want that classic glossy green splash.

November – Elder

The elder tree was often viewed with a mixture of respect and mystery in Celtic folklore. Deeply connected with cycles of life, death and renewal, it symbolised transformation and the crossing between old and new, which is very fitting for the reflective mood of late fall.

As a birth month tree, elder represents introspection, compassion and the ability to embrace change. People linked with the elder are often thought to be thoughtful, empathetic and capable of guiding others through periods of transition.

In nature, elder trees provide delicate white flowers in early summer and dark berries later in the year, both of which have long been used in traditional cooking and herbal remedies. Try the Black Lace® Elderberry from Nature Hills for added drama.

December – Yew

The yew tree has long been associated with endurance, immortality and the deep passage of time. In Celtic tradition, these ancient evergreens were often planted in sacred spaces and churchyards, symbolising both death and renewal.

For December babies, this magical birth month tree represents resilience, wisdom and quiet strength. Those connected with the yew are often seen as thoughtful and introspective, with a natural ability to endure challenges and see meaning in life’s longer cycles.

Even in the depths of winter, the yew remains richly green, serving as a powerful reminder of life continuing through the darkest part of the year.

Continue Your Love Affair with Trees:

Whether you see them as ancient folklore or simply a poetic way of thinking about the natural world, birth month trees offer a beautiful reminder of how closely human life has always been tied to the rhythms of nature.

Long before personality quizzes and zodiac charts, people looked to the landscape around them for meaning, finding stories, symbolism and identity in the trees that grew through the changing seasons. And, while the Ogham calendar may not determine exactly who we are (that's always up to us), it does invite us to pause and notice the quiet wisdom of the woodland world.

Perhaps the real magic of birth month trees, then, is that they encourage us to reconnect with nature... and to see ourselves as part of its ever-turning story.

As a gardener, I’ve learned that what we do in these in-between weeks of March and April sets the stage for everything that follows. When we provide high-quality nectar and pollen right out of the gate, we aren't just being kind to the bees in spring: we are bribing them to stay. And a bee that finds a reliable food source in your yard in March is more likely to stick around to pollinate your apple blossoms in May and tomatoes in June. It’s a beautiful arrangement – feed them now, and they’ll feed you later.

Bees seek pollen and nectar as soon as they emerge, and for many of them, now is the time. When selecting plants for your pollinator garden, certain well-appointed early spring-blooming plants are a lifeline for these fast-emerging pollinators, helping the likes of mining bees, queen bumble bees, mason bees and hoverflies to forage. But just as crucially, it sets up your own yard for a richer biodiversity, a more vibrant cultivation network, and hopefully a rolling supply of vibrant flowers and hearty crops.

Supporting your neighborhood’s early risers with a resilient, intentional landscape helps to bridge the gap between a sleepy winter and a long, lush summer – for both your bees and your ambitious garden hopes. By choosing these life-saver flowering varieties, your spring bees and resident pollinators are sure to thank you later by helping you cultivate a rich tapestry of ornamental borders and yummy harvests.

6 Spring Flowers for Pollinators

These early spring flowers are some of the first responders when it comes to feeding bees in spring, as well as a host of other pollinating insects. They push through the frost to offer up life-sustaining sugars and proteins. Of course, we should be making space for the big “event” plants that are just starting to stretch and slide their way back into life (and yes, we all love a fluffy peony, a flamboyant dahlia, and a voluminous hydrangea). But the 6 early flowering delights in this roundup can give just as much pleasure to us as they do to our hungry resident pollinators.

As long as you’ve checked your growing zone and soil conditions, you should be able to plant and cultivate these flowering plants so they burst forth with color while those other plants are still sleeping. These selections are curated for a tiered buffet, catering to pollinators on different levels. These trees, shrubs, perennials, and ephemerals reinforce that vibrant diversity that different pollinators crave, assisting them where (and when) they need it most. So start as you mean to go on, and keep pollinators loyal to your landscape all year long. Get these 6 special flowering plants in the ground now for early nectar and pollen foragers, as live plants or bare roots – and get ready for a lovely long season of joyous pollination wins.

1. Pussy Willow

The pussy willow is the unsung hero of the early spring landscape. Their fuzzy catkins aren't just cute, they’re furry to protect the tiny flowers inside from the cold. For honey bees and efficient mason bees, these are some of the first available sources of high-energy pollen. Pussy willow is also a host plant to several moths and butterflies, including the cecropia moth, Eastern tiger swallowtail butterfly, and mourning cloak butterfly. If you’re lucky enough to catch sight of a mourning cloak stealing goodness from these catkins while the rest of the world is still gray, you know you’re setting up your backyard for a flurry of activity.

These moisture-loving, multi-stemmed shrubs grow in full sun and reach 10-20 feet (3-6 m). Try to get male plants, as they produce the pollen-rich yellow catkins. If you have a damp spot in your yard (in USDA zones 4-8), rejoice. They can thrive in soil that stays moist where other plants might rot. If yours is looking a bit leggy, don't be afraid to coppice it (cut it back hard) every few years in late spring, after it flowers. This encourages those long, straight stems that produce the best catkins. To monitor your soil’s moisture levels, it’s worth testing it. Use the Luster Leaf Rapitest 4-In-1 Soil Meter from Amazon to make sure you aren't letting these water-loving shrubs dry out (it’s also great for gauging pH levels, fertility, and sunlight).

You can get a lovely Hirt’s Gardens Mini Weeping Pussy Willow from Amazon if you are short on space. For bigger yard spaces, buy a French Pussy Willow Trees from Nature Hills with its soft gray, pink and gray catkins. I also recommend the 'French Pink' variety for its color flush, or 'Black Knight' for a moody deep-purple bees adore. Other varieties for early bees include goat willow, prairie willow, and silky willow.

2. Hellebore (Helleborus)

Tough as nails, hellebores are often blooming while there is still a dusting of snow on the ground. Because their flowers are cup-shaped and often nod downward, they protect the nectar from being diluted by spring rains, which is a huge win for a bee that needs a concentrated energy hit. This diverse group of Hellebores (Helleborus spp.), which includes the Lenten rose, is the true royalty of the late-winter garden.

Hellebores are hardy in USDA zones 5-9 and are famously deer-resistant. They prefer dappled shade and rich, organic soil. Once they are in, leave them be, as they have sensitive roots and hate being moved. Give hellebores a good mulching with well-rotted leaf mold in late winter, though. This mimics the forest floor and keeps the soil pH slightly acidic to neutral.

Look for the 'Honeyberry' or 'Ivory Prince' varieties. You can buy green-tinted cream and rose ‘Ivory Prince’ Hellebores as live plants from Burpee, and the ‘Frost Kiss’ Lenten Rose Series from Nature Hills. You can also buy Perennial Farm Lenten Rose ‘Rose Quartz’ from Amazon.

Hellebore petals are actually sepals (leaves that look like petals). This is why the flowers feel like they last for months. While real petals fade once pollinated, these tough sepals stay on the plant to protect the developing seeds, acting like a little greenhouse that keeps the center of the flower several degrees warmer than the outside air, giving bees a warm meal on a cold day. As spring flowers for bees go, that’s pretty awesome.

3. Prunus (Early Fruit Trees)

The Prunus genus (including cherries, plums, and apricots) represents the heavy hitters of the spring garden. These aren't just pretty trees, they are workhorses of pollination. If you have a vegetable garden, having one of these trees in service nearby is like erecting a roadside diner for every bee in the county. These trees are truly generous, providing a massive volume of flowers that seems to appear all at once, which is essential for queen bees trying to build up their first brood of workers.

Cherry trees attract bumblebees, honey bees, and butterflies. The native black cherry and choke cherry are excellent choices, too. For the earliest blooms, look toward the 'Mexican Plum' (Prunus mexicana) or the 'Okame' Cherry. These trees put on a genuinely lovely show, as long as they get access to full sun and well-drained soil (USDA zones 5-9). You can buy the frothy carmine-pink ‘Okame’ Cherry from Fast Growing Trees as a live plant, but just make sure it gets at least 4-6 hours of sun daily to develop those bee-friendly blossoms.

These fruit trees can be prone to aphids and scale. Instead of reaching for a spray that might harm bees, use a high-quality hand lens like the Carson MicroBrite Plus from Amazon, to inspect the buds early in March. If you catch an infestation early, you can often manage it with a blast of water or neem oil before the flowers open. Finally, if you only have room for one of these trees, plums (like Prunus cerasifera) typically bloom 1–2 weeks earlier than most ornamental cherries. For a starving bee, that one-week head start is the difference between a feast and a famine.

4. Serviceberry (Amelanchier)

If I could convince every gardener to plant just one native tree, it would be the serviceberry (Amelanchier spp.). It’s a four-season superstar, and its bee-friendly cred is just a part of its charm. In early spring (USDA zones 2-8), it is covered in lace-like white flowers that attract hoverflies and native bees. By June, those flowers turn into delicious berries which the birds will absolutely be fighting you for.

Serviceberries are incredibly adaptable. They can handle full sun to part shade and are a fantastic native alternative to the invasive Bradford Pear. 'Autumn Brilliance' stays a manageable size and has a gorgeous fall color. If you have a small space, look for 'Standing Ovation' Serviceberry, with its narrow, upright habit for suburban lots. You can buy ‘Autumn Brilliance’ Serviceberry from Fast Growing Trees or ‘Smokey’ Serviceberry Trees from Nature Hills for cold-hardiness and happy queen bees (as well as those terrific berries to feed the birds later).

For the most blooms (and the best spring feed for bees), ensure your soil is slightly acidic. If your soil is alkaline, add a handful of Espoma Organic Holly-Tone Feed from Lowe's around the drip line in March, for that acidic boost the tree needs to produce that shimmering profusion of flowers.

5. Red Maples

Most people think of maples as fall trees, but for your hungry bee, the red maple (Acer rubrum) is a spring savior. Long before the leaves appear, these trees explode in tiny, ruby-red flowers. And because these flowers are high up in the canopy, they offer a safe, wind-protected foraging space for bees on blustery March days.

Red maples are incredibly hardy (USDA zones 3-9) and handle wet feet better than almost any other large shade tree. The key is to buy own-root trees rather than grafted ones where possible, as they tend to be more resilient to cold snaps. 'October Glory' and 'Red Sunset' are classic choices, but for a spectacular early spring show, the 'Northfire' variety is awesome. Buy the stunning ‘Autumn Blaze’ Red Maple from Fast Growing Trees to charm honeybees and bumbles.

These trees reach 50-60 feet (15-18 m) tall at maturity. Because their flowers are so high up, it’s hard to see the pollinator party happening. I recommend a good pair of binoculars, such as the Nikon Trailblazer from Amazon, to watch the activity in the upper branches. It’s a nice way to appreciate the scale of life your tree is supporting.

6. Spring Ephemerals

These early spring flowers for pollinators are "blink and you'll miss them" garden treasures. Plants like Virginia bluebells (Mertensia virginica) and trillium (Trillium grandiflorum) have evolved to bloom and go to seed before big trees leaf out and block the sun. You can also try Virginia spring beauty (Claytonia virginica) in zones 3-9, and wild hyacinth (Camassia scilloides) in zones 4-8. They all supply nectar and pollen for early native bees and honey bees. Wild hyacinth prefers more sun than the others, but part shade will do. The long, tubular flowers of Virginia bluebells are a favorite of long-tongued bees, and even early-returning hummingbirds in the south.

Native spring ephemerals need rich, moist, undisturbed soil (USDA zones 3-8). Virginia bluebells will naturalize and spread over time if they are happy. Trillium is a bit more finicky, but worth the effort for its stunning white blooms. You can find high-quality native ephemerals like White Trillium, available from Amazon, as bare roots for planting now. You can also buy Virginia Bluebells as roots from Amazon.

Since these plants disappear and go dormant by mid-summer, you need to mark their location with a decorative garden stake so you don't accidentally dig them up when planting your summer annuals. Mark your ground while you can with decorative markers like the decorative Temlum Wooden Plant Labels from Amazon.

More Pollinator Essentials

These early spring flowers for bees will keep pollinators coming back to your yard, fostering healthier plants and more productive crops. But if you want to add even more pollinator power to your yard, try these curated items. Guaranteed to support your early risers (and early returning hummers) and level up your garden's pollinator-friendly credentials.

Need more ideas for getting the most from your plants, indoors and out, and looking for the best seasonal expert advice delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for the free Gardening Know How Newsletter!

Deciduous trees and shrubs can be planted bare root. These plants are removed from the soil in autumn while they are full of energy reserves. Then they are planted during dormancy - a period often running from October through March. However, the optimal time for planting most trees is late-February through March, when the soil thaws and spring is just around the corner.

Bare root planting has many advantages. For me, the price savings is a big plus - bare-root trees cost less than container plants, sometimes half the price. And their light weight is another blessing. Shipping weight is obviously lower when the young tree doesn’t come in a container full of soil, and even lugging the tree to the planting site is easier.

Which trees to plant? Deciduous fruit trees are popular choices, but you can also install landscape favorites like maples and birch. Here’s a short list to get you started.

1. Apple Trees

March is the perfect time to plant bare-root apple trees (Malus domestica). These are deciduous trees that lose their leaves in winter, and if removed without soil on their roots, it is essential to get them in the ground before dormancy breaks. March fits that time period, yet it is also very close to spring - with its warming weather that pushes roots to grow.

You’ll need to soak the roots of a bare root tree for several hours before planting. While that’s happening, dig a shallow hole for the roots in an area of the garden getting at least 6 hours of direct sun. When you plant, keep the graft collar at least 2 inches (5cm) above the soil line.

Backfill the hole with soil from the site, not soil from the garden store. Water well and keep the soil moist. You may need to install a stake to stabilize the young apple tree until the roots are established. Stark Bro's Nurseries & Orchards Co. offers bare root Honeycrisp apple trees and more!

2. Japanese Maples

Japanese maple trees (Acer palmatum) are the pretty princesses of the maple clan. They are smaller maples that light up a corner, adding height and power to the garden without creating deep shade below. These lovely little maples are popular in landscapes because of their lyrical shape, brilliant color, and manageable size. They are also the tree of choice in Japanese tea gardens.

For me, the top advantage of buying these maple trees bare root is the price point. As these trees have caught the public eye, their prices have gone up (and seem shockingly expensive at the nursery). And you may not settle for just one. Since there are hundreds of cultivars, with colors ranging from lime green to forest green, through gold and burgundy and purple, you may want two or even three trees.

The keys to successful bare root planting? Be sure the tree is dormant (not a single open leaf!), and plant as soon as you get them home. Plant in a spot that is shady or, at most, in dappled sun, with well-draining soil, and regular irrigation. Mulch around the base of the tree to keep the mower far from the tree’s tender bark. Find a bare root Japanese maple tree from the Arbor Day Foundation.

3. Hawthorn Trees

I love hawthorn trees (Crataegus spp.), called aubépine in French. They are sweet little ornamental trees ideal for small gardens. Their prolific spring blossoms are fragrant and attract early pollinators. These are followed by berries that provide food for wild birds and small mammals in late summer. The trees are easy to grow and extremely appealing. But most interesting, many have thorns - up to 3 inches (7.5cm) long! That means they make great plants for defensive hedges.

Hawthorns are among the best trees and shrubs to plant bare root in late February or early March. That is the end of their dormancy and the young trees are ready and willing to grow those roots starting NOW. These trees will grow anywhere, in any soil.

To plant, select a location with full sun or partial shade. The hole should be several times wider than the current root spread and at least as deep as the roots. As you plant the bare root tree, make certain that the root flare is at or slightly above ground level. Water well and add mulch. Northern Ridge Nursery offers bareroot Hawthorn trees through Etsy.

4. Fig Trees

Planting fig trees (Ficus spp.) bare-root is a popular choice. Anyone who has ever gorged themselves on ripe figs still warm from the sun will insist on installing one or more in the backyard. Like other deciduous trees, figs can only be planted bare root while they are dormant, and late winter or early spring is ideal, especially in colder areas.

Like apple tree roots, fig tree roots must soak in water for a few hours before planting. Select a site with full sun and well-draining soil to dig the planting hole. As you are planting, reduce the size of the canopy branches to balance out the small root system.

You’ll also want to plant the tree deep to encourage low-branches and easy fruit harvest. These can grow into relatively tall trees (30 feet/10m or more) so give your fig plenty of elbow room. Cold-hardy, self-fertile bareroot fig trees are available from Lowe's.

5. European Hazelnut Trees

I fell in love with the European hazelnut (Corylus avellana) in France - and while my trees provide lots of delicious nuts for me and the squirrels, it’s their beauty that is what reels me in. The leaves are green, a fresh, happy green that seems to represent all the joy of spring. But even before leaves appear, the long male catkins hang like ornaments on the bare branches.

European hazelnuts should be planted bare root while they are still dormant, with the ideal time being late winter or early spring. Soak the roots for up to six hours before planting them. Pick a spot with sun or dappled sun and well-draining soil.

Space the trees some 15 feet (5m) apart if you are planting more than one. European hazelnut varieties like the 'Clark Filbert' hazelnut tree are available from Stark Bro's Nurseries and Orchards Co.

Need more ideas for getting the most from your plants, indoors and out, and looking for the best seasonal expert advice delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for the free Gardening Know How Newsletter!

Forest bathing isn't just a trendy term. Decades of research back up how time around trees lowers stress, eases blood pressure, and lifts mood. But in winter, our time around trees pretty much disappears as the temperatures drop and daylight fades. Many of us are stuck indoors during long stretches of cold and we can’t reap the benefits of this calming practice.

But thankfully, the restorative effects you get from being near trees doesn’t have to happen outdoors only. Big, leafy indoor trees deliver a lot of benefits of forest bathing for your body and mind. Studies show tree exposure calms the nervous system – heart rate slows, cortisol drops, sleep improves. Trees release phytoncides that bolster immunity too.

Growing small trees inside all winter maintains that tie to nature and several types of indoor trees handle home conditions better than you’d expect. I’ll share seven of the best big, indoor trees to bring the same calm you get from outdoor forest bathing into your home when winter keeps you stuck inside.

What Is Forest Bathing?

Forest bathing is a Japanese practice called shinrin-yoku. It simply means being around trees and letting your senses take in your surroundings. Japan certified specific trials for the practice back in the 1980s after research showed clear health gains from regular time spent among trees.

There are tons of benefits of being outdoors and in the trees. Clinical studies have shown that forest bathing lowers blood pressure, lessens anxiety, builds a stronger immune response, and brightens your mood.

Though there are many physical and mental health benefits of gardening, there’s something special about being around trees specifically. The magic comes from sensory contact with the forest setting itself. Phytoncides move through skin and breath, boosting natural killer cells that fight illnesses.

Best Indoor Trees for Forest Bathing

If you want to reap those same benefits indoors during the winter months, there are a few indoor trees that can help you replicate the same results. Bringing this practice indoors calls for as much living tree presence as possible. Here are the best trees to help you soak in all the goodness of an indoor forest bath this winter.

1. Fiddle Leaf Fig

Fiddle leaf figs (Ficus lyrata) carry real weight in any room. Their large violin-shaped leaves are thick and glossy and catch light in a way smaller plants can never match. Mature plants stretch to 6 feet (1.8 m) or taller indoors, forming a true canopy overhead that's well-suited to forest bathing.

These figs want bright indirect light and steady watering. Let soil dry between drinks, but avoid bone-dry spells. Plenty of humidity helps, too. Mist plants weekly or group with other plants to raise humidity in the area. Once settled in a spot, leave them be. Fiddle leaf figs don’t like to be moved.

Get a 5-6 foot (1.5-1.8 m) tall fiddle leaf fig from Costa Farms on Amazon.

2. Rubber Tree

Rubber trees (Ficus elastica) throw out thick glossy leaves. They're deep green most often, though the burgundy varieties look especially rich. Foliage has a slightly waxy feel when you run a finger across it, which adds a unique sensory element to your indoor forest.

These plants are pretty forgiving compared to a lot of indoor trees. They can put up with lower light without much fuss and recover nicely, even when watering is a bit inconsistent. Water once the top inch (2.5 cm) of soil feels dry. A monthly wipe with a damp cloth will remove dust, keep leaves shiny, and ensure they're working properly.

Rubber trees grow at a steady but unhurried pace, adding around 1 to 2 feet (30-60 cm) a year when conditions are correct. Over time, they can reach 6 to 8 feet (1.8-2.4 m) indoors.

Buy an extra large 'Burgundy' rubber tree from Lively Root for an instant forest feel in your home.

3. Bird of Paradise

Though it's technically a houseplant, bird of paradise (Strelitzia reginae) feels like a true indoor tree. Huge paddle leaves fan out from sturdy stems, bringing a tropical canopy to ordinary indoor spaces. Mature plants hit 5 to 6 feet (1.5-1.8 m) tall, with single leaves spanning up to 2 to 3 feet (60-90 cm) long.

Bright light is key for these plants and south-facing windows work best. Water thoroughly when soil dries and let pots drain completely after. Bird of paradise can handle occasional drought, but hates soggy roots. All that foliage creates a deeply enveloping green pocket through dull winter days.

Get a 2-3 foot (60-90 cm) tall bird of paradise plant from Costa Farms at the Home Depot.

4. Dwarf Umbrella Tree

Umbrella trees (Schefflera arboricola) form clusters of glossy finger-like leaves that spread outward like open umbrellas. The canopy fills out surprisingly well indoors and adapts to indoor conditions better than many other plants. Schefflera reaches 4 to 6 feet (1.2-1.8 m) when grown in pots indoors.

They take lower light than fiddle leaf figs or birds of paradise, making them one of the best plants for dark and moody rooms. Water when the top inch or two (2.5-5 cm) of soil dries. Light pruning keeps the shape full instead of stretched. Dense leaves add real visual depth.

Get a mature schefflera tree from Amazon that will fill in your indoor forest quickly.

5. Weeping Fig

Weeping figs (Ficus benjamina) produce tons of small glossy leaves on drooping branches, building an actual overhead canopy. This beautiful houseplant is one of the closest things to a real tree indoors, branches included. Mature ones push out to 6 feet (1.8 m) or more in length, making them ideal for an indoor forest bath.

However, ficuses get touchy about light shifts. Pick a bright spot and keep them there – moving plants triggers an alarming leaf drop, even if recovery follows. Steady watering and humidity suit them well.

Get a lovely variegated 'Anastasia' weeping fig tree from Home Depot.

6. Banana Plant

Indoor banana trees (Musa spp.) throw out massive paddle-like leaves that unroll from the central trunk. Leaves feel rubbery and grab light beautifully – some hit 4 to 5 feet (1.2-1.5 m). Whole plants reach 5 to 7 feet (1.5-2.1 m) with consistent care.

They need bright light and even moisture. These plants love high humidity, too – their tropical background means dry heated air brings trouble. Fruit rarely develops indoors, yet the thick foliage alone provides lush immersion. Winter feels far away standing near an indoor banana tree.

Explore tons of different banana trees you can grow indoors from Fast Growing Trees.

7. Eureka Variegated Pink Lemon

Now we are in personal favorite territory. 'Eureka Variegated Pink' lemons (Citrus limon 'Eureka Variegated Pink') stand out with really striking foliage – variegated green and cream leaves with new growth that blushes to soft pink. White and pink flowers smell incredible when they arrive and the fantastic fruit has unusual, but appealing, pink flesh.

In containers with regular pruning, these indoor lemon trees stay around 6 to 8 feet (1.8-2.4 m) and often fruit early, sometimes in their first or second year. Give plants strong light, 6 to 8 hours from southern windows or grow lights.

Water once the top inch (2.5 cm) of soil dries and feed every six to eight weeks during the growing season with something like this citrus fertilizer from Amazon made for potted trees. Brush pollen gently between blooms for pollination. Bold leaves, fragrance, and actual lemons all combine into a standout indoor tree that you can bathe yourself with all winter.

Get this uniquely stunning lemon variety from Fast Growing Trees.

Tips for Thriving Indoor Trees

Place indoor trees near the brightest windows possible. South and west exposures deliver most light when winter days are short and light is weak. Add grow lights if needed, like this LED panel from Amazon. Most trees want at least 6 hours of strong light to hold a lush form and the forest bathing benefits you want.

Group plants together when space allows. Clustered trees raise local humidity through transpiration, keeping leaves vibrant in dry heated air. Something like these humidifiers from Amazon helps where grouping isn't practical.

Spend actual time sitting near the trees, not just sharing the room. Subtle leaf scents, overhead canopy depth, and other sensory elements trigger the calm response that forest bathing provides.

We gardeners may prefer to be out in the garden in warm weather. But trees may not have the same preferences that we do. February is a cold month in most parts of the country, but it happens to be a great time to plant a tree.

Not every tree should be planted in February. If you are planting trees in late winter, think about fruit trees, deciduous trees, and evergreens. Of course, you’ll want to wait until you can work the soil.

Here are some of our favorite trees to plant in February.

1. Cherry

I’ve never met a child who doesn’t love cherries. They are easy to pick, delicious to eat, and fun to squeeze the pits and send them flying. Adults love cherries too but might be just as enchanted by the cherry tree’s amazing spring blossoms.

It’s best to plant cherry trees while they are dormant, before they leaf or flower. February is a wonderful month for planting cherries since they will have time to develop a root system before flowering out in spring. Plant them on a sunny morning any time after the chance of a hard freeze is passed.

Like most fruit trees, cherry trees need sun – at least six hours a day of direct sun to get a good harvest. Plant where the soil drains well and with some wind protection. Most cherry trees are self-fertile but check before you buy them. If not, you’ll need two trees of compatible species. Find 'Lapins' sweet cherry trees from Stark Bro's Nurseries & Orchards.

2. Apple

Apple trees are great fruit trees for regions with colder winter temperatures. Like other deciduous fruit trees, apple trees are best planted while they are dormant – December, January and February. February is perhaps the best month to plant apples because the ground gets warm enough to dig, but the trees remain dormant.

Planting an apple tree in February gives it time to start root growth before spring arrives. The tree will have to deal with less insect pests and less diseases in winter, giving the tree a better chance to get established.

Apple trees require full sunlight to produce fruit so find a site that gets at least 6 hours of direct sun. Wait to plant your apple tree until you can work the soil, and make sure that it drains well. If your tree is grafted – and many apple trees are grafted to hardy rootstocks – plant the tree with the graft above the soil. You will need two compatible apple trees for them to be cross pollinated and produce fruit. An amazing selection of apple trees is available at Stark Bro's Nurseries & Orchards, including heirloom apple varieties.

3. Paper Birch

I’ve loved birch trees since I read Robert Frost’s poem about being a swinger of birches. And I’ve planted a dozen paper birches on my land in France. I love their white bark, slightly heart-shaped green leaves and yellow fall color. Mine grow as single-trunk trees, but you can also grow them as smaller, clumping trees with multiple trunks.

The chief beauty of the paper birch is the thin white bark which peels off in paper-like layers. The tree grows attractive catkins in fall that are appreciated by wild birds, squirrels and other small mammals. It can grow to 100 feet (30m) but my birch trees stay much smaller.

Birches in general like sun on their leaves but shade around their roots, so try to find a site to accommodate that. The soil should be moist sand or loam. Find bare root paper birch tress from the Arbor Day Foundation.

4. Oak

Oak trees are tall and famed for growing from tiny acorns. Some species can grow to 100 feet (30m) tall. Oaks have lobed leaves and dark bark that develop ridges and fissures as they age. Most oaks offer a brilliant, fiery fall show before the leaves fall in autumn. Their seeds – acorns – provide food for wildlife, and a single tree can grow over a million in a lifetime.

In most parts of the country, the best time to plant an oak tree is late winter. That makes February a good choice, but you’ll want to be sure you can work the soil before planting. Pick a spot that gets full sun.

It is essential to check out the size of the site before planting. Oak trees range in mature height from 60 to 100 feet (20-33m) with canopies up to 50 feet (17 m) wide. You’ll need to be sure that you have enough space below ground too, since oaks have deep, wide root systems. They are powerful, so keep them away from pavement and foundations. Fast Growing Trees has great oak options from the classic white oak to the more rare Nuttall oak which is perfect for more southern climes and is incredibly adaptable.

5. Pine

A pine tree is an evergreen in the Pinus genus, which includes more than 100 species of pine trees worldwide. These are conifers – trees that bear their seeds in cones. Instead of leaves, they have bundles of needles. Pine bark is usually thick and scaly although a few species have thin, flaky bark. These trees provide year-round color and structure in your landscape, reason enough to install one in your garden.

Pine trees develop best when planted during their dormancy. Late winter or early spring is an optimal time of year for planting pine, once the soil can be worked but before the tree buds out. If you buy a bare root pine, this is one the only time to plant. With a container plant, you have more leeway, but February works for both types of young pines.

When you are determining a site, keep in mind that pine trees need full sun and well-drained soil to thrive. They prefer acidic soil with a pH between 4 and 7. Although they need plenty of irrigation when first planted, but, as they mature, they become drought resistant. Find a wonderful Eastern white pine from Fast Growing Trees.

6. Spruce

Spruce trees are also conifer evergreens that make a statement in the landscape in all seasons. Like pine trees, they require a full sun site and moist, acidic soil, but there are significant differences between the species.

While pine trees have long needles growing in clusters, spruce trees have short, stiff needles. Spruce needles grow on all sides of the branches, giving spruce trees a full and dense appearance. Their needles are forest green, not yellow-green or blue-green like pines.

When to plant your spruce tree? The best time is late winter or early spring after the soil thaws. If you wait until summer, the heat will stress the young tree and perhaps prevent it from establishing a strong root system. 'Baby Blue' spruce from Fast Growing Trees is a great low-maintenance variety that stays on the small side and has a beautiful blue tint.

Whether you want fruit, shade, or a stately specimen, these trees have something to offer. Plant these trees in February and get ready for the ultimate upgrade in your landscaping.

More than half of the U.S. has been plunged into frigid temperatures that are well below average and some communities have found themselves under record-breaking blankets of snow. Cold, snow, and ice can be deadly on their own but some people on social media are talking about “exploding trees” from the severe cold snap. Are exploding trees another thing we have to worry about on top of it all? Well, not really.

Trees can suffer damage and may split during a drastic drop in temperatures in a short period of time, but the trees don’t “explode.” This phenomenon is called frost cracking and it can sound like a gunshot which would be terrifying to those nearby. However, frost cracking doesn’t pose a threat to humans or even the tree it happens to. No splinters flying past your head!

However, there is a tree issue in the winter that is dangerous to you and your property. Let’s dig a little deeper.

Frost Cracking Explained

First, what are people talking about when they mention trees “exploding” in winter? This is something called frost cracking and it is not really an explosion. Frost cracking results from the rapid cooling and expansion of the moisture in the wood and bark of a tree. This sudden expansion results in a loud, explosive sound and the tree will have a crack along its trunk where the expansion occurred.

Frost cracking can be loud and startling, but it is not dangerous. It is also mostly harmless to the tree, unless disease or pests enter the trunk through the crack which could eventually harm the tree.

The Real Tree Danger in Winter

As we explored, frost cracking may be startling but it is not dangerous to humans or property. However, heavy snow and ice accumulating on trees in the winter is extremely dangerous.

Even small amounts of ice are heavy and put enormous stress on tree limbs causing them to snap and fall. And if you live in a more southern state that has broadleaf evergreen trees like southern magnolias, snow and ice clings to the large surface area of those beautiful leaves and makes the tree even more prone to breaking.

Trees and tree limbs falling from the weight of snow and ice can hurt people who might be walking along the sidewalk or standing in the yard. These falling hazards can also crush cars, roofs of homes, and take down power lines. (Safety note: Never go near a downed power line and stay at least 35 feet away from anything that it is touching. Call 911 immediately and notify your power company).

What To Do

Before the Winter: A little fall prevention can help to mitigate danger during the next snow and ice storm. Keep trees trimmed, especially near power lines, and call a professional if you can’t manage it yourself. Trimming smaller branches is easy with the use of a Fiskars combination pole saw and extendable tree pruner which can be purchased from Amazon.

Calling a certified arborist is advised when dealing with large limbs or dead limbs. These can be dangerous to remove and a professional will keep things safe for you and the tree.

Before the Storm: If you know snow is on the way, you can tie up delicate trees or young trees into a cone shape to help keep them supported under the weight of the winter precipitation. Use sturdy but flexible materials to safely tie up your tree. This could include bungee cords, nylon hose, or strips of fabric. You can find a spool of marine-grade bungee cord from Amazon.

After the Storm: If the snow has already covered your trees and branches are bending under the weight, use a broom to gently push upwards to remove the snow. Don’t push down or it will add more stress to the branches.

If ice has covered your precious trees, you will just have to leave it. Removing ice will damage the tree further and could lead to injury of yourself, as well.

As trees mature, their lower branches can start shading everything beneath them. Grass may thin out, flowerbeds can start to struggle, and the space under your trees becomes basically unusable. The canopy sits so low you can't walk under it comfortably or mow the lawn without ducking.

Crown-raising your trees fixes these issues by systematically removing the bottom branches. Understanding some basic pruning methods helps, including crown-raising. This process is actually simpler than many other pruning methods – you're just lifting the canopy gradually over time.

Unlike tree topping, which butchers a tree's natural shape, stimulates weak regrowth, and creates entry points for disease, crown-raising preserves your tree's health. It also opens up the area beneath the canopy allowing for easier access, more light, and the ability to grow plants underneath your tree. I’ll walk you through how to use this effective pruning technique on trees in your yard or garden.

Stop Topping Trees

Crown-raising trees is a better way to renovate trees through pruning instead of the more common practice of topping. Tree topping hacks branches right back to stubs, creating nasty wounds that hardly ever seal up right. The tree fights back by sprouting bunches of spindly shoots just below those cuts. Because they shoot up and regrow quickly, they are much more likely to snap like twigs in a storm.

Topped trees end up looking mangled and deformed for good and the health of the trees tend to fade away over time. Topping trees is never a good idea. Always consult a certified arborist before carrying out major pruning jobs like topping. They will ensure that you make the right kinds of cuts to actually help your tree rather than hurt it.

Benefits of Crown-Raising Trees

Instead of topping your trees, try crown-raising. Crown-raising works with how trees grow naturally, rather than fighting growth to keep trees small like topping does. Removing lower branches through the process of crown-raising leaves the main trunk and key framework of your tree untouched.

Your tree holds onto its natural shape and keeps reaching skyward, but opens up the canopy and the area below the tree for actual use. This allows more light to enter the landscape beneath the tree so plants can grow and gives you more space to walk and work underneath your tree's branches.

Best Time for Crown-Raising

Late winter to early spring pruning suits most trees when they’re still dormant, but gearing up for growth. No leaves means clear views of branches and wounds will naturally heal come spring.

Late fall pruning works as well after leaves drop, though healing may take until warmer weather returns. Skip summer pruning. Cuts can end up oozing sap and drawing pests. Early fall pruning also risks soft new growth freezing before it hardens.

How to Try Crown-Raising

There are a couple different ways you can try crown-raising the trees in your landscape. I'll walk you through the two main methods, step-by-step.

The Bottom-Up Method

This method keeps things orderly and safe for your tree. Start from the ground level and work around the trunk methodically, focusing on the scraggly lower growth first. Wear protective gloves, like these ones from Amazon, to make pruning easier on your hands.

1. Identify Problem Branches

Look for branches that sag, cross over others, or grow toward the ground rather than up towards the sky. These are the ones dragging the canopy low and blocking light.

Removing them opens up your tree without shocking its system too much. Pruning out dead or diseased limbs here also helps prevent those issues from spreading higher in the tree. Getting rid of these problem branches clears the way for healthier growth overall.

2. Work in a Circle

Go around the trunk evenly, taking off the entire lowest tier of branches before tackling the next lowest level. This prevents common pruning problems like lopsided growth and lets the tree adjust gradually.

Most trees need this done over a couple seasons to avoid stress. Balancing the removal keeps the tree symmetrical and reduces wind damage risks. It also makes future maintenance simpler since the structure stays even.

3. Reassess After Each Tier

After knocking out one layer of branches, wait a season and check how the tree responds. If it's thriving, go for another round. New bud formation indicates good recovery.

Spread out the crown-raising process over the course of two or three years until you get the clearance you want. Taking this process slowly avoids over-pruning that could weaken your tree long-term.

The Three-Cut Method

For branches thicker than a finger, the three-cut method prevents bark tears that could invite rot or common tree diseases. Thin branches only need a single snip with bypass pruners, like these ones from Fiskars, but thicker limbs need careful handling to prune cleanly.

1. The Under-Cut

To start, make a small notch on the underside of a branch about 6 inches (15 cm) from the trunk. This stops the branch from ripping downward when it falls. It's a quick step, but really crucial for clean limb removal. The notch should be about a quarter of the branch's thickness to work effectively. Doing this first controls the break point precisely.

2. The Main Cut

From the top of the branch, slice further out than the notch you made in the last step – about a foot (30 cm) or so beyond the first cut. This cut relieves weight before the final trim. In the next step, the branch should snap at the undercut and drops away without stripping any bark.

Position yourself safely to avoid falling debris as you proceed. And always use a sharp, clean pruning tool, like this saw from Amazon that handles the job smoothly.

3. The Final Cut

Trim the stub just outside the branch collar – that swollen spot where the branch meets the trunk. Leave the collar intact because it helps seal the wound properly.

Don't cut flush or healing will take much longer. Angling the cut slightly outward sheds water better. Proper finishing promotes faster callus formation over the wound, meaning less chance of disease.

Follow the One-Third Rule

Never remove more than one-third of the tree's branches in one go – this rule keeps the tree from starving or undergoing too much stress. For a 15-foot (4.5 m) tree, clear no more than 5 feet (1.5 m) of branches up the trunk. This ensures enough leaves remain for sufficient photosynthesis.

If you prune trees too much, they will enter panic mode and start pushing out suckers everywhere. Weak shoots will sprout to replace lost foliage, but ultimately, they drain energy. That's what happens when you top trees.

Instead, stick to the one-third limit to avoid that mess and maintain tree health. And as with any pruning job, always use sharp, clean tools to prevent spreading diseases of making jagged cuts that invite problems. These bypass loppers from Amazon cut branches up to 1.5 inches (3.8 cm) thick and have a long enough handle to reach low to medium height branches.

What Happens After Crown-Raising

After crown-raising a tree, it shifts energy to the upper branches and fills out the canopy naturally. Sun hits the ground again, reviving grass and letting plants growing beneath your tree thrive where shade once ruled.

Watch for stress signs like dieback or extra suckers. If these appear, ease up next time you prune. A healthy response means another tier of pruning later. Over the course of a few seasons, crown-raising turns dead space into a perfect spot for paths or beds without mangling your tree.

Want to bring more songbirds into your garden? Specifically cardinals? The secret isn’t just in feeders or birdbaths: it’s in the plants you choose, and there's one native tree in particular that can work some serious magic.

We all know that birds are drawn to spaces that offer both food and safety, so creating a garden with the right mix of shelter and sustenance is a must for anyone hoping to welcome feathered visitors. Even small changes can have a big impact, attracting more birds and giving them reasons to stay.

And if it’s cardinals you’re hoping to see, the answer is simple: plant a hawthorn (Crataegus spp.). With its spring blossoms, fall berries, and dense branches, it offers food, shelter, and perfect nesting spots, turning your garden into a hotspot for these iconic red songbirds season after season. And, best of all, now is the best time to get planting.

Why Cardinals Love Hawthorn

Just as robins are the darlings of the UK, so, too, are cardinals a favorite in the States. How could they not be, with their striking red plumage and cheerful songs?

While they’re adaptable and will feed on a variety of seeds, fruits, and insects, they much prefer areas that provide safe perches and cover, and the not-so-humble hawthorn tree delivers on all fronts.

Think about it: those thorny branches make a natural fortress against predators, while that dense foliage gives birds a quiet place to build nests. By planting a hawthorn, you’re essentially rolling out the red carpet for cardinals – especially males, who are drawn to bright berries and berries-rich shrubs to feed their mates during breeding season.

Planting Hawthorn Trees

Hawthorns are versatile trees that thrive in USDA zones 4 through 8, making them suitable for a wide range of gardens. Most varieties reach between 15 and 30 feet at maturity, so they’re perfect for medium-sized yards, mixed borders, or even a dedicated wildlife corner.

Timing is key, and bare-root trees (like this bare-root Washington hawthorn from Arbor Day) are the way to go during late winter or very early spring.

For those with blank faces at the back, remember: bare-root trees are sold without soil around their roots, which allows them to establish more quickly once planted. Early-year planting helps the roots settle before the stresses of hot summer weather, giving your hawthorn a head start.

It's easy enough to do; just dig a hole twice as wide as the root spread, water generously after planting, and mulch lightly to retain moisture. And opt for as sunny a spot as you can muster, as more light makes for more flowers and berries, which in turn attract more wildlife.

Well-drained soil is ideal, but many hawthorns are surprisingly resilient and can handle clay or sandy soils with a little extra compost at planting time.

Cardinal Shopping List Essentials:

Of course, it's important to point out that hawthorns don’t just attract cardinals – they also support pollinators and other beneficial garden visitors, too.

In spring, their clusters of white or pink flowers draw bees, butterflies, and other insects, creating a buzzing, vibrant garden ecosystem. By late summer and fall, the trees bear small red berries, known as haws, that provide essential nutrition for birds, including cardinals, finches, and robins. And, even in winter, the berries often remain on the branches, offering food when resources are scarce.

Try pairing yours with some complementary perennial plants in beds and borders, such as purple coneflower.

Watching cardinals flit through the branches of a hawthorn tree is endlessly rewarding, not least of all because these beloved birds are so lively, colorful, and surprisingly personable.

By opting for a hawthorn, you won't just be adding a native tree to your landscape; you’re cultivating a small sanctuary for cardinals and other wildlife, creating a garden that’s alive year-round.

So, commit, we say, and plant a bare-root this season. Come spring, you’ll likely be greeted by a chorus of birdsong – with cardinals leading the way.

We’ve all heard the old maxim “Let sleeping dogs lie” but this doesn’t hold up when it comes to bugs. There is no upside to leaving snoozing pests on your favorite plants. In fact, when insect pests pass the winter sleeping in your fruit trees, it’s considered the perfect opportunity to attack.

Aphids, scale insects, codling moths, caterpillars, and spider mites tend to pass the winter season in fruit trees, often as eggs. There, they patiently await spring, when they emerge to begin a long season of munching on your plants. It’s a common tree mistake to think you can banish these pests with pesticides in spring.

The truth is that it’s easier, safer, cheaper and more effective to use one spray on overwintering pests in January – and that’s dormant oil. Here’s why it works in January, and why it can help you in the garden now.

What Is Dormant Oil?

Dormant oils are horticultural oils – that is, plant-based or petroleum-based products that are meant to be applied during the period of the year when the plant is dormant, usually in winter and early spring. Organic neem oil is one of the best alternatives for fruit pest sprays, but copper and sulfur oils are also important for some fruit trees.

So why should you apply dormant oil? The purpose is to target pests that are found on plants in winter. Spraying with dormant oil in January helps control overwintering insects and insect eggs in your home fruit trees as well as woody ornamentals. One highly rated and reliable brand for gardeners is Bonide All Seasons Dormant Spray Oil from Amazon, which is highly effective on these fruit trees during the dormant season. Monterey and Sunspray are other highly rated brands for dormant oil products you can use on overwintering pests.

Risks of Overwintering Insects

Overwintering insects are born on your fruit trees. That gives them ample time and opportunity to damage them as they hatch out and feed on their bark, leaves, and fruits. This can weaken the tree, reduce its vigor and growth, and result in less (or lower quality) fruit.

Some pests also spread diseases to the trees. Other pests, including sap-eating aphids, compete with the tree for nutrients. Still others, like the codling moth, burrow deep into the fruit, making it inedible. Every single insect pest is ready, willing, and able to propagate their species quickly and effectively in spring.

The risk of overwintering insects is greater in some fruit trees than others. Apple, pear and peach trees are particularly at risk, as pests like aphids and mites can hide in their bark as well as their foliage. Insects like woolly apple aphids and European red mites are known to overwinter in the bark. Peach trees are at risk for plum curculio pests, known to damage the fruit.

1. Dormant Oil Is Easier

Spraying dormant oil on insects and their eggs in January is oh-so-much easier than trying the same trick with pesticides in summer. For one, the leaves have fallen from deciduous trees, giving you a clear shot at the areas of the tree where eggs and bugs might cluster.

The dormant oil suffocates the eggs and larvae. At the same time, it places a barrier of protection on the plant surfaces. This can smother adult pests like aphids, and slow down fungal spores from germinating.

2. Dormant Oil Is Safer

Most everybody is aware, these days, that chemical pesticides can cause as many problems as they solve, if not more. They may do a good job of taking out pests, but they also kill beneficial bugs like pollinators and beneficial insects which prey on pests.

Dormant sprays have virtually no downsides. Organic neem oil is the best choice, but even if you go for a dormant oil that is petroleum based, these oils have a low UR (unsulfonated residue), meaning that most of the toxic compounds have been removed. Because dormant oil is sprayed during the dormant period, fewer pollinators and beneficial insects are at risk.

3. Dormant Oil Is Cheaper

Dormant oil won’t break the bank, even if you go for organic neem oil. The cherry on the top is that you only use it in the dormant season. Spray neem oil in winter, and you are done for the year. Every smotherable insect on the tree is impacted. (Small caveat here: excessive oil can risk smothering the bark's ability to breathe. One thorough drenching application is the standard recommendation for dormancy.)

Pesticides are notoriously pricey, and repeat spraying is recommended. That’s because pests like aphids and spider mites reproduce so quickly in summer that they require constant management. While dormant sprays do involve an initial investment, using them leads to lower long-term costs by reducing the need for additional treatments. Chemical pesticides are more expensive in terms of ongoing expenses, since the applications must be repeated during the entire growing season.

4. Dormant Oil Is More Effective

If you apply dormant oil at the appropriate time and ensure coverage, it can reduce insect pests by up to 92 percent. To get this type of result, you must apply it when temperatures are above 40 degrees F (4°C) and there is no chance of frost. Wait for the wind to die down and the rain clouds to pass. Coverage is critical. To make your dormant oil application effective, ensure a thorough coverage of all surfaces of the plant, including leaves if present, the undersides of leaves, and all branches.

However, while dormant spray provides very effective short-term protection against pests and some diseases during the dormant season, it’s not a cast-iron guarantee for pest-free fruit trees throughout the growing season. Several applications may be necessary to keep your fruit trees healthy as buds open and new growth occurs.

Don’t Forget – Winter Spray Checklist

Obviously, these products are lethal to overwintering pests, but make sure you are using them correctly and safely (and thoroughly). Here are the main guidelines for proper dormant oil spray success in your backyard:

• Safety First: Wear gloves and eye protection when spraying, even with organic products like neem. Use protective gloves like Showa Atlas Winter Safety Gloves from Amazon. Avoid inhaling the mist and ensure pets and children stay clear of the area until the spray has dried.
• Get the Timing Right: Apply your dormant oils in late winter or early spring before any buds open or fresh green growth appears. This timing is very important to ensure you catch pests while they are immobile (and prevent harming new foliage).
• Watch the Thermometer: Only apply on dry, calm days when temperatures are consistently above 40°F (4°C) for at least 24 hours. Avoid spraying if frost is forecast, as the oil can crack the bark if it freezes before drying.
• Prioritize Bee Safety: To keep pollinators safe, only spray while trees are strictly dormant (no open blooms). Spraying very early morning or at dusk ensures that any early-emerging bees aren't active, and oil has time to dry before they land on a tree.
• Check for Sensitivity: Always read the label first. While great for apples and pears, certain trees (like blue spruce, Japanese maples, walnuts) can be sensitive to oils and may suffer foliage burn.
• Hydration is Key: Ensure your trees are well-hydrated before spraying. Never apply oil to a drought-stressed plant, as this can cause the tree to absorb the oil into its tissues, leading to damage.

Winter Bug Zapping Essentials

Are you ready to zap those overwintering nasties before they tuck into your fruit trees? Make sure you're covered and get the job done right first time, and you'll save money and time later. Here’s your ready-made kit for effective dormant oil applications.

Need more ideas for getting the most from your plants, indoors and out, and looking for the best seasonal expert advice delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for the free Gardening Know How Newsletter!

There are many evergreens that can add year-round beauty to the landscape, but picking one of the common types of fir trees is an easy recipe for success. Sure, fir species won’t delight you with fancy spring flowers or offer fiery fall colors like some deciduous varieties. But they are outstanding landscape trees in so many other ways.

Their soft needles and rounded shapes are appealing year in, year out and their upright cones add to their exceptional beauty that lasts through all four seasons. Fir types come in a variety of sizes from lofty to compact, so you’ll definitely find one that fits your needs.

If you are considering adding a couple coniferous trees to your yard, I’ve put together a short list of the best types of fir trees for you to consider. Here are my top types to grow for a stunning year-round show.

What Are Fir Trees?

Fir trees are magnificent conifers, tall, with soft, needle-like leaves. They are native to cooler areas in the Northern Hemisphere, including the United States, Europe, North Africa and Asia.

All true fir tree varieties are in the Abies genus, which includes some 50 species. This classification, however, excludes a couple coniferous trees with "fir" in their common name that are not actually part of the Abies genus. Douglas fir and hemlock fir are two examples. But these evergreen tree varieties are not true firs.

Firs are a beautiful addition to the landscape with their tall, conical growing habit and upright cones. You can distinguish true firs from other conifers by their distinct features, which I'll discuss below.

Unique Features of Fir Trees

Fir trees are in the Pinaceae family, together with many other conifers, including pine, spruce, and hemlock. They can be distinguished from the others by their unique features.

You can identify a fir tree by its needles, trunk, and cones:

• The needles are a vibrant green, arranged in a spiral and attaching singly to the branches in an arrangement that looks like a small suction cup.
• Spruce needles appear in pairs and pine needles in clusters.
• The trunks are straight and tall, with the branches forming a conical or pyramid shape.
• The cones are exceptional, soft and held upright on the branches like candles. Other conifers have cones that droop or dangle.

Different Types of Fir Trees

Here are four of my favorite types of fir trees. They all provide evergreen beauty and elegance that will elevate any landscape.

1. Fraser Fir

You may recognize this fir with its gorgeous color, sweet fragrance, and perfect pyramidal shape from the Christmas tree lot. Yes, Fraser firs are Christmas incarnate, often used for holiday trees, wreaths, and garlands. The Fraser fir is generally compact with a conical crown and branches that angle slightly upwards.

Frasers grow to 50 feet tall (16 m) with a trunk up to 20 inches (50 cm) in diameter. The needles are flat and dark green on top with two silver backs beneath. Look for dark purple cones to appear in fall, turning brown as they mature. The bark starts out smooth, but gets craggy as it matures.

Plant your Fraser fir in full sun or part sun and acidic soil. Cover in summer is crucial to its development, providing a cooling effect. It will get some 8-10 (20-25 cm) inches taller every year until it tops out around 50 feet (16 m) tall.

Shop Fraser fir saplings from Regrowth Nursery on Etsy.

2. Korean Fir

If you are looking for a smaller fir with high ornamental value, consider the Korean fir tree. It's native to the mountains of South Korea and is an utterly lovely decorative tree, beloved around the world as an addition to gardens.

The Korean fir only grows up to 30 feet (10 m) tall and many top out at half that height. It has a beautiful symmetrical shape with a conical outline and will live around 30 years. The branches are densely packed with flat, shiny needles that are dark green on top with two vivid bands below. Cones are purple-blue when young, growing darker with maturity.

This tree needs a full sun location and well-draining, acidic soil. It is a thirsty tree, so provide extra irrigation except during the rainy season.

If you need something even smaller, check out the short variety, Abies koreana 'Compact Dwarf'. It only reaches around 5 feet (1.5 m) tall and 3 feet (1 m) wide. Or add unique yellow color to your evergreen garden with an Abies koreana 'Aurea' from Etsy.

3. Noble Fir

This species is an iconic tree of the Pacific Northwest. In the wild, the noble fir is a true giant of the forest, towering over all others at 225 feet (70 m) tall and literally scraping the sky. However, when cultivated in a home garden, the standard height is 50 feet (16 m) tall. In either situation, however, the noble fir exhibits a beautifully symmetrical branch structure

With dramatic blue-green needles and a tall, straight trunk – some growing up to 6 feet (2 m) in diameter – the noble fir is an icon of resilience. It survives and thrives in the wild coastal ranges of North America. Beyond its good looks, this tree is crucial to the ecosystem because it supports wildlife and provides valuable timber. Young trees have smooth, gray bark that turns mahogany as it matures.

This type of fir needs a sunny location and well-drained, loamy soils to prosper. In ideal conditions, it survives windy conditions and it makes an impressive and effective wind break.

Shop noble fir seedlings from Scenic Hill Farm on Etsy.

4. California Red Fir

In California, we call this majestic tree the California red fir, but it's also known as red fir or silvertip fir. This huge evergreen tree grows up to 210 feet (70 m) tall with a 6-8 foot (2-3 m) trunk diameter. It is native to the Sierra Nevada mountains. The “red” in the common name comes from the orange-red bark color of mature trees, but young trees have smooth, grey bark.

The crown of the California red fir is narrow and conical. The needles are blue-green and curve upward at the tip making the foliage look lush and full. Indeed, the tree is admired for its ornamental qualities – the gorgeous bark and unique foliage. Cones are erect and yellow-green, ripening to brown.

If you wish to grow a California red fir, be sure you have the space and site it needs. These firs require full sun exposure and well-drained soils. It will be a fabulous addition to a large garden landscape.

This unusual, yet absolutely stunning evergreen can be a bit difficult to find. But you can buy California red fir seeds from Etsy to plant your own trees.

Pruning a plant feels a little like cutting your hair – the process makes things neater and more aesthetically appealing. But unlike haircuts, pruning cannot be performed whenever the urge hits. There are best times to prune, acceptable times to prune, and times that you shouldn’t pick up the pruners for love or money. And, to make matters more complicated, the timing varies dramatically between species.

Why is getting the timing right such a big part of the basics of pruning? While trimming trees and shrubs does tidy up your landscape, it also serves a more important end: preparing the plants for the next period of fruiting, flowering, or growth. Prune a plant at the wrong time and you might eliminate the next crop of blossoms and/or fruits. Here are seven plants you should never prune in January.

January is winter across the Northern Hemisphere, so January plant pruning is dormant pruning. It is the ideal time to prune many deciduous plants – those that do not bloom or bear fruit on new growth.

Plants to Prune in January

Your trees and shrubs are now dormant. Most have lost their leaves, making it easy to see the structure and decide where to make cuts. The ground is likely frozen where you live, so it’s easier to reach tricky spots to make the right cuts.

By pruning trees and shrubs now, you can improve the overall form and control how they shape up and grow come spring. You can easily see branches right now that are dead, dying, or damaged. Fresh wounds on shrubs and trees are less likely to get infected in January, so pruning now is safer for the plants. You can even propagate key perennials using cuttings made when pruning.

It is important to make sure you have clean, sterilized pruning tools and also that they are nice and sharp. This will reduce injury to the plants and keep from spreading diseases. Our editors love Fiskars bypass pruning shears, available from Amazon, for smaller branches and Fiskars bypass loppers for larger branches.

Trees to Prune in January

January is an ideal time to prune many trees. Smaller trees can be pruned easily with loppers, but some taller or more mature trees might be more difficult to reach with traditional tools. In that case, you may go with pole loppers, like these from Fiskars which can be purchased from the Home Depot.

Additionally, this pole pruner from the Home Depot reaches branches up to 14 feet (4.26 m). When trimming trees, safety is always paramount and you should call an arborist if you have a very tall tree that needs help or large limbs that need to come down.

Here are just a few examples of trees to prune in January to get you started.

1. Pear Trees

In January, any partridge in your pear tree may well have moved on, just in time to allow for an annual pruning. Pear trees (Pyrus communis) – like most deciduous fruit trees – lose their leaves in fall and go “to sleep” for the winter. This dormant period is the perfect time to get out the pruners.

When trimming your pear tree, remember that they will thrive and produce the most fruit when sunlight and air circulate to the interior of the canopy. Accomplish this by structuring the tree in a pyramid shape, topped by a central leader. Remove all competing leaders and space out lower branches evenly.

2. Oak Trees

Yes, oak trees grow from tiny acorns, and grow, and grow, and grow. They are called “mighty” for good reason – some can grow to the clouds.

With an oak tree (Quercus spp.), you need to be careful to time a pruning appropriately to avoid dreaded oak wilt disease. This disease is spread by sap-feeding beetles that carry diseased spores from infected trees to healthy ones. Oaks bleed sap through branch and trunk wounds, including pruning cuts. Keep beetles out of your oaks by never pruning during the growing (“sappy”) season. Your best bet is to prune your oaks in January.

Oaks can be too tall for do-it-yourself pruning so don’t hesitate to call in an arborist to help. That’s what I do in France every winter. If you want to prune smaller trees yourself, go slowly. Never take out more than one-third of the canopy when you prune, and if you remove entire branches, don’t cut them flush with the trunk. Leave the branch collar intact.

3. Beech Trees

I love all trees, but beech trees (Fagus sylvatica) are especially dear to my heart. Pruning these trees in January is advisable for all the same reasons that apply to oak trees. Like oaks, beeches leak sap when pruned during the growing season, so dormant pruning is the way to go – avoiding setting up your beeches as insect magnets.

Beeches grow upright and elegant in a naturally graceful shape. Simply prune out dead, damaged or diseased branches and remove crossing branches.

For landscape trees, it pays to prune out the lowest limbs during the first few years after transplant to enhance the shape. Though not quite as tall as the tallest oaks, a beech can grow to 60 feet (20m) tall – so keep the arborist’s number handy.

4. Hawthorn Trees

Some trees are classified as “bleeders,” since their sap flows in rivers when pruned in summer. Hawthorn trees (Crataegus monogyna) are bleeders, reason enough to prune them in January. What about the flowers? A winter trim encourages a great floral display in the spring.

Prune hawthorns regularly during their first few years to give them a strong and graceful shape. But as they grow up, cut pruning back to twice a decade. When you prune, leave the branch collar when you remove branches. This is a tree you can shape by making cuts above buds that “point” in the direction you want the branch to develop.

5. Weeping Willow

Willow trees are all fast growing, cheerful trees. But a weeping willow (Salix babylonica) is perhaps the only one of the species that can be called majestic. With beautiful, arching branches and delicate foliage, this tree makes a real statement in your landscape. January pruning of weeping willows is ideal since the tree is dormant and you can get a good view of the branch structure without all the lance-shaped leaves.

Willows all grow fast, which can lead to brittle wood and wear branch attachments. Pruning can help build up the tree’s structure by removing branches that cross, identifying and establishing a central leader, and repairing any winter damage. When it’s pruning time, don’t get carried away. Leave the natural shape of the tree, preserving the weeping form.

6. Crape Myrtle

January is the perfect time for pruning crape myrtle, a large shrub or small tree that flowers in summer and fall. Unfortunately, crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica) is a plant that is too often pruned incorrectly. Many people cut them way back, indiscriminately taking out entire branches. The best way to prune crape myrtle is to be more selective.

Thin the shrub or tree by removing crowded, crossed, dead, or damaged branches. Also, remove suckers. If you are training it as a tree, remove lower lateral branches from the main trunk. Finally, trim back branches in the upper canopy that are growing in toward the center.

January pruning is one way to get an early start to the gardening season. Use this time to be thoughtful and selective about how you thin, shape, and maintain your plants for good results come spring.

Shrubs to Prune in January

January is the perfect time to prune some shrubs and bushes, too. However, you shouldn’t prune shrubs that bloom in spring. These should be pruned right after flowering. See which shrubs you should be pruning now.

7. Summer-Blooming Spirea

Spirea shrubs are popular landscaping shrubs that comes in a variety of types and sizes. If you have types that bloom in summer, January is a great time for pruning spirea.

Cut back older, woody stems to make room for new growth. Selectively prune to give the shrub the shape you want. Remove about one-third of the older growth.

8. Roses

Unless you have very cold winters, January is the start of rose pruning season. If you need to wait a little longer because your region is expecting very low temperatures, be sure to prune before very much new growth appears.

Remove any dead, broken, or damaged canes and branches. Remove crossed branches and any that rub against each other. If you still need to remove more to shape the shrub, focus on trimming off weaker or older, woodier growth. You can also remove any rose suckers.

9. Panicle and Smooth Hydrangeas

Pruning panicle hydrangeas is best done in winter or very early spring, but certainly before new growth emerges. They fare well with an aggressive pruning every year. Smooth hydrangeas (Hydrangea arborescens) are also best rejuvenated in the winter.

When pruning hydrangeas, remove one-third to one-half of the growth to reinvigorate a shrub and promote new spring growth.

10. Fall-Fruiting Berries

Dormant pruning is a must for raspberry, blackberry, and currant bushes that fruit in fall. Cut old canes right down to the ground. This will make room for new spring growth. Trim any lateral branches so they are no longer than 12 to 15 inches (30 to 38 cm) to promote larger berry growth later.

11. Arborvitae

Some evergreens, like pines and firs, rarely, if ever, need pruning. One evergreen that can benefit from a dormant trim is arborvitae. The shrubs or trees are desirable for their fast growth and ability to act as a privacy screen. These benefits also mean they need regular trimming for shape and size.

Winter is generally a good time to trim arborvitae, but wait until it is at least two years old and wait a little later in the season if you’re expecting very cold weather. Trim the plants lightly just to maintain size and shape. They don’t do well with hard pruning.

12. Rose of Sharon

Pruning rose of Sharon is best done when the shrub is dormant and when you can clearly see its branches and overall shape. The summer-blooming flowers come from spring buds, so don’t wait too long to prune, or you’ll remove them. Trim out dead, damaged, or diseased branches.

When pruning for size and shape, the approach impacts flowering. If you want fewer, bigger flowers on your rose of Sharon, trim off about one-third of the length of stems. For more but smaller flowers, prune more lightly, taking off only a couple of inches. In general, don’t remove more than one-third of growth.

Shop Winter Pruning Essentials

I am a confirmed plant rescuer, and many of my houseplants were discarded by neighbors. Some tossed plants are indoor ornamental trees - sad-looking trees with sparse canopies or broken branches. I take them home, fix them up, and add them to my personal indoor forest.

Healthy indoor trees are not only beautiful, they also create a serene, supportive atmosphere in my San Francisco apartment, an essential element of a writer’s existence. As winter does its worst outside my bedroom window, the trees replicate the peaceful but exhilarating sensation of walking through a woody glen on a spring day.

Benefits of Growing Trees Indoors

Indoor trees make great houseplants. Even those living in small spaces will likely have room for at least one. We aren’t talking about young oaks or redwoods that will ultimately grow three times as high as your house.

Ornamental trees are upright houseplants that should top out at maturity a few feet shorter than your ceiling. Still, these indoor tree plants will add height and structure to your living space.

Best Ornamental Trees to Grow Indoors

Here is my list of the best ornamental indoor tree species. All are gorgeous in their own ways, require little maintenance, and stay small enough to make your interior space their forever home.

1. Money Tree

Will a money tree (Pachira aquatica) bring prosperity and good energy to your home? No guarantees. But the shamrock-green leaves of the money tree are palmate, with five leaflets, and five is a lucky number in feng shui.

The money tree stems are so flexible and thin that the plant is often sold with the stems braided. Over time, they can grow over 6 feet (2 m) tall. This petite ornamental is native to tropical areas of Central and South America where it thrives in humid swamps and wetlands. But don’t try to duplicate this in your home.

Excellent drainage, well-draining soil, as well as a container with drainage holes should suffice. The plant also needs bright, indirect light (at least 6 hours a day) and watering when the top of the soil is dry.

Add a little feng shui to your home with a money tree from the Home Depot.

2. Fiddle Leaf Fig

I know that the fiddle leaf fig (Ficus lyrata) is often described as a high-maintenance houseplant that's difficult to maintain. Maybe that’s why so many of them end up on the curb in my neighborhood.

Be that as it may, I have now rescued four fiddle leaf figs and they are all thriving. I just did a few ordinary maintenance chores. I replaced the soil, watered well, and placed them in an indirect-sun area – and that’s all, folks! One came into my life with only two leaves, but eventually grew them all back with minimal care.

These are, to me, particularly appealing houseplants because of their ridiculously huge leaves and architectural structure. One of them makes a real statement in a room (four make an even bigger statement!). They instantly glam up white walls and a laminate floor.

Fiddle leaf figs grow to 10 feet (3 m) tall, but mine have been half that tall for years. Water well when the top of the soil is dry and make sure the container drains well.

Buy a mature fiddle leaf fig from the Home Depot for immediate impact.

3. Meyer Lemon Tree

I love my Meyer lemon tree (Citrus x limon 'Meyer'). I bought it as a young plant that was about a foot (30 cm) tall at a budget grocery store. I've nurtured it for the past four years and now it’s 3 feet (1 m) tall, with oodles of super-fragrant blossoms every spring followed by the sweetest lemons you’ve ever tasted. The scent is bewitching and fills my bedroom.

Though indoor citrus trees can be demanding – insisting on lots of direct sunshine, rich fertilizer and even a plant humidifier – Meyer lemons are in a different category. This species is a unique hybrid of lemon and mandarin orange, and they're totally low-maintenance. They grow well in a container of well-draining soil in a sunny window. I add citrus fertilizer, like this one from Amazon, twice a year during the growing season.

My Meyer lemon is only 4 feet (1.3 m) tall, but the species can grow to 10 feet (3 m) high. They like indoor temperatures – between 50 and 80°F (10-27°C) – and enough water to keep the soil moist, but not wet.

Get a compact Meyer lemon tree from Fast Growing Trees for fresh, homegrown citrus.

4. Norfolk Island Pine

If you’ve ever bought a living tree for Christmas, it might well have been a small potted Norfolk Island pine (Araucaria heterophylla). These are majestic trees in the wild – growing up to 200 feet (65 m) tall – but when planted in a container indoors, they stay under 6 feet (2 m).

They are pretty little trees that look like evergreens, but they are not pines all. They are relatives of the monkey puzzle tree. Norfolk Island pines are notoriously long-lived and don’t have a dormant period, which means they look great at any time of year.

Plant in well-draining potting soil and make sure the container has adequate drain holes. Water every week or two, keeping the soil damp but not wet.

Shop Norfolk Island pine trees in your choice of beautiful container from the Sill.

Christmas tree disposal hits the same way every year. January rolls in, the ornaments are boxed, and that once-beautiful tree is suddenly a dry, pokey mess shedding needles everywhere. But hold off hauling your tree to the street just yet. Those branches, trunk, and needles can still pull their weight around the yard for months.

Figuring out how to recycle a Christmas tree without wasting it is easy, if you're willing to get creative. Good Christmas tree care in December will keep your tree greener longer. So once it’s done for the year, you’ll still be able to make use of it.

If you are wondering what to do with a Christmas tree once the holidays are over, it turns out there are plenty of things to do – and they can be kind of fun. So pull out the loppers, rope in whoever’s around to help, and by lunchtime you’ll have fantastic raw materials you can use in your garden or give to local wildlife. No curb pile, no pickup fee – just garden gold from something that was about to be trash.

Benefit Wildlife With Faded Boughs

Dead and dying Christmas trees are wonderful resources for wildlife if you move them outside into your yard after the holidays are over. Here are some of the best ways to use a Christmas tree to benefit furry or feathered friends in your garden.

1. Build a Brush Pile

Just drag the whole tree – or the biggest pieces you can manage – to a quiet corner of your yard and let it flop into a loose heap to create a simple brush pile that benefits local wildlife.

Rabbits might show up first, then every songbird in the neighborhood. Come July, your tree will be alive with beneficial insects and the wrens and bluebirds will treat it like an all-day buffet.

Give it a flip every spring so it rots slow and stays useful. Throw on any storm-downed limbs you’ve got lying around – critters don’t care if it’s a matching set of wood.

2. Create a Bird Feeder Station

Cut the trunk of your Christmas tree into 3-4 feet (0.9-1.2 m) sections and stand them up like a little forest. Stick suet blocks, like this from Amazon, or peanut-butter pinecones on the branches and hang orange halves off the tips.

The leftover needles make a perfect windbreak to protect tender plants and provide winter shelter for birds. They can safely hide inside even when it’s blowing snow in the dead of winter. Stick a shallow pie tin of water on top during hard freezes. Birds will drink up like it’s happy hour.

Turn Trees Into Garden Gold

Christmas trees are also fantastic fodder for your garden. There are so many ways to use faded tannenbaums outdoors to benefit plants and soil. Here are some of my favorite ideas to try:

3. Make Needle Mulch

Give your dried out tree a good shake – needles practically jump off when it’s past its prime. Pile needles about 2-3 inches (5-7.5 cm) deep around blueberries, azaleas, rhododendrons, camellias, and hydrangeas – any plants that like acidic soil. They smother weeds, hold in moisture, and break down so slowly you only reapply every couple years.

Have a shredder? Toss the twiggy bits through for a finer mulch that looks more appealing and vanishes quicker. Give your plants a boost with coffee grounds in the spring and they will go nuts.

4. Insulate Perennials

Place whole boughs over strawberries, garlic, or anything tender in your garden. The branches act like a big pine blanket. Snow piles up on top for further insulation and air can still sneak through so plants won't get soggy and rot.

The faint Christmas tree smell can also hang around the beds until April – a bonus cat repellent for the garden. When the weather finally breaks, rake what’s left straight onto the compost heap.

5. Build a Garden Bed Border

Saw the trunk of your dead Christmas tree into 12-18-inch (30-46 cm) chunks and create a border around raised beds or line walkways with the logs. Wet climates make quick work of the old wood in around 2-3 years, feeding the soil the whole time. While drier spots and areas with a little elevation, let them hang around for around 8-10 years.

Drill holes, stuff them with mushroom spawn plugs, like these ones from Amazon, and harvest oyster mushrooms next fall. Logs also stop grass creeping in and give slugs somewhere to hide that isn’t your lettuce.

6. Use Branches as Garden Stakes

Hack straight branches to 4-6 feet (1.2-1.8 m) in length, then use the pieces to support tall and vining plants. Cut the bottoms of the branches into sharp points with a hatchet, bundle the spares, and you’re set for vegetable trellises come spring.

Tomatoes, peppers, dahlias, and sunflowers love them as well. Plus, the wood is tough enough to last for two growing seasons. A quick coat of linseed oil, which you can pick up on Amazon, and they’ll easily last a third year.

7. Stock Up on Kindling

Split the trunk of your faded tree into skinny strips to use as kindling in your backyard fire pit. Dry pine lights easily and smells like Christmas morning.

A kindling splitter, like this from Amazon, turns this task from an annoying chore to a fun 5-minute job. Throw in the orange peels from your holiday baking for an extra delicious-smelling citrus pop when the flames catch.

In my part of rural France, gardeners still respect the folklore wisdom they learned from their great grandparents. This one is a favorite: “À la Saint-Catherine, tout bois prend racine.” What that means is, on November 25, the day of Saint Catherine, any tree planted will root and thrive.

This is consistent with the general idea that spring and fall are the best times for planting. And while this is the truth, it's not the whole truth. It is entirely possible to plant trees in winter, especially if your climate is mild and you pick the right tree.

I’ve planted some 250 trees on my land in France and these are three of my favorite types to plant in winter. Plus, I'll share some expert advice about how and when to plant trees to make sure they thrive next spring and summer – and for many years to come.

Best Trees to Plant in Winter

There are a few trees that you can plant in winter and they will grow wonderfully for many years. These are the three types of trees I always recommend people plant in winter for the best results.

1. Ginkgo

Ginkgo trees (Ginkgo biloba) are utterly lovely in the garden. Their unique, bright green fan-shaped leaves turn a canary yellow in autumn, creating a lake of yellow around the base of the tree as they fall.

But a ginkgo is so much more than another pretty face in the garden. It is one of the oldest varieties of trees on earth. For tens of million of years it lived alongside plants and animals now long since extinct. For years, botanists thought it was extinct, too, because the fan-shaped leaves were found only in fossils. Years later, living ginkgo trees were discovered on the grounds of a monastery in China.

The ginkgo is a tough tree with a strong survival instinct. As they age, they grow into giants and develop deep taproots. But while they are young, their root system is simple and shallow. Since the gingko is cold hardy (to USDA zone 4) and will be dormant in winter, December planting is entirely possible.

If you are transplanting a potted or balled and burlapped tree, act after the leaves have fallen but before the ground freezes. If the tree you purchased is bare root, your planting window is wider. You can plant a bare root gingko at any point during their dormancy when the ground is not frozen.

What varieties of ginkgo trees should you try planting? Keep in mind that ginkgo trees are either males or females – and the females grow a fruit that smells just awful. You’ll want to be sure to select a male tree. The best way to do that is to buy one of the “male only” cultivars. Here are three to try:

• 'Autumn Gold' (zones 3 to 8) is perhaps the most popular male-only cultivar – and for good reason. It grows to 50 feet (17 m) tall, with a spread of half the height and its golden fall display is to die for.
• ‘Fastigiata' (zones 3 to 8) is also a male cultivar that rises to the same height as ‘Autumn Gold’ but the canopy is less broad. It’s a terrific columnar tree and a good choice if you want a narrow specimen.
• 'Pendula' (zones 5 to 8) is the way to go if you have a smaller garden. This male cultivar only grows to 8 feet (2.5 m) tall and 10 feet (3 m) wide. The tree is attractive and shaped like an umbrella.

Shop more varieties of ginkgo trees from Fast Growing Trees.

2. Apple

Some fruit trees are cold hardy, including apple trees, and can be planted in winter. Winter planting gives an apple tree the chance to develop roots well before spring, enhancing their growth and spring fruit production.

In fact, old-time gardeners tell me that winter is the ideal time for planting apple trees, increasing the survival rate of apples and maximizing the harvest.

I have four different apple tree cultivars in my garden in France, and there is nothing better than crunching into a ripe fruit plucked right off your own tree. You’ll want to select the cultivar carefully to get a tree that is extremely hardy.

Picking the planting day is equally important. If the ground is frozen, forget it. If it’s an extremely cold day, forget it. Pick a mild winter day to pick up the shovel and select a full-sun site. Four cold-hardy cultivars to consider are:

• ‘Empire’ (zones 4-7) is a hardy apple tree cultivar developed by Cornell University from cold-hardy parents, 'Red Delicious’ and ‘McIntosh'. It offers tip-top disease resistance and the fruit has better flavor than that of either parent: think crisp and sweet.
• ‘Freedom’ (zones 4-7) is another extremely disease-resistant apple cultivar that's also delicious, with a sweet-tart taste. It is related to ‘Golden Delicious’ and ‘Rome Beauty.’
• ‘Liberty’ (zones 4-7) is a McIntosh-style apple cultivar that is both cold hardy and simple to grow. It is sweet and juicy for munching, but is also a great cider apple.
• ‘Honeycrisp’ (zones 3-7) is perhaps the best known of this short list, known for its crisp flesh and cold hardy nature. It is one of the most popular and most delicious apple varieties available.

Shop a huge variety of apple trees from Fast Growing Trees.

3. Japanese Maple

Who doesn’t love a Japanese maple? They're the cutest of the maples in commerce. They are beloved for their small stature, graceful shape, deeply lobed leaves and glorious fall colors. These are high on the list of trees that can stop you in your tracks with their beauty.

Some Japanese maple tree varieties are sold bare root and appear in garden stores around Christmas time. This is clearly the time to buy since this darling of the ornamental tree world can be very pricey in spring. And bare root is so easy! You get to admire the beautifully branched tree skeleton, yet bring home none of the dirt.

Like all maples, Japanese maples lose their leaves in fall and go dormant – which makes winter planting possible. Select a cold hardy variety and pick a mild winter day to install the tree in your garden. Select a dappled-sun spot with deep, fast-draining soil. These are two of my favorite cold-hardy cultivars:

• ‘Beni kawa’ (zone 4-9) is perhaps the most cold hardy of the Japanese maples, and it’s a real beauty. It’s a tiny dancer, a small upright variety that slowly grows to a maximum height of 15 feet (5 m). Plant Beni kawa, which you can buy on Amazon, in a shady location in a warm climate because its leaves can scorch in full sun.
• ‘Beni tsukasa’ (zone 5-9) will bring you a fantastic color show. It’s also a small variety, but the lobed leaves provide exceptional color as well as new and different shades each season. The leaves appear in spring in a shade between pink and orange, close to salmon. In summer, they deepen to a lush green highlighted with pink. In autumn, they burn red and crimson. You can buy Beni tsukasa on Amazon as well.

I feel a real sense of loss and sorrow in late fall when the trees lose their leaves and the smaller shrubs and flowers die back. The garden withers as we watch, moving from a vibrant, vital, joyful space to a bleak landscape of bare branches and stones.

One day I was lamenting about this to my neighbor, when she cut me off. “So do something about it!” she said. That was my wake-up call and the day I started looking into trees and shrubs for winter interest. With a little planning, you can fill your backyard with with trees that look beautiful year-round – even in winter!

The best winter trees show off their gorgeous bark, are full of flowers or fruits in winter, or are exceptionally elegant evergreens. Here are a few of my personal favorites in each category.

Trees With Beautiful Bark

If you're looking for trees with stunning winter bark that looks beautiful even after the leaves have dropped, look no further. After decades of growing, studying, and writing about trees, these species are my absolute favorites.

1. Paperbark Maple

The first time I saw this attractive tree, I was impressed with its pretty trifoliate leaves that turn from dark green to red in autumn. But the second time I saw a paperbark maple, it was winter and I fell totally in love.

The dramatic, showy bark is gorgeous – the color of glowing copper – and it peels back in paper-thin sheets. Pick paperbark maple for truly magical trees in winter.

Buy paperbark maples from Scenic Hill Farm on Etsy.

2. Crepe Myrtle

Crepe myrtle trees are wildly popular in Florida and parts of the South where they don’t have much of a winter to worry about. But this beautiful species also thrives in cooler areas where trees with winter interest are needed.

The 'Zuni' crepe myrtle is a compact, upright cultivar with the oodles of summer blooms that the species is famous for. But when those blooms cease and leaves fall? Get ready for bark so elegant it will knock your socks off. It is smooth and mottled, peeling back gracefully to reveal striking layered patterns

You can find lovely Zuni crepe myrtle trees for sale on Amazon.

3. Shagbark Hickory

Do you like shaggy dogs? If so, this is the winter tree for you. Shagbark hickory is only good for bigger backyards but if that’s you, keep it in mind.

The bark of this hickory is smooth and gray. As it matures, it splits lengthwise and peels off as narrow strips or, less frequently, broader plates. It creates a very unusual and striking winter display.

Get shagbark hickory seedlings from Walmart for your winter garden.

Best Trees for Winter Blooms

If you want to add some color to your winter garden, then a winter-blooming tree is just the thing. Here are some of my favorite species that put out flowers even during the dead of winter.

4. Ozark Witch Hazel

Witch hazels are small trees that bloom in winter. There are both native and exotic varieties you can grow in your garden. But one of my favorites is the native Ozark witch hazel. It is a tough plant and easy to grow in any exposure.

Witch hazel solves the "barren winter garden" problem by blooming during the cold months. These native plants flower in either early winter or late winter, depending on your climate and the variety. Flowers can be yellow or reddish in color and feature petals that look like twisted ribbons.

You can find Ozark witch hazel trees for sale on Etsy.

5. American Witch Hazel

A larger plant than Ozark witch hazel, the American witch hazel has such a dense canopy that it works fell for a seasonal screen or hedge. The foliage turns canary yellow in autumn and flowers with strappy petals in a similar yellow light up a winter landscape.

Shop American witch hazel trees from Garden Goods Direct.

Best Evergreen Trees for Winter Interest

Evergreens not only look gorgeous in winter, but their elegant foliage creates a lush backdrop in the garden all year. Here are some of my top picks for a spectacular winter show.

6. Eastern White Pine

This majestic evergreen conifer is a sight to behold any day of the year. With a straight, strong trunk and long, feathery needle bundles, the Eastern white pine is an unforgettable tree. The species can live for centuries, too.

Buy a beautiful Eastern white pine from Fast Growing Trees for gorgeous green foliage all year.

7. Colorado Blue Spruce

No winter tree list is complete without Colorado blue spruce, an off-season superstar. It’s an attractive, pyramidal-shaped conifer all year but the silvery-blue color of its needles are a real standout against a field of white snow.

It grows slowly, but can get tall. However, many compact varieties are available as well for smaller gardens.

Get your Colorado blue spruce today from Fast Growing Trees.

8. Weeping White Spruce

The weeping white spruce is an extremely narrow conifer with pendulous branches covered with waves of short, densely packed needles. This beautiful type of spruce tree has stiffly held, weeping branches and light gray-green foliage.

Its weeping effect adds grace to the landscape. It is an exceptional accent tree, but also works well as a windbreak.

Get a weeping white spruce from Amazon to add to your winter landscape.

Multi-Season Standouts

There are some trees that look just as lovely in winter as they do in summer and all year long. These are some of the ones that I think put on the best show during all four seasons, but are especially striking in winter.

9. Red Osier Dogwood

Red osier dogwoods, also known as red twig dogwoods, are thrilling additions to a landscape. In spring and summer, these large shrubs that are big enough to be considered trees are admired for their attractive green leaves and white flowers. After the fiery fall display, the stems and branches take over the starring role.

The first hard frost turns them a brilliant red, so bright a shade of scarlet that they look like flames against a snowy background. Plant several of them in a cluster for unmatched winter color.

Shop red twig dogwoods from Fast Growing Trees.

10. American Holly

Holly is famed for decking the halls, thanks to its glossy green leaves and bright red berries. The native American holly tree has all those same beautiful benefits and more. This broadleaf evergreen holds onto the shiny holly leaves all year, providing shelter for wildlife and food as well.

In winter, the female trees are covered in vibrant red berries that are both beautiful and a favorite food of many native bird species.

You can find the unique 'Lacquerberry' American holly tree from Etsy.

11. American Hornbeam

American hornbeam is an elegant tree with beautiful smooth gray bark and unusual fluted trunks. It also goes by a number of different names, like blue beech, musclewood, and water-beech. The thin bark is a lovely shade of gray – an exceptional contrast to the fiery foliage in fall – and the leaves resemble those of the glorious American beech.

This small understory tree is charming year round but is particularly eye-catching in fall and winter as the leaves fall and its sinuous smooth gray trunk takes center stage. The flowers have no petals and are held in dangling chain-like catkins of green scales edged in red. In summer the leaves are a handsome green and in fall they burn in fiery shades of yellow, orange, and vivid red.

Buy a pair of American hornbeam seedlings from Amazon for under $30.

I adore everything about trees: their grandness, their beautiful hues that shift with the seasons, and how so many of them have been on Earth for much longer than we have. But as heartbreaking as it is to admit, looking after some of the stunning varieties out there is a complete pain.

From tearing up your garden to killing other plants, and littering your yard with various forms of debris – some types of trees just aren't worth the hassle unless you've got a lot of time and knowledge on your hands.

To help you know which trees to avoid adding to your yard, I asked an assortment of experts for their top "nightmare" tree picks. But if your favorite makes the list, fear not: the pros also suggested great alternatives that are similar but far lower maintenance.

1. Sycamore

Sycamore trees are much loved for their huge size and their iconic seeds that flutter down from the air. However, enjoying walking among sycamores in the local park is an entirely different experience to having them outside of your home. In your yard, they will take up endless space, litter the lawn, and possibly deal with a series of diseases.

Mark Chisholm, STIHL spokesperson and Director of Operations at Aspen Tree Expert Co, explains how the gorgeous sycamore is more stunning in its looks than in functionality.

"Sycamores can be appealing to homeowners due to their eye-catching mottled bark and impressive height. But while this fast-growing tree stuns and provides much-needed shade during hot summers, its enormous size, susceptibility to disease, and dropping of debris can make it difficult to maintain."

Mark recommends considering planting a lacebark elm tree in place of a sycamore tree. They have a similar silhouette as well as rather matching bark, minus a million seeds to drop and a low tolerance for diseases.

"Annual touch-ups on your lacebark with a pole saw and leaf management using a blower are typically all that’s needed to keep this tree looking healthy."

2. Weeping Willow

This one hurts, as weeping willows are some of my favorite trees in the world! I still remember there being one in school when I was five, which was sadly eventually removed. But after speaking to Mark about the cons of this ethereal tree, I can now unfortunately admit I'll never choose to have one in my garden.

"The cascading form of the weeping willow makes it a popular choice for homeowners, especially when planted near ponds or streams. But while this tree is undeniably beautiful, it's incredibly difficult to maintain due to its aggressive root systems, constant twig drop, and susceptibility to storm damage."

Storm damage is a major factor to bear in mind, as weeping willows are on the more fragile side. A hefty gust of wind, and your tree will be easily damaged.

"For a similar look with far less upkeep, consider the Alaskan cedar," suggests Mark. "It's a strong and disease-resistant tree that thrives in a wide range of climates."

If you notice growth of low branches directed towards the ground, you can simply saw them off to ensure even growth and a pleasing shape.

3. Bradford Pear

"With crisp white blossoms, fast growth, and wide availability, it can be tempting to add a Bradford pear tree to your yard," says Mark. "However, these trees are prone to splitting due to their brittle branch structure, which creates ongoing cleanup and safety concerns."

In addition, Bradford pears are considered invasive. Several states have even banned the trees as they can out-compete native species. Their fruit is inedible by human standards, and the flowers smell bad (fish and vomit are the most common comparisons). So, this one is really best avoided.

For a lower-maintenance alternative that produces its own white flowers and has a stronger branching habit, Mark recommends planting the serviceberry. It produces pretty white blooms, as well as stunning autumnal leaves and berries.

In terms of maintenance, Mark adds: "Occasional shaping with a pruner and seasonal cleanup of dropped berries with a leaf blower will keep it looking polished with minimal effort."

4. Aspen

If you're looking to ruin your yard, get an aspen tree. Their bark is silver and stunning with unique mottled patterns, and they have leaves that turn vibrant sunset gradients come autumn. But they'll be sure to rip up your lawn, harm other trees, and become dehydrated at the drop of a hat.

Steve Corcoran, CEO of Lawn Love, understands how trees can ruin a person's yard more than most. He shared with me just how damaging Aspen trees can be. "Everyone likes the way they look, and you’ll find them in a lot of places across the country, but you won’t often find them in people’s yards. One reason is that they need a lot of water, and a lot of yards aren’t equipped for that. Also, their roots end up spreading very wide and almost invasively, so they can sometimes take over nearby plants. On top of that, they are notorious for being affected by common tree pests."

A far better alternative tree for an Aspen in Steve's eyes is the classic Maple. They similarly produce beautiful fall colors and grow to a similar size. But if you're truly missing the silvery bark, adding a birch or two to your yard is also a good call.

A layer of mulch around the base when young and consistent watering will help to ensure your Maple tree grows healthily.

5. Cottonwood

People love cottonwood (Populus species) for their golden autumn glow and unique fluffy seeds. But when you're cleaning up a yard filled with fluff, broken tree limbs, and scattered bark that seems to find its way everywhere, you won't feel quite as enamored.

If you're able to look past the debris to the beauty, there's still far more to deal with, as Scott Seargeant of Seargeant Landscape & Arboriculture explains: "Cottonwood trees are allergenic. Their billowy seed can cause respiratory problems! On top of that, their root systems are surface-oriented and aggressive, and can quickly take over a yard. A cherry on top is how they are susceptible to borer insects, causing weakening of limbs, which often break and fall off."

You can save yourself a lot of hassle by choosing alternative trees with wow factor, like the Eastern redbud. It may not have fluffy seeds, but it has impressively vibrant magenta flowers bunched together that make an almost fluffy visual from afar.

Though it's important to note that redbuds won't fare well in yards prone to strong winds.

Shop Alternative Trees

If you’ve found yourself running up against the clock with festive planning, don’t panic. Topiary Christmas trees give that classic conical shape, without the hassle of a big live tree. And this is one seasonal job that doesn’t require lots of time, technique or cash. You can simply snip some evergreen branches from the backyard or grab bundles at the garden center, then layer them in place around a central cone. This last-minute Christmas tree trick works even on December 24th – no hassles needed, and hopefully freeing up some time for that Christmas Eve mulled wine.

Real Christmas tree care takes planning, but this topiary tree trick skips the watering schedule and root ball mess. Battery lights and tiny ornaments finish it off, and the cuttings will stay fresh for the whole season if misted lightly now and then. These little trees might not be real mini Christmas specimens, but they make perfect centerpieces, mantel accents, or even hostess gifts. They are small enough to tuck into any domestic corners, yet the scent fills the room like a full-size tree.

What You Need for a Topiary Tree

When gathering your raw materials for your real mini Christmas tree, the star of the show is a floral foam cone. Pick one 12-18 inches (30-45cm) tall, like Max Shape Floral Foam Tree Cones from Amazon, for a tabletop size. Alternatively, select one that is 20 inches (51cm) tall, like the Ferraycle Tree Cones from Amazon, if you want something more dramatic.

Soak it in a bucket of water for 30 minutes. The foam drinks deep and keeps cuttings hydrated longer. Dry foam cracks stems, so don’t skip this part of the process. You also need a good, solid base that won’t tip, such as a terracotta pot or heavy ceramic vase, or even a weighted candle holder. Paint or wrap it if you want it to look fancier.

Evergreen tree cuttings will form the bulk of your mini topiary creation, so look to the standards: pine, cedar, or fir. Common pine varieties hold stiff needles and classic scent, cedar adds soft texture and blue-green tones, fir brings dense branches and citrusy aroma. Mix all three evergreens for depth; the contrast feels richer than one type alone.

If you don’t have these, though, keep looking, as there are other decent evergreen options. Leyland cypress is another great option for soft, feathery foliage, as is thuja, while yew has distinctive needles. You can even create a mini rosemary tree if you have a big enough shrub in the garden. Grab branches 4-8 inches (10–20cm) long from the lower parts of trees, so you don’t ruin the shape.

Florist wire or hot glue holds everything secure. Wire disappears better, while hot glue sets instantly. You will also need some battery-operated micro-lights (100-200 bulbs) like FairyGlim’s Battery Operated Christmas Lights from Amazon to weave through without cords. Warm white lights feel cozy, multicolored adds playfulness. Opt for lightweight ornaments like mini glass balls, wooden stars, and tiny pinecones, which hang without sagging. Finally, Spanish moss, sheet moss or burlap hides the foam at the bottom and gives your Christmas topiary tree a finished look.

Making Your Topiary Tree

Once you’ve got all your tree-making elements in place, it’s time to create your topiary tree. And don’t worry about making mistakes: you don’t need special techniques or loads of time. Just follow this quick and simple 3-step walkthrough for a quick festive tree which you can then decorate.

1. Insert Cuttings in the Cone

For the DIY Christmas topiary, start with the soaked cone secured in its base. A dab of hot glue or floral clay keeps it from wobbling. Begin at the bottom, and work up in circles. Poke each cutting straight into the foam, an inch (2.5cm) deep, angling slightly downward so the tips point out like natural branches. As you move up, overlap each row of branches, a bit like roof shingles. This helps to hide the foam and creates that full, lush look.

2. Secure Branches in Place

Keep turning the cone as you go, so the shape stays even all around. Use longer cuttings at the bottom for a stable base, moving to gradually shorter ones toward the top for the classic taper. You’re aiming for a dense, conical shape. Mix textures as you layer, so pine for structure, cedar for softness, and fir for density. Step back every few rows to check for thin spots. It may take a few moments to get the rhythm, but the cone fills surprisingly fast. Press firmly, but gently. Stems snap if forced too hard. If a piece won’t stay in place, add a dot of hot glue at the base before inserting.

3. Trim Your Branches

For the full DIY Christmas topiary element of this project, trim your pieces into the shape of the tree shape you desire once all the branches are secured in place. Try to be as naturalistic about this as you can. Move from the bottom to the top, following natural lines. Removing wayward stems, outliers, and oddshaped branching. Make small cuts with your garden scissors or snips. At the end, give the whole shape a brush with your hand to reveal any hidden growth that may have been tucked away. Trim any final stray tips for a clean edge. The finished cone should feel solid – and smell amazing!

Finishing Touches for Your Topiary

Weave battery-operated micro-lights starting from the top down, tucking the wire behind branches so it disappears. The tiny LEDs feel magical without overwhelming the greens. Warm white gives a classic glow, cool white looks frosty, and colored lights add whimsy, so choose what fits the room and your overall aesthetic. Turn these on at night, so the sparkle adds to the fluffiness of the tree and makes the whole thing come alive.

Add small ornaments next. Lightweight plastic or wooden baubles, tiny pinecones, cinnamon sticks, or dried orange slices hang best. Use ornament hooks or florist wire like FloraCraft 26 Gauge Green Floral Paddle Wire from Amazon to attach without crushing needles. Ribbon bows in velvet or plaid add pops of color at random spots. Keep everything light so branches don’t droop; heavier items pull cuttings out of the foam. Think in miniature, and don’t be tempted to overload your tree.

Finish the base with Spanish moss, sheet moss or burlap to hide the foam and pot rim. You can get 20-inch Burlap Sacks from Amazon to fit the larger diameter of your cone. Tuck the tree in snug. Moss feels natural and hides any glue spots. A few faux cranberries or miniature presents around the bottom complete the look. Mist a little every few days but don’t overdo it, as you don’t want to encourage mold. Hopefully, once secure, your cuttings should stay fresh and fragrant for 4-6 weeks indoors.

Mini Christmas Tree Essentials

This easy-peasy festive decor tree is sure to be a talking point, but don’t forget these finishing touches so your mini festive tree looks its best.

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A yellow Christmas tree that just a few days ago had been green can catch you off guard and make you worry whether your tree will last through the holidays. But yellowing does not always mean the end and the appropriate early action can save your holiday display.

Yellowing Christmas tree needles usually point to dehydration issues, even when there is still plenty of water in the stand. Yellowing typically begins at the tips of the needles and works its way inward as cells lose precious moisture. Like most Christmas tree problems, yellowing comes from the kind of care you provide after cutting. So if you provide your tree with what it needs fast, you should be able to save it.

The shift from green to gold happens gradually at first, then accelerates once needles dry out past recovery. Adjust conditions quickly and many trees can rebound with fresh color in a week. Here's how to save your yellowing Christmas tree and bring it back to green again before the big day.

What It Means When Your Christmas Tree Turns Yellow

Yellow needles on your Christmas tree indicate the tree is struggling to move water from the stand up into the branches. Dehydration, heat stress, and low humidity can shut down chlorophyll production and cause yellowing. The process starts inside the needles and can appear at the surface within hours.

Common Causes of Yellowing

Lack of water absorption ranks first among the Christmas tree mistakes that lead to yellowing. Tree sap hardens at the cut base within hours and forms a seal that blocks uptake. A fresh half-inch (1.3 cm) cut restores flow if it's done before the seal sets.

Environmental imbalances are the other main causes. Central heating, which many of us use around the colder months during the holiday season, can cause two major issues that lead to yellowing. The heat itself is the first problem, as heat speeds up the drying process.

To prevent drying and yellowing, avoid placing your tree near a radiator or vent. Doing this can be a fire hazard, too. You will know if heat is the issue if you notice lower branches yellowing first as the heat rises. Keep your tree stand at least three feet (0.9 m) away from any heat source to slow moisture loss.

The other problem with central heating is that it reduces the humidity in your home. It can drop relative humidity below thirty percent. This isn't good for your tree, which continues to transpire at outdoor rates but without the higher outdoor humidity. Your tree cannot keep pace and cells can collapse from the tips inward.

Low humidity dries out needles and causes yellowing. Needles turn from green to yellow when the they dry out faster than the trunk can supply water. It’s best to aim for forty to fifty percent relative humidity in your home.

You can increase humidity in your home in winter with a high-quality room humidifier like this from Amazon or daily misting. You can also place a tray of water near your tree to raise the moisture around just your tree.

Direct sunlight through a window also tends to bake one side of your tree more than the other and can cause uneven yellowing. If you notice one side yellowing and it's not from a heating vent, rotate your tree every few days or move it away from the south-facing window.

Drafts from doors and windows can also pull dry air across branches and accelerate yellowing and needle drop.

How to Tell If Your Tree Can Be Saved

To find out whether your tree is past the point of no return, do these two simple tests:

Bend a needle gently between your fingers. If it snaps with a crisp sound, the tissue has died and will not recover. If it is flexible and springs back, the needles still hold viable cells that can recover and turn back to green.

You can also check the trunk base by running a finger along the cut surface. Cool and damp means the tree is still drinking water. If it's warm and rough, that signals a blockage. Recut the base straight across and submerge it in room temperature water for an hour to restart absorption.

When It's Too Late for Your Tree

It may be time to replace your tree when more than half the needles turn yellow and fall off, even with a light touch. Brittle branches that snap under the weight of ornaments also confirm the structure has failed and your tree is too dry.

Promptly dispose of your tree once yellowing passes the point of recovery. Recycle your Christmas tree through a local program or chip the branches for mulch in spring.

How to Prevent Yellowing

When choosing a Christmas tree, select one that was harvested within the last week or cut your own. For pre-cut trees, check the cut base for sticky sap. Then make a fresh half-inch (1.3 cm) cut at home before placing it in water.

Plan to place your tree far away from heat sources and sunlight before bringing it inside. Test room humidity with a gauge and adjust early. Store your tree in a cool garage for a day, if you cannot set it up immediately.

Fill the stand right away with plain tap water at room temperature when the tree comes in. Top it off each morning and night the first week, then once a day as it drinks less. A six-footer can pull a full gallon of water that first day, so be sure to check it often.

Stick a finger in twice daily to check the water level – make sure to keep the cut end underwater. Grab a stand like these ones from Amazon that hold up to two gallons of water, so you have to refill less often.

And skip the additives, too. Store-bought preservatives and the sugar water trick for Christmas trees cause more problems than they solve. They just gum things up and don't really prolong freshness.

The best way to make your Christmas tree last longer is to provide it with consistent room temperature water and follow the care tips above. Consistent care from day one will keep needles green throughout the whole holiday season.

If you’re like me, this time of year always brings to mind A Charlie Brown Christmas, with its wistful musical interludes and Charlie's tiny, forlorn-looking fir tree. As you deck the halls, hopefully your trees won’t be looking quite that limp – but as the weeks go on, there is a chance it might show more gaps, look a bit spindly, or just seem a bit… sad. Maybe the branches are thinner than you like, perhaps you’ll spy a random bald spot, or maybe your trusty artificial tree is starting to look more tired than timeless.

It’s a common Christmas tree problem: how do you make it look fuller? If you want to give your tree a helping hand, there’s a cool hack you can try that needn’t cost a bean. This hack is equally effective whether you are looking to fluff up a real tree or an artificial model. It’s a quick and simple way to create a full Christmas tree – and it involves elements that are likely growing right outside your window.

This fluffy tree hack is fun, budget-friendly and sure to give your tree a fuller, thicker, more luxurious appearance in moments. Here’s how to deploy a delightful trick of the eye to transform a sad or spindly tree into a fabulously full and fluffy affair…

Why You Need This Fluffy Tree Hack

The ‘fluffiness factor’ is a real thing, and it can make or break the visual integrity of your tree. Yes, well-placed ornaments can look lovely, but if your eye keeps landing on that unsightly gap, spindly branch or bald spot, no amount of sparkle is going to conceal it. What you need is some visual trickery – a way to create the effect of fluffiness even if it is lacking. And this is possible, whether you’re using a real Christmas tree or giving that vintage artificial number another turn on the living room carpet. As long as the tree branches are deep green, this hack will give instant volume, fullness, and luxe appeal – and the best bit is that you can use homegrown elements from your own backyard.

This visual trickery involves a Christmas tree garland hack I’ve been using for years, and the principle is simple. It’s about giving your tree an extra layer of foliage to create natural density inside the branches. The eye reads all these green garden clippings as originating from the same natural source. This foliage can be different tones, and even variegated, to complement the color of your tree. It doesn’t have to be the exact same shade – in fact, varieties and contrasts are part of the magic of the illusion. By weaving greenery garlands in the right way, you’ll minimize gaps, create soft shadows, and give more natural texture – the perfect foil for all those sparkly, twinkly embellishments.

You don’t have to be a crafting genius to make a greenery garland of leafy pieces, and you don’t have to worry about making mistakes. This evergreen garland trick doesn’t require advanced techniques, and you won’t need oodles of time to devote to the task. Just give yourself half an hour of Christmas tree care, a steady hand for weaving and draping, and select greenery from the garden. Here’s how to quickly give sparse Christmas trees a lush boost and that all-important fluffiness factor.

What You Need for This Hack

Selection of greenery, to a large degree, will depend on your Christmas tree type, natural color, and what you have growing in your yard. But think creatively, and it’s easy to adapt all manner of cuttings from evergreens, shrubs and plants for unique Christmas trees that practically rustle with fullness and texture. Ideally, you need plants with textures and tones to offset or complement a pine, spruce or fir.

Look for evergreen staples, but also plants that provide natural filler, and maybe silvery or gold accents. The following planting options are all handy for helping to create that voluminous quality. As long as you avoid overly sappy branches and quick shedders, there is plenty to play with. Any combination can make your tree look bushier and more luxe, so aim for 3-5 options from this list:

• Leyland Cypress: A popular festive evergreen with soft, feathery foliage and naturally dense branching, Leyland cypress is perfect for adding natural bulk.
• Yew: These dark green needles create contrast and depth tucked among lighter branches. It’s sturdy but not stiff, helping to add definition without looking too heavy.
• Pine: The soft, fragrant needle clusters of common pine varieties will add instant fluffiness. Their long needles make gaps vanish, and it smells so festive.
• Boxwood: Small box hedge leaves and tidy branching make a smart filler. Use it where you need neat, compact density without distracting from your tree’s needles.
• Euonymus: Variegated Euonymus varieties add gentle tonal variation, perfect for areas where your tree looks flat and needs brightness.
• Rosemary: Some rosemary plant sprigs add a delectable herbal scent as well as a fine texture and tonal accents with pops of silver.
• Laurel: Choose cherry or Portuguese varieties for shiny leaves, used sparingly for a luxe, glossy pop to more fluffier elements.
• Juniper: Grab some blue-green juniper tones and berries for a frosty, wintry feel. This foliage adds a soft texture that pairs especially well with artificial trees.

If your supply of naturally sourced greenery won’t stretch to a couple of lush garlands, it’s fine to incorporate a few sprigs from your local nursery, florist or garden center or source a few faux greenery elements online.

You will also need some lightweight twine, string or floral wire, and a good pair of garden shears, secateurs, pruners or garden scissors, such as Fiskars Comfort Loop Pruning Snips from Amazon. And don’t forget comfy gloves, like Oizen Thorn-Proof Gloves from Amazon, for handling any prickly evergreens.

How to Make Your Fluffy Garland

Once you’ve gathered together your raw elements, twine and so on, there are just a few golden rules to creating a lush green garland that can be woven naturalistically in and out of your tree branches. If you have some experience of making a winter wreath or natural Christmas decorations, this is a breeze. But even if you have never tried anything like this before, it’s really mostly common sense and color play.

Try to keep the overall textural effect loose. A relaxed, hand-tangled garland looks more natural than a tight braided rope. When gathering your leaves and cuttings for the garland, aim for a level of continuity. Group selections into small plant bundles before attaching, and make sure every bundle has similar elements. Match textures and tones in each bundle. And think about layering. When it comes to these natural greenery elements, a little can go a long way. Aim for fullness, not foliage chaos.

For a standard 6ft (1.8m) tree, aim for a garland length of 7-10 feet (2-3m). For very sparse trees, make two narrower garlands and weave them on different levels of your tree for maximum fluff. Here’s how to weave the basic greenery garland:

1. Lay out your greenery and group into short 8-12 inch (20–30cm) bundles. Mix in different elements as you see fit, but try to be consistent with each bundle. Again, try not to overload each bundle.
2. Tie your bundles together lightly with the string or wire, creating a gently meandering garland. It’s up to you whether you loop one long length of wire around each bundle, or add together sections of wire.
3. Starting from the trunk outward, lightly weave the garland into any gaps you spot. It helps to start on the inside of the tree, near the base, and move upwards in a lightly natural movement. Working with the trunk creates instant depth in a way that is harder to distinguish from the tree’s natural branching.
4. Step back occasionally and adjust. Your tree should look naturally bushy. Adjust as you feel, making sure that any obvious gaps and spindly tree areas are given special attention. Make sure the garland is fastened somewhere on the trunk once you are happy.

If you find, when you lay your greenery out, that you are still falling short, or you are struggling to find all the elements you want in your garden, it’s not a problem. You can mix in faux spruce, artificial green branching, or faux Christmas tree extras. You can source dried or artificial green stem bundles like Cenelo Eucalyptus Bundles from Amazon. Even incorporating a little soft green Christmas tree tinsel which can then be tucked deep in the branches can bulk up your natural greenery, adding an intriguing dimension and much-needed density.

Finishing Touches for a Fluffy Tree

Now you’ve added your greenery garlands, you can give further tonal texture and visual interest to hide or conceal any lingering unwanted gapping. Adding branches or twigs may sound a little radical, but if you opt for natural (or natural-look) branches like contorted hazel, birch, or willow, you’ll help reinforce structure and give an instant wow factor. If you don’t have any to hand in your garden, you can buy Lifelike Curly Willow Branches from Amazon. Add red berry branches or floral branches for pops of naturalist color and a unique Christmas tree effect.

Dried citrus wheels are another great filler, either added to your garland or added directly to the tree. You can bind together berry and foliage elements using holly, rosehips and winter berries. I love adding dried hydrangea heads to trees at regular intervals to max out that fluffy factor, and I’m also a big fan of threaded popcorn for a homespun flourish.

You can also use silver toned foliage like dusty miller, and not forgetting the old faithful: pine cones. Just remember to always add embellishments into the tree as well as around the edges, to emphasise fullness. Greenery brooches can also be dotted around the tree, mixing elements like laurel or pine, such as some lifelike Pine Branches from Amazon, attached with twine or wire. And voila: your Christmas tree will now be looking like a fuller, fluffier and truly epic showpiece!

Other Ways to Add Fullness

Now your festive showpiece is back to its fluffy best, there are a few other ways to enhance a full, three-dimensional showpiece, and guarantee that it captures attention for all the right reasons. Several of these simple tricks deploy tricks of the eye, or tricks of light, and all are relatively inexpensive (if not free). They may not be homegrown, but they can all help to showcase a more voluminous Christmas tree:

1. Reflective Baubles

High-shine ornaments mirror their surroundings, immediately multiplying any greenery and making your tree look more abundant. This is true of both metallic style baubles and more translucent glass-style options. You can buy Iridescent Prism Christmas Tree Decor from Amazon for added sparkle and visual dynamics to further enhance the suggested thickness of the tree. Golds, coppers, bronzes, silvers, whites and iridescent baubles all work wonderfully.

For a clever Christmas tree idea, try mixing up bauble sizes is a neat way of manipulating the depth of individual branches, and it can also look more professional. Just remember to place baubles near the trunk as well as around the edges of the branches. Try clustering them in groups of three at different depths for stylish yet natural elegance.

2. Frosty Embellishments

Another great way to easily boost the three-dimensional nature of your tree (and therefore seem to plump up its contours as if by magic) is by adding flecks of fake snow along the edges of its branches. Working much like frosting on a cake, you can use frosting sprays to enhance branch outlines, making them appear pronounced and therefore suggesting that the tree is thicker and more substantial. For your frosted Christmas tree, try a spray like the Pretex Tree Flocking Spray from Amazon. Just take care not to overdo it. You want this to be a light dusting rather than a pile-up.

Don’t forget about any readily available garden options that could also help you here. There are several frosty trims and accents possibly growing right under your nose. These include pieris, senecio (dusty miller), eucalyptus, cushion bush, gaultheria, and winter-flowering heather, to name but a few tasteful ideas that can help to add velvety silvers and lacy flakes.

3. Plenty of LED Lights

Finally, this one may go without saying, but some thoughtful Christmas tree fairy lights are a lovely way to bolster depth, as well as showcase all that extra foliage you’ve just added. Lighting is one of the easiest fullness-boosters. As a rule, you need 100 LEDs per foot of tree. Go for 150-200 for a richer, more layered glow. These LED Lights from Amazon are a great way to add depth and dimension to trees, making them look even fuller.

Tuck your lights deep inside the branches, as well as around the outer edges of the tree. Use a gentle zigzag approach to dressing the tree with lights, weaving in and out to hide cords and create visual depth. Another great pro tip is to use warm lights on the inside of the tree and cool white lights on the outside. This contrast is another visual trick that can suggest a deeper, fuller tree.

Fluffy Christmas Tree Essentials

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Let’s not beat around the bush. When I talk about fast growing Christmas trees, it needs to be viewed as a relative concept – and it’s important not to be misleading. I’m not suggesting that some trees are capable of super-speeds and can shoot up from seed in a matter of months, nor would I wish to imply that certain varieties can be dec-ready inside a year!

Exactly how long does it take to grow a Christmas tree, you may well be wondering? Since Christmas trees are once-a-year purchases and for many they are considered disposable, it may be tempting to think that new ones grow every 12 months. But the reality is that the average Christmas tree needs 7 years to grow to marketable size, and some species can take 15 years to reach desirable heights (and shapes). Even with the right conditions and Christmas tree care, you need to be willing to devote a good few years to the task.

So I’m not saying you can grow your own from seed to Christmas-tree size in less than two years. Still, growing your own Christmas tree is a fun project, and a highly satisfying one if you are willing to wait and devote some patience to the process. If you choose the right tree, it is possible to cultivate a beautiful tree to decorate and show off to friends and family. Some species do grow faster than others – so here I’ll run through some of the best Christmas tree varieties to grow for home displays.

Choosing the Fastest Growing Christmas Trees

If you are willing to wait a few years and choose the best Christmas tree varieties, give some thought to the same basic considerations that you would give when growing any homegrown tree. Consider the best hardiness zone, and be mindful of cultural needs. Your tree will grow quicker if you water it well, fertilize correctly and at the right times (slow release feeds are best, but don’t overdo it), and prune strategically to promise fresh growth. Still, with the right care and the right tree choice, it is possible to grow your own Christmas tree for folks to admire.

These aren’t mini Christmas tree varieties. Some are capable of great heights. But you can adapt your scale and ambition depending on your needs (and time). Here’s a short-list of the fastest growing specimens to cultivate if you are looking to grow Christmas trees quickly. Give these Christmas tree varieties love, a good location, and the right watering and feeding, and in a few years you could be festooning them with decs and giving them pride of place as part of your festive displays.

1. Leyland Cypress

• Growth Rate: 3-4 feet (1m) per year growth
• Zones: USDA 6-10

Leyland cypress trees boast the fastest growth around. They are also lovely to look at, with soft flattened needles in gray-green sprays. The branches are slim, upright, strong and flexible. Leyland cypress (× Cuprocyparis leylandii) specimens are not picky trees, but very tolerant of light and soil conditions – good news for the home grower. For the fastest growth, give your tree a full sun location and well-draining soil. You also need to prune Leyland cypress trees well to promote new growth.

Exactly how tall will your Leyland cypress grow if you don’t chop it down? These trees top out at about 70 feet (23m) tall and can also grow to 15 feet (5m) wide. They are top Christmas tree varieties in certain parts of the nation, and they are also popular fast growing privacy hedge trees. You can buy Leyland Cypress Tree Seedlings from Amazon in packs of 10.

2. Arizona Cypress

• Growth Rate: 2-3 feet (1m) per year
• Zones: USDA 7-9

The Arizona cypress tree (Hesperocyparis arizonica) is an evergreen conifer with a natural shape that looks exactly like a classic Christmas tree. The leaves are extremely tiny and quite plentiful. They look like scales and can be gray-green or blue-green. The trunk and branches are covered with thin, mahogany-colored bark that splits into vertical strips, and the entire tree smells lovely and Christmasy.

Left to their own devices, Arizona cypress trees grow up to 50 feet (16m) tall and 30 feet (10m) wide. It needs a full sun location and sandy soil to grow its fastest. As well as being one of the best types of cypress you can grow at home, this species is a top choice for those growing Christmas trees. You can buy Pixies Gardens’ Blue Ice Arizona Cypress Trees as young plants from Walmart.

3. Sitka Spruce

• Growth Rate: 3-4.5 feet (1-1.5m) per year
• Zones: USDA 6-8

Last year’s Capital Christmas tree was an 80-foot Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis), and it’s true these guys grow fast. These trees are some of the biggest trees in the Pacific Northwest. With ideal growing conditions (full sun and moist soil), they can grow over 4 feet (1.5m) every year. Sitka spruce trees are great for Christmas trees, although you will often find them used for timber, too.

Their downsides as Christmas trees include a limited indoor life and needles that are sharp and prickly. That said, Sitka spruce have a classic, balanced shape, they are full branches, and they have good needle retention. They also have a pleasant fragrance. You can buy Sitka Spruce from Amazon as live potted evergreens.

4. Eastern White Pine

• Growth Rate: 1 foot (.3m) per year
• Zones: USDA zones 3-8

The soft blue-green needles of the Eastern white pine (Pinus strobus) will win your heart. They grow in bundles of five and are virtually without fragrance, so they are good for those with allergies. The lovely, flexible branches of this pine tree variety are great for ornaments, and the straight trunk is lovely, while the tree is young, with smooth, green-gray bark. You can buy Eastern White Pines as young trees from Fast Growing Trees.

How long do Christmas trees take to grow? A long time! This tree grows faster than many, but it will still take 5-6 years to grow to typical Christmas tree size. In addition, wild-grown trees can seem sparse or bushy. When they are sold commercially, they are usually sheared to achieve a conical shape. Some people love sheared trees, while others do not. Plant in sun or shade, in well-draining soil.

5. Grand Fir

• Growth Rate: 2-4 feet (.6-1.3m) per year
• Zones: USDA zones 5-8

The grand fir (Abies grandis) is considered the best Christmas tree variety for many. With its thick, shiny, dark-green foliage and strong citrusy fragrance, this fine evergreen variety tops many a Christmas tree list. Although it often takes up to 8 years to grow marketable grand fir Christmas trees, they shoot up faster (up to 4 feet a year) when grown in open, sunny areas. You can buy Grand Fir from Amazon as 4-pack tree seedlings.

When choosing Christmas trees to grow from young, don’t expect these trees to last forever, though. Once they are cut, a grand fir will last only 3-4 weeks, and they require regular water and care to reach their full potential. But let them grow in the yard, and the sky’s literally the limit. They can reach heights of 100 feet (33m) and even 250 feet (80m) tall.

6. Virginia Pine

• Growth Rate: 1-2 feet (.3-.6m) per year
• Zones: USDA zones 4-8

The Virginia pine (Pinus virginiana) is a popular species for a Christmas tree. That’s because these trees have dense foliage for a lush, plump look and a rich, piney fragrance. The branches are strong enough to hold even the heaviest ornaments securely. While the needles are not long and elegant, the tree retains the shorter needles well. That said, you’ll need to commit to pruning the tree during cultivation to get it into proper Christmas tree shape.

When it comes to growing these relatively drought-tolerant trees, pick a spot with full sun and well-draining soil. These are not enormous trees in the landscape. If left to grow outside, they will top out at 40 feet (12m) tall and 30 feet (10m) wide. You can buy Virginia Pine Trees from Amazon as sets of 3 live plants.

Help Your Trees Grow Faster

If you want to keep your Christmas tree and grow it year after year, you can encourage it to grow faster with a few essentials. As long as it is well supported in a large container (or replanted outside in the right way), you can keep yours going (and growing well) with these key items:

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All plants have their beauty, but to a tree-lover like me, trees are at the very top of the list. They add instant curb appeal in the front yard, serve as foundation plants in the backyard, and, when planted in a row, can buffer the wind or ensure your privacy.

Call me crazy, but I also use my favorite trees as therapy plants. I sit close to them when I am upset or frightened or full of sorrow and, somehow, their calm energy helps.

When selecting a new species, I always prefer native trees. They have evolved to thrive in your local region, so they appreciate the climate and the growing conditions and will thrive without special care.

After spending much of my career reading and writing about trees (and planting hundreds of trees on my own property), these are the top must-have native trees I recommend to every gardener.

1. California Buckeye

This drought-tolerant California native tree needs plenty of space, since it grows as wide as it is tall. I love the California buckeye tree (Aesculus californica) because it has learned to survive the summer heat by dropping its leaves early. Anyone who sees a buckeye in late summer might think the tree is dead, but it's just conserving energy for its fall fruit and floral display next spring.

This buckeye produces large fragrant white flowers in upright racemes, followed by smooth, brown, chestnut-like fruit that resemble a deer’s eye. Don’t eat them, though! They are so toxic that Native Americans used to crush them and toss them in the river to stun the fish to make fishing easier.

If you live outside of the native region of the California buckeye, try a different native buckeye species instead. The Ohio buckeye (Aesculus glabra) is native to a large part of the U.S. It is right at home across the Midwest, the Great Plains, parts of New England, and all the way down to Texas and Georgia.

Buy Ohio Buckeye seedlings from Walmart.

2. Joshua Tree

Who doesn’t love Joshua trees? They are twisty and weird-looking, like a tree Dr. Seuss might have invented. But their dagger-sharp spines are all too real. I love them because they are so different from other native trees. They're almost a cross between a tree and a cactus.

The Joshua tree (Yucca brevifolia) is one of the foundation plants of the Mojave Desert and thrives in areas that are hot and dry. But you’ll also find them growing in the cold in the Sonoran Desert in Arizona and mixing it up with pines in the San Bernardino Mountains.

These desert trees need lots of sun, very little water, and – given the spines – a good deal of elbow room in a residential landscape. I simply admire them in the wild, though, stretching their branches towards the sky.

Flowering Joshuas are truly lovely with their delicate, greenish-white flowers tipping their spiny branches. But to bear flowers, the trees must experience a winter freeze followed by rain.

Blooms are pollinated in an interesting way by yucca moths. The pollinator lays its eggs inside the flower and collects pollen at the same time.

You can buy Joshua tree seeds on Amazon to start growing your own. Or they make a unique gift for the plant lover in your life!

3. Coast Redwoods

It’s hard for me to walk in a forest of coast redwoods (Sequoia sempervirens) without feeling a deep sense of peace. These take all the superlatives, they are California's state trees, the tallest trees on the planet, and top my list of the world's most magnificent organisms.

At one time, huge forests of coastal redwoods spread across the Northern Hemisphere. Later, these forests were limited to only the mild climates of the Pacific Coast. Now, thanks to ruthless logging, only a few stands remain. They're primarily located between the Oregon and California border and the Santa Cruz area on the central California coast.

Old growth forests were decimated from some two million acres to only 75,000 acres. Some of the remaining trees are thousands of years old and as tall as 30-story buildings. Add a couple of these big, beautiful trees to your yard for a long-lasting legacy that looks stunning year-round.

You can buy coast redwood seedlings from Amazon for under $13.

4. Eastern Redbud

I’ve selected my favorite iconic native trees for this list, including some weird and wacky ones. But this is my vote for the prettiest native tree around: the Eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis).

Its stunning pink flowers emerge on naked branches in springtime, giving pleasure to all and providing nectar and pollen for pollinators. The heart-shaped green leaves appear some time later, followed by long pea-like seed pods.

These trees tolerate full or partial sun in their native range. That means they thrive as understory trees or standing on their own. Their shape can be compared to a stubby umbrella, which means you may get low-hanging limbs. There are weeping redbud tree varieties as well that add unique flair to the landscape.

Shop beautiful redbud trees from Fast Growing Trees and find the perfect one for your yard.

5. Flowering Dogwood

I’m a great fan of dogwood trees of all kinds – and not just because I love dogs! I love the simplicity of the flowers, each with only four petals, but found in such abundance that it appears the entire tree is covered with a floral layer.

The flowering dogwood tree (Cornus florida) is exceptional because the flowers are a either white or a vibrant rose color, followed by red fruits in the summer and autumn. They attract wild birds, squirrels, and other small mammals.

Once the summer ends, there is a fabulous fall display as the green leaves burn red and orange. The interesting gray bark is an ornamental feature in winter as well. I’ve seen flowering dogwood in a wide range of habitats including woodland edges and shaded mountain slopes, so they can fit into almost any landscape.

Explore elegant dogwood trees available from Fast Growing Trees.

The idea of adding sugar water for Christmas tree freshness sounds smart at first. A cut tree drinks heavily, and sugar promises an extra boost of life for the branches. The suggestion to add sugar water has been passed down for generations, along with the tinsel and the age-old ornaments. But there might be a nasty surprise lurking in that sweet solution, which could lead to murky water and browning tips, sticky spills on gifts, and a faint whiff under the skirt.

So should you use sugar water for the Christmas tree, or should you skip the old tricks? When it comes to Christmas tree care, it’s vital to keep branches perky, make sure the floor stays clean, and ensure there is no hidden rot – but do you go for sugar water or is there something a lot more reliable? Here’s the truth about adding sugar in the water for Christmas trees, with a view to busting one of the biggest myths in Christmas tree care – and the brilliant free alternative I recommend trying instead to guarantee a happy tree, and a happier Christmas.

Why Christmas Trees Dry Out in the First Place

A cut tree still breathes, drawing water up the trunk. However, once the trunk is severed on your spruce or evergreen variety of choice, the sap quickly hardens, forming a resin seal that closes the pores and slows the water flow. Indoor heat is the biggest culprit – radiators blast, vents suck air dry, and moisture drops.

Branches sag, tips start to crisp, and scent thins. Your 6-footer might gulp a gallon in week 1. Skip refills, and the base seals like glue. The tree fights to drink, but the path narrows daily. The following are all factors that can affect the longevity of your tree, and whether it is likely to dry out quickly:

• Transpiration: Warm rooms crank up the rate at which moisture is pulled out through the needles, pulling harder than the trunk can supply.
• Sealing: Resin crystals form at the cut base, blocking vessels like tiny dams. If the water level drops and the base dries out, the seal hardens like glue, and the tree fights to drink.
• Humidity: Humidity drops below forty percent indoors, and evaporation races ahead of uptake. Lights add warmth too, baking lower limbs if strung tight against bark. A humidifier, such as the Levoit Top Fill Humidifier from Amazon can help raise humidity and keep the ambient moisture up.

The Sugar Water Myth — Where It Began

This myth started with cut flowers, as old farmers once fed sugar to cut flowers. They found, when growing roses and other blooms, that they perked up and lasted longer as cut flowers when fed sugar water, and so the word spread to trees. Grandmas would stir packets in stands, swearing by the same trick and citing the same basic recipe to maintain low maintenance trees with wow factor – two cups of sugar in warm water, then give it a stir, and job done.

However, lab tests pointed out a key difference: trees aren’t bouquets. Floral stems absorb sugar through open ends, whereas tree trunks rely on capillary action. While farmers meant well, the science of using sugar for Christmas tree water is revealing: Sugar feeds microbes, not xylem. Bacteria feast on the sugar, multiply drastically, and form biofilms that clog the vessels tighter than sap alone. When bacteria clog vessels, the water sits unused. Yet the myth stuck anyway. Early garden magazines printed the sugar water tip without rigorous trials, and holiday lore took over.

So Does Sugar Water Really Work?

As for whether it works to soak a Christmas tree in sugar water, well, lab trials say no. Trees placed in sugar solutions often brown faster than those in plain water. Needles can drop by day 8, and the trunks begin to slime over. Bacteria love the sweet feast. Mold blooms, and the odor can sour quickly. Skip the sugar, and the tree pulls plain water daily without protest. Add it, and bacteria will bloom, and the water turns cloudy seemingly overnight. Sugar water trees tend to drink less after only a few days. The pH shifts towards the acidic side, stressing the cut surface. Branches turn brittle sooner, and ornaments slip from weakened tips.

But why does this myth persist? Yes, sugar solutions do work for many cut flowers, like roses, giving them a quick energy burst that mimics their natural photosynthesis. However, experts like Dr Gary Chastagner, a professor at Washington State University (WSU), indicate that for woody plant stems like a Christmas tree trunk, this logic fails.

Instead of providing nourishment, the simple sugars in table sugar become a feast for microbes. These bacteria multiply drastically in sweetened water, forming biofilms that clog the tree's water-conducting vessels (the xylem). This effectively starves the tree of the hydration it needs, accelerating the browning and needle drop. So combining sugar and water for Christmas trees isn’t a good move.

The Secret Trick That Actually Helps

The best ingredient for lasting Christmas tree vitality is simple: fresh, clean water. This avoids the mess, saves the cleanup, and lets the pine shine. The branches hold ornaments steady, and there are no sticky drips on any wrapped packages below. Put simply, it dodges a host of Christmas tree problems. Real tree care starts with two simple steps: a fresh cut and steady water supply.

1. The Fresh Cut: Cut the base fresh, a half-inch up, at a straight angle. This removes the resin seal and opens the water-conducting vessels.
2. Steady Supply: Use room-temperature tap water. Avoid hot water, which can shock the cut. Check the water level twice daily for the first week, as a six-footer can gulp a gallon quickly in the first few days. Keep a stand like this one from Amazon [link to Cinco C-148E Express Stand] filled to the brim. A stand like the Cinco C-148E Express Stand from Amazon holds 2 gallons —refill or top off morning and night.

This is the best way to prevent your tree from drying out, and help it stay vibrant and fresh all season long. Plain water is best, so keep a pitcher nearby. The tree pulls what it needs, and nothing blocks the path. Avoid hot water as it shocks the cut, and bear in mind that cold tap water slows uptake at first. Keep the stand away from drafts, as evaporation spikes near windows. A wide-base stand prevents tips, steadying the load.

Follow this basic tree watering care, and the tree stays fresh, trimmings and parcels stay clean, and the holidays end with green branches rather than regrets. Guests will notice the crisp scent (not the faint sour edge that accompanies sugar water). Rather than using Christmas tree water with sugar, keep it simple – this free hydration trick is the only ‘hack’ you really need to keep your tree fresh for weeks.

Toxic Tree Brews: Common Additives to Avoid

Quite a lot of well-intentioned hacks can do more harm than good. These common items either provide a bacterial feast or actively damage the tree's ability to hydrate.

• Corn Syrup: Like sugar, this feeds bacteria, creating a slime that clogs the water-uptake vessels (xylem). The tree starves of water and drops needles faster. It also gums the stand.
• Aspirin: Useless. Aspirin contains compounds that are ineffective for preventing the resin seal on a cut tree.
• Bleach: While it kills bacteria, in the concentration needed, it acts as a harsh chemical that can burn the fresh cut, inhibiting water absorption.
• Lemon-Lime Soda: The combination of high sugar content (clogging) and acidity (pH stress) is double trouble and accelerates the tree's decline.
• Vodka / Alcohol: A desiccant that actively draws moisture out of the tree tissues, speeding up the drying process.
• Commercial Preservatives: Many still contain sugar, and the chemicals are often tailored for flowers, not the dense, woody vessels of a Christmas tree.

Other commonly used Christmas tree hacks like vinegar, copper pennies, or plant plant food either shift the pH incorrectly, are completely ineffective, or overload the tree with unnecessary compounds, leading to slimy water. Essential oils coat the trunk, sealing pores tighter than resin. Dish soap suds up, stripping natural defenses and leaving residue that clings to ornaments. Even floral foam crumbles, releasing particles that jam vessels. Plain water outperforms every mix – so skip the sugar, and reach for the tap. No bleach, no pennies, no fizz, no worries.

Christmas Tree Essentials for Happier Trees

Once you've made that crucial fresh cut and placed the trunk in plain water, your goal is simple: Keep the water coming and reduce heat stress. These items are highly recommended to simplify the process and keep your tree vibrant and fragrant through the holidays.

Need more ideas for getting the most from your plants, indoors and out, and looking for the best seasonal expert advice delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for the free Gardening Know How Newsletter!

If you plant trees along the property line, you create an effective yet attractive privacy screen. The best privacy trees for a fence line depend on how much privacy you want to achieve. Tall evergreen trees planted in a tight line create a dense, year-round hedge that keeps curious eyes from peering into your property. If you just want a seasonal or partial block, deciduous trees offer a softer and more welcoming focus with seasonal interest.

Before you jump into your big fence landscaping project, though, you’ll also want to figure out how much space you have, how tall you want the trees to be at maturity, and how much time you are willing to invest to maintain them. Take your USDA growing zone into consideration as well when choosing trees for your yard. If fierce winds blow in your region, your fence-line trees can also double as a much-needed wind break.

Let’s take a look at the best and most beautiful trees for fence lines. These gorgeous picks will not only hide a less-than-lovely fence, but add privacy to your yard and interest to your landscape all year long.

Best Trees for Fence Lines

Here are seven of my favorite picks for a fence line. These trees are a mix of evergreen and deciduous varieties and all of them thrive in either full sun or partial sun. Find the perfect one for your space!

1. Arborvitae 'Emerald Green'

Dense, evergreen conifers are generally good picks for privacy fences. ‘Emerald Green’ arborvitae is shaped like a slender pyramid and, when multiple are planted in rows, they create a year-round living privacy screen. The needles are a shiny green and make a great backdrop for the small red-brown cones. This tree requires little help to thrive once it is established.

Order your Emerald Green arborvitae trees from Lowe's today.

2. Red Buckeye

If you’ve never seen a red buckeye tree in bloom, you’re in for a treat! This beautiful deciduous tree leafs out early, then offers its spring blooms, which are huge panicles of stunning magenta flowers.

Expect fruits, too. In autumn, the dark nuts with white centers fall to the ground hidden inside of spiky shells that are fun to step on and crack. But don’t eat the nuts inside! Eating enough of them can kill a child, a dog, and even a horse.

Find native bare root red buckeye trees for sale on Etsy.

3. Skip Laurel

Some refer to skip laurel as cherry laurel but both names mean the same, low-maintenance evergreen tree. Plant several trees close together along your fence line and you can trim them into an attractive hedge.

This plant is as different from arborvitae as an evergreen can be, with shiny green leaves and white spring blossoms. The red berry-like fruit it grows is pretty as a picture, but also beneficial for wild birds. But don’t think about sharing the berries – they are toxic to people and pets.

Get your skip laurel from Lowe's to start planting a privacy hedge.

4. American Hornbeam

The American hornbeam grows slow and needs some elbow room. But what a great tree! It has blue-gray bark, a tall trunk, and a narrow canopy. This makes it work well for planting in lines along fencing.

Add flowers at the base and walk away. You’ll have very little maintenance to add to your garden to-do list because the hornbeam resists pests and diseases well.

Buy a pair of American hornbeam seedlings from Amazon for under $30.

5. Fragrant Tea Olive

If you want a smaller evergreen broadleaf, consider the fragrant tea olive. This small tree has lots of dense stems filled with long leathery leaves. The spring flowers are beautiful and fragrant – to me they smell like orange blossoms.

This plant that also makes an amazing fragrant hedge doesn’t grow as fast as skip laurel, only adding a few inches a year. But once it’s fully matured, it can last half a century.

Get your fragrant tea olive from Fast Growing Trees.

6. Crepe Myrtle

If you live in the South, you’re sure to have seen crepe myrtle trees, beloved for their eye-catching flowers from July through September. There are so many cultivars available, you are sure to find something you love. They are fast-growing – a couple feet a year – and offer four-season impact with fragrant flowers, great fall foliage color, and peeling bark.

Shop a wide variety of crepe myrtles from Fast Growing Trees.

7. ‘Little Gem’ Magnolia

Now we move onto a beautiful tree that is evergreen in warmer zones, but deciduous in others. The Little Gem magnolia is a pint-size version of the Southern magnolia and the perfect size to line a fence.

You’ll love the shiny green leaves and fabulous white blossoms – what a fragrance! – that cover the tree in spring. You’ll get flowers just a few years after planting.

Pick up a Little Gem magnolia for your fence line from Lowe's.

If you are wondering how to get rid of spiders in your Christmas tree before bringing it indoors, it starts with shaking it outdoors. The little lurkers tuck into branches during harvest and lay eggs, which then hatch in your warm room like a surprise party.

A spider-infested Christmas tree sounds alarming, but most are just passengers from fields. They overwinter in the tree, seeking shelter from frost. Among the many Christmas tree problems you might encounter, webs appearing is one of the easiest to catch – a quick inspection before bringing the tree inside usually spots them long before they have a chance to scatter.

Those little crawlers remind you that Christmas trees come from outdoors, bringing bits of nature along. A quick check keeps festivities calm and minimizes the risk of unexpected guests spinning tales in your tinsel.

Should I Worry About Spiders in Christmas Trees?

Spiders show up and festivities falter. That unexpected scurry across the floor turns laughter into gasps, pulling focus from gifts under the tree. One lone web glistening in lights can shift the mood, like a shadow over the cheer. Keeping these critters out reduces mess and keeps things merry.

More than looks, it's peace of mind. Most spiders are harmless, but rare bites sting like a bee's. Allergies flare sometimes, turning a nip into a red welt that itches for days – so it's better to spot and deal with problems early.

Why Spiders End Up in Christmas Trees

Fields teem with critters. Christmas trees grow outdoors, so it’s completely normal for a few of them to come along for the ride. As temperatures drop, spiders often crawl into the branches for shelter, and eggs laid during summer can remain dormant until warmth triggers them later – your heated home can act like an accidental incubator.

On tree farms, everything from birds to insects moves through the boughs all year, and spiders naturally weave webs among the needles. When the tree is cut and transported, some of these tiny hitchhikers simply come with it. Many don’t survive the trip, but those that do stay tucked into crevices under the bark until the indoor heat encourages them to emerge.

Once inside and standing upright, a few spiders may wander out toward lights or warm vents. This is a normal part of the outdoor-to-indoor cycle, and it’s why a quick shake and inspection before bringing the tree inside is always a smart step.

Common Spiders Found in Christmas Trees

• Orb weavers spin silky, delicate webs between the branches. With their yellow-and-black bodies, they look dramatic but are mostly harmless, and bites are rare.
• Jumping spiders may hop across the needles, their bright little eyes scanning for flies rather than people. Fuzzy and no bigger than a pea, they blend into decorations until they suddenly move.
• Wolf spiders tend to prowl the base of the tree. Their hairy legs and quick dashes can be startling if they’re shaken loose, but they’d rather hide than interact. Their bite is mild and only a risk if they’re cornered, as these ground-dwelling hunters prefer dark, undisturbed spots.
• Widow types are extremely rare on Christmas trees, but they’re the ones to watch for – they have a distinctive red hourglass marking on the underside. Most other spiders you may find are harmless house or field types, not aggressive, and pose no real threat.

Are Spiders in Christmas Trees Dangerous?

Bites from Christmas-tree hitchhiker spiders are extremely rare. Most species you’ll find are harmless and more likely to run away than defend themselves. If a bite does happen, it’s usually no worse than mild redness or an itchy spot that settles quickly. An ice pack can ease any irritation, and keeping an eye out for spreading redness is always sensible.

Venomous spiders almost never show up on Christmas trees, but it’s worth knowing the signs. Black widows prefer dark crevices and only bite if pressed or startled; symptoms can include cramps or nausea, and medical care is advised. Brown recluses are also highly unlikely to be present and are more associated with lesions. If you spot a spider you’re unsure about – or notice distinctive markings or webs – contact a professional or your local extension office, which can often help with quick, free identification.

How to Prevent or Remove Spiders

Shake it outdoors first. A vigorous wiggle dislodges hitchhikers, like rattling dust from a rug. If it's mild out, hose the tree down to blast eggs away. Inspect the trunk and branches closely – flashlight beams can catch movement. Wear gloves when handling Christmas trees; that sticky sap clings to skin otherwise.

Vacuum the inside crawlers. A gentle suck pulls them off without a hitch, and the bag gets tossed quickly. I recommend skipping pest sprays – chemicals can linger on ornaments, smelling off. Instead, diatomaceous earth, like this one from Amazon, can be dusted on the base for a natural barrier. Repeat checks weekly, keeping the tree guest-free until takedown.

Use sticky traps, like these Catchmaster traps from Amazon, around the stand to catch wanderers. They peel off easily come January.

I love the look and smell of a real Christmas tree, but I do not love crawling on my hands and knees every two days, wrestling with branches like I’m in some sort of festive jungle just to pour water into a hidden stand (so hidden, in fact, I almost always miss it and soak the carpet).

That’s why, when I stumbled across an automatic, yet still whimsical, Christmas tree watering system during yet another late night scrolling session, I had what can only be described as a minor Christmas miracle moment. It’s cute, it’s clever, and it promises to keep my tree from drying out before New Year. Win!

So, if you like to pick your Christmas tree early and want it to look lush and green until the holidays are well and truly over, look this way; this nifty product has all bases covered. Pun absolutely intended.

A VBD for Christmas Tree Perfectionists

Whether you plump for a Douglas fir tree, a Colorado blue spruce, or one of the other pretty pines available, we all know that hydration is key when it comes to keeping our Christmas trees looking their best.

Thankfully, this Christmas tree watering system (the first of its kind!) is here to do exactly that, while looking for all the world like a charming holiday gift wrapped in traditional red-and-white paper.

Or, y'know, a more kitschy silver covered in festive cartoons, depending on which way your tastes run.

Check it out:

That's right; that cute little gift is actually a highly practical 2.5 gallon tank, water tube and sensor in a disguise that would fool Santa himself. All you have to do to get it working is attach the water tube and sensor to the trunk of the tree, fill the tank, plug it in and turn it on!

Which means, yes, no dismantling decorations, no crawling, and no spills required. And, while I can't promise a world with no stress whatsoever (the holidays are stressful, people!), it'll certainly make for a far easier one when it comes to sorting your tree out.

It Has Glowing Reviews Across The Board

A freshly cut tree can drink up to a gallon a day, especially during its first week inside, but this adorable little Christmas tree watering system acts like a tree-tender elf and keeps those water levels topped up without any need for unsightly tubes or bases. No wonder, then, it has such positive reviews on Amazon.

‘What a great product! And I love how this was invented and developed by a small business to take care of a problem that normally just creates holiday drudgery. I'm telling all my friends about it,’ reads one.

Another adds: ‘Every year we routinely forget to water our tree in the first week and it always goes dry. This product has worked like a charm and the tree is still alive and well and being watered all on its own.’

And still one more raves: ‘Just installed it and it is amazing. The box looks like any other gift under the tree and watering your tree has never been easier. Just fill it and it automatically does the rest.’

Honestly, it sounds like it's more than simply practical; anything that brings people so much calm is every bit as much a treat as one of the best Advent calendars for gardeners, in my eyes.

Remember: when your tree has access to consistent water, it lasts longer, the needles stay soft, that amazing holiday fragrance lasts, and the branches stay supple, so they don’t snap when you rearrange that one ornament your toddler keeps yanking off.

Throw in the fact that keeping the water level steady also reduces the fire risk associated with dry, brittle trees, and you have more than enough reasons to invest in a clever Christmas tree watering system of your own.

Why not, then, opt for one that a) looks like part of the decorations rather than a utilitarian gadget, b) tops up your tree’s water levels with basically zero effort required on your behalf, and c) keeps things feeling fuss-free and unfrazzled until New Year.

I’ll be right behind you at the checkouts…

A Christmas tree fire can start with one overlooked detail. Dryness creeps in fast, sap seals over, and water stops flowing. How do Christmas trees catch fire? Heat meets tinder – old bulbs spark, or a heater bakes the base.

Burning Christmas tree videos shock every year, but most stem from simple slips. Christmas tree problems often tie back to dryness or heat sources gone wrong. A Christmas tree on fire isn’t fate – just neglected care.

The Real Reasons Real Christmas Trees Catch Fire

Cut trees still get thirsty after harvest. Sap hardens quickly, sealing the trunk and reducing water flow. Moisture drops quick, needles turn brittle – prime fuel. The tree sits quiet, a hidden accelerant dressed in holiday green.

1. Dryness

The first week indoors, a Christmas tree can gulp a gallon a day, easily. Skip a day, and the pores that usually take up water start to close. Thirst unmet, bark splits, scent fades, and the fire risk climbs. The base turns into a wick waiting for a match. By day ten, a tree left unwatered can flash like paper in 30 seconds – needles drop, branches sag, and the whole thing crumbles at a touch.

2. Old or Damaged Lights

Frayed cords spark. Hot incandescents bake branches. One loose bulb arcs, and ignites dry tips. A $10 string can cost you thousands in smoke damage. Those mini-lights from the attic? Check every plug; a single cracked socket hides corrosion that shorts when it gets warm.

3. Open Flames or Heat Sources

Whether it’s a candle’s flicker, or heater’s blast, three feet feels safe – until a draft leans the flame. Vents dry lower limbs at a rapid rate. A single ember can ride the updraft straight to the topper. Even a space heater on low radiates enough to crisp the nearest branch quickly.

4. Not Watering Enough

If the stand runs dry overnight, the tree is able to drink less, and needles brown from base up. The tinder stack grows silent. The water you forget is the barrier you lose. A six-foot tree needs a full refill every morning – skip it a couple of times, and the lower third turns to straw. A good stand that holds water like this one from Amazon can help drastically.

How to Reduce the Risk of Fire

Planning beats panic. A fresh tree, smart setup, and daily checks are key. One weak link in the chain can burn the whole season down.

Choosing a Safe, Fresh Tree

Pick green, bendy needles, and a trunk sticky with sap, not slick. Drop it, and very few needles should fall. precut lots age fast, so skip bargains. A Christmas tree harvested from last week drinks like crazy; one fresh from this week can already be dehydrated. The sap should ooze just a little when you pinch a needle – proof it’s still alive and pulling water. Ask the lot when it arrived; anything over two weeks old is a gamble.

Setting Up Your Tree Safely

Saw the base to expose fresh wood about half-inch up. Make a straight cut with no angles. Your stand should hold gallon or more. Put it three feet from any fireplace, radiator, or vent. Secure tight – topple risks make things worse. LED string lights like these from Amazon run cool. It isn’t just decor – it’s your firebreak. Use a sturdy base with wide legs; a wobbly stand invites disaster when kids or cats brush past. Test the tree’s balance before decorating – anything that leans can fall, and falling trees drag cords and candles with them.

Watering and Daily Maintenance

Make sure to fill the stand morning and night. Room-temp tap with no additives is fine. Probe deep – the trunk drinks heavy the first days. Touch the needles – if they are crisp, hydrate them now. Unplug the lights when you’re out or asleep. A full reservoir buys you minutes when seconds count. Keep a pitcher nearby for quick top-offs; the tree can drain a quart in hours on day one. Run your hand along the trunk – if it’s cool and damp, you’re good; if it’s warm and rough, pour now.

When to Take it Down

January 6th marks Epiphany, the traditional end of the Christmas season when decorations come down. By then, most real trees are bone-dry, shedding needles like confetti and turning into fire hazards on curbs or in garages – fire departments see a spike in complaints right after the holidays. Toss it after four weeks max, or when needles pull easy and brown spreads – time’s up. When the shake test fails and water sits untouched, it’s time to dispose of your tree promptly. Making it a curb pile and not a house pile shrinks fire fuel.

January 6th isn’t just tradition – it’s usually the deadline before your tree becomes a public hazard. Strip the lights first. Then, roll branches in an old sheet to contain needles, and haul it out before the bark starts flaking like dandruff. You can even cut the trunk into logs for next year’s firewood – dry it outdoors, not in your garage where sparks still lurk.

Shop Christmas Tree Watering Solutions

It’s apple pie season, so you’d best believe I like to celebrate it by planting accordingly – and, when I plant fruit trees in the fall, there’s two things I always do to help them thrive.

Yes, now is a brilliant time to get planting; the air feels sharp, the soil still holds warmth, and it’s a great time for bargains, too. Not just because garden centres are clearing stock, but because bare-root fruit trees start to appear online and in catalogues, often for half the price of their potted counterparts.

Bare-roots do exactly what they say on the tin; they’re dormant trees sold without soil, their roots wrapped in a bit of damp sawdust or paper to keep them moist.

This doesn’t just make them easier to carry; they also settle in faster because their roots grow directly into your soil rather than a plastic pot. If you’ve only ever planted container trees, they’re a revelation: you can plant more for less, and they often establish more quickly and strongly.

So, how best to help them on their way? Well, after trial and error (and a few underwhelming failures), I’ve learned that two simple steps make all the difference between a tree that limps along and one that surges into growth come spring.

1. Soak the Roots

The first thing I do to help my bare-root fruit trees thrive is simple enough: I give them a long drink before planting. And I mean a long drink; I’m talking at least four hours, but ideally overnight.

To do this, I fill a clean bucket with water, making sure the roots are fully submerged but the trunk stays dry. This soak lets the tree rehydrate after transport and ensures the fine root hairs (aka the ones responsible for absorbing moisture and nutrients) are plump and ready to do their job.

Skipping this step can leave the roots dry and brittle, and I’ve noticed those trees often take weeks longer to put out new growth. When they’ve soaked properly, the roots look supple and alive rather than papery and dull.

2. Use a Transplant Solution

When I plant fruit trees in the fall, I don’t just use good quality compost (although that’s an obvious must-do). Before I even think about lowering them into their planting holes, I give them a good dose of transplant solution.

Something like Amazon’s Miracle-Gro Quick Start works well, as its gentle blend of nutrients and rooting hormone helps reduce shock and stimulate early root growth.

It’s a tiny extra step, but I’ve seen the results: less leaf drop in spring, stronger early shoots, and noticeably sturdier trees by the end of their first summer. All big wins in my book!

Shop Bare-Root Planting Essentials

After that, it’s just a matter of watering well and mulching thickly to lock in moisture through winter. By spring, the first buds will start to swell, and you’ll know all your hard work has paid off.

It’s honestly my favorite hack for boosting my garden without spending a fortune. Last year, it was an apple tree; this year, my husband has big dreams for a pear tree.

They may start off small, but I like to look at them and imagine how the garden will look in five years, branches heavy with fruit and blossoms buzzing with bees. And if I can achieve that with just a bucket of water and a little care on a cold afternoon? It’s a no-brainer, really.

Forget a white Christmas; if you’re dreaming of that big, beautiful Tannenbaum in November, you need to know for sure that you can keep it from drying out by New Year. Otherwise, your Christmas tree will be less ‘star of that Kelly Clarkson bop’ and more… well, more a nightmarish pile of brown needles.

Yes, you can pick your Christmas tree as early as six weeks prior to the holiday, so long as you’re prepared to put the work in to keep it happy and hydrated. Thankfully, we’re here to help you do exactly that – and we promise our list of tips isn’t anywhere near as sprawling as Santa Claus’s naughty and nice scroll.

In fact, it doesn’t matter if you opt for a Douglas fir tree, a Colorado blue spruce, or one of the other pretty pines available; there are just three (3!) things you need to do to keep your Christmas tree looking its glossy green best up to and beyond its big day. Joy to the world, right?

1. Make a Fresh Cut

The most important thing you can do to keep your Christmas tree from drying out by New Year? Other than making sure you’ve chosen a healthy tree with the least amount of brown needles? Ask the vendor to make a fresh cut for you.

Just a thin disk off the bottom will be enough, so long as you know it’ll be going into water within 45 minutes of that slice-and-dice treatment.

If you’re travelling further than 45 minutes for your tree, don’t despair; just use a clean, sharp saw to take an inch off the previous cut at home in a straight line. Or, y’know, stick to one of the many live potted Christmas trees on offer (if only so you can replant it in your garden once the festive season is over).

2. Give it a Lot to Drink

A lot of people forget that trees are incredibly thirsty at the best of times, and the same is true of your Christmas tree; it’ll likely be more than able to absorb up to a gallon of water in the first 24 hours alone.

To keep yours from drying out by New Year, then, choose a stand that’s a) properly sized for your tree, b) able to hold one quart of water for every inch of the trunk's diameter, and c) ideally kitted out with an easy-to-read gauge that shows when to refill; it should always cover the bottom two inches of trunk at the very least.

Here are three of our favorites for the job…

3. Atmosphere, Atmosphere Atmosphere!

If you really want to keep your Christmas tree from drying out by New Year, don’t just think about the watering process itself; you should also try to lower the temperature in the room, if possible, and consider adding a humidifier, too.

Amazon currently has a deal on its Everlasting Comfort 6L Humidifiers, if you’re interested. And there are a few other items you might want to add to your shopping list, too...

Shop Christmas Tree Care Essentials

Remember: it’s not just about your Christmas tree looking good. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) reports that an average of 160 home fires are started by Christmas trees each year, and it can take less than 30 seconds for a dry tree to burn down most of your living room.

Less than 30 seconds. That's not even enough time to get through the intro to Mariah Carey's All I Want For Christmas Is You.

Keep your tree watered, then, and keep things safe this Christmas. Happy (hydrated) holidays...

A magnolia tree reblooming in fall, bursting with creamy petals, will catch anyone off guard. Normally a spring star, your tree may be throwing a surprise party in fall instead. But this out-of-season show isn’t just a fluke – it’s a response to the either the environment or how you're caring for your magnolia.

Fall flowering in magnolias can look magical, but it can create uncertainty and questions. As long as you provide your tree with proper magnolia care, it will remain healthy through unexpected blooms. A well-tended tree stays ready for next season’s display, whether it’s blooming now or not.

But it’s not just magnolias that sometimes put on an unexpected show in autumn – other spring plants sometimes rebloom, too. Understanding why a tree is blooming in fall helps gardeners make smart choices about how to tend to them. I'll explain the reasons why your magnolia might be blooming in fall and what you should (and shouldn't) do if your tree starts to flower out of season.

Is Your Magnolia Blooming in Fall?

Unexpected flowers in fall can certainly grab attention. But those striking blooms may signal changes in the garden’s cycle, potentially affecting next spring’s display. A magnolia’s health hinges on handling these surprises right, so it stays strong and vibrant.

Fall flowering might stress your tree and cause it to pull energy away from next year’s buds. But if you pay attention to your magnolia's needs, you can help it put on another beautiful display next spring.

Gardeners who understand why fall reblooming happens can plan better and keep their magnolia trees strong and ready for the seasons ahead, without losing that springtime show. Let's take a look at how to identify if your tree is reblooming in fall and the reasons why.

What Does Reblooming Look Like?

Magnolias in fall might sprout a few creamy, star-shaped flowers, scattered across their branches. It’s not the full spring explosion – more like a shy encore of velvet soft petals. Other plants, like azaleas, may also push out blooms in fall.

These flowers in fall often appear unevenly, with some branches totally bare and others dotted with color. Look for smaller, less vibrant blooms than spring’s big display. This is a sign that the plant is responding to something unexpected that's tricking it into blooming early.

Reasons for Magnolias Reblooming

Warm fall days can trick magnolias into thinking it’s spring again. An unseasonably warm fall weather streak, like a week or so of 70°F (21°C) days, can often set off a magnolia tree in fall to bloom. To your magnolia, the higher temperatures feel like a warm spring breeze.

Other spring bloomers, like dogwoods, may follow suit and show flowers in fall when conditions align just right. While this doesn't happen every year, it could become more common as one of the effects of climate change on gardens.

Heavy summer pruning or a dose of fertilizer can jolt the tree into producing flowers, too. Poor drainage, drought, or sudden rain after a dry spell can also trigger reblooming and throw off the growth cycle of your tree.

Magnolias grown in well-drained soil, and shown consistent care are less likely to bloom out of season. Check soil moisture with this 4-in-1 soil meter from Amazon and avoid overfeeding to keep flowers on schedule.

Hormonal shifts, like from gibberellins that boost flower growth or from ethylene that causes stress, can cause reblooming as well. It’s like your tree is trying to seize the day before winter hits.

Will Reblooming Affect Next Year’s Flowers?

Fall flowering can sap energy from a magnolia’s spring buds. If the tree pours effort into those autumn blooms, next year’s display might be lighter with fewer flowers or smaller petals .

But it’s not a big disaster – healthy magnolias often bounce back when given the right care. Avoid late-season pruning to help your tree save energy. A strong root system and healthy garden soil also help magnolias put on a solid spring show, even after a bout of fall blooms.

What You Should (and Shouldn't) Do

Don’t prune those fall blooms – they’re already set and cutting them will only stress the tree out more. I know it’s tempting, but hold off.

Water moderately if the soil is dry, and avoid heavy fertilizer use to prevent more reblooming, which can wear out your tree.

Mulch around the base of your magnolia to help stabilize soil temperature. A layer of Back to the Roots organic mulch from Amazon is perfect for this.

Finally, keep an eye on your tree’s overall health and let it ride out the fall flowering. It’s a weird show, but your magnolia will continue to thrive for years to come little help from you.

An attractive driveway area makes coming home every night a pleasure... and also ups your house’s curb appeal. Lining a driveway with trees is one of the easiest – and most permanent – ways to make the entrance to your home prettier. The trees that work best along a driveway are those offering several seasons of ornamental value.

When you are ready to install driveway landscaping, you’ll want a short list of the best trees to line a driveway. Here are some of our favorites.

1. Flowering Dogwood

• Botanical name: Cornus florida
• Height and spread: to 25 feet (8m) tall and wide
• Zones: 5-9
• Sun exposure: dappled all-day sun

Are dogwood trees one of the most spectacular flowering trees? I think so. These native trees are fabulous for a tree-lined driveway, offering ornamental value in all four seasons. Their white or pink bract “blooms” appear in spring before the trees leaf out. In summer, the lushly layered foliage appears, followed by red berries in fall. Autumn also brings fiery foliage colors. Then, in winter, the bare trunks show off the distinctive branching structure. Don’t forget the red berries that hang on the tree all winter long. Fast Growing Trees has a stunning pink dogwood tree for sale.

2. Crape Myrtle

• Botanical name: Lagerstroemia indica
• Height and spread: to 30 feet (10m) tall, to 21 feet (7m) wide
• Zones: 6-9
• Sun exposure: full

Staples of southern landscapes, crape myrtles have many wonderful attributes. These deciduous trees are extremely ornamental, with huge summer crops of pink, white, or purple blossoms. Since their roots aren't invasive, you won’t face a cracked driveway.

While crape myrtle is known for the heavy crop of flowers with crinkled petals, you'll find that the trees add beauty to every season. The buds appear in springtime, as well as the new leaves. The summer show is the flowers, and, in fall, the leaves turn fiery colors. After they fall, you can admire the tree’s elegant mottled, peeling bark. Nature Hills has a gorgeous Tuscarora crape myrtle tree.

3. Italian Cypress

• Botanical name: Cupressus sempervirens
• Height and spread: to 70 feet (23m) tall and 20 feet (3m) wide
• Zones: 7-10
• Sun exposure: at least 4 hours of direct sun per day

If you like the look of columns in front of villas, you’ll love using Italian cypress to line a driveway. These tall, elegant, columnar evergreens look classy, even iconic, planted side by side along a driveway. The longer the driveway, the greater the charm. While their beauty doesn’t change from one season to another, Italian cypress show off their dark, gray-green needles all year long. Even with their tall, thin shape, they provide a little driveway shade. You can order your own Italian Cypress from Garden Goods Direct.

4. Japanese Maple

• Botanical name: Acer palmatum
• Height and spread: to 25 feet (8m) tall and wide
• Zones: 4-9
• Sun exposure: dappled sun

Japanese maples are ideal little trees and, with their multi-season interest, they make excellent driveway trees. Their roots are shallow and non-invasive, which means you won’t have any risk of pavement being pushed up. They are elegant trees with exceptional fall color, and they come in several forms, including upright and weeping. The Bloodgood variety from Fast Growing Trees is especially impressive.

Japanese maples are delicate trees that offer year-round beauty. The show starts with spring’s new flush of leaves – that can be red, pink or green. More leaves create a lush canopy in summer, then blaze in red, orange, and yellow in autumn. Look for a variety that offers an appealing architectural branch structure and colorful bark in winter.

5. Emerald Green Arborvitae

• Botanical name: Thuja occidentalis
• Height and spread: to 12 feet (4m) tall and 10 feet (2.5m) wide
• Zones: 2-7
• Sun exposure: partial or full sun

This is an evergreen tree species that offers trees of a consistent shape and color. That makes them great for lining a driveway, since their uniformity unites them. Emerald Green arborvitae are tough, easy-care, fast-growing trees that keep the same, beautiful look all year long. The flat sprays of shiny needles are a brilliant green, and they are accented with cones that turn mahogany color in the fall. Their lush growth creates ample driveway shade. You can get your own today from Garden Goods Direct!

6. "Winter King" Hawthorn

• Botanical name: Crataegus viridis 'Winter King'
• Height and spread: to 35 feet (11m) tall and wide
• Zones: 4-7
• Sun exposure: full sun

‘Winter King’ is a great tree choice for lining a driveway. This hawthorn cultivar offers clusters of white flowers in spring, with shiny, pointy leaves that turn brilliant yellow in the autumn. Fruit appears in early fall, an abundant crop of showy red berries that hang on the tree through to late winter. Winter beauty also includes exfoliating silver bark and a unique, crisscrossing branching habit. Add to that its drought tolerance, and low-maintenance ways, and you’ll see why ‘Winter King’ is up there on the recommended list.

It's currently sold out at Nature Hills, but it'll hopefully be back soon.

A tree-lined driveway can enhance the value and beauty of your home. The trees not only soften the harsh lines of a driveway, but they also help your environment. They improve air quality, assist native wildlife, and keep the driveway area cooler. Most important, trees lining the drive will offer natural beauty throughout the year.

Here’s a great way to celebrate your birthday! Plant a fruit tree that flowers or fruits during your birth month. Whether you’re a January baby or blow out the candles in November, we’ve got a perfect birthday fruit tree for you.

Fruit trees are among the most ornamental garden trees, offering showy blossoms in one season, and a delicious harvest in another. You don’t need a 40-acre landscape to get started. Many fruit trees are small enough to grow in a large container on a patio or fit into a garden corner.

Here are our top options for every month of the year. Those with large yards might consider adding all 12 of these fruit trees to the landscape for natural beauty and delicious fruit all year long.

January: Meyer Lemon

I love my Meyer lemon tree (Citrus × meyeri). These little citrus evergreens are hybrids, a cross between a lemon tree and a mandarin orange. They are compact and attractive, with shiny dark leaves and extremely fragrant white flowers. The fruit is deep yellow like a lemon but rounder and sweeter.

Meyer lemon is a great tree in January, since it is at its peak harvest season. You’ll have both blossoms and fruit on the tree as the new year begins. While the tree is only hardy in USDA zones 9-11, you can grow it in a pot in cooler zones and bring it indoors in the winter.

Find the perfect Meyer lemon tree from Fast Growing Trees.

February: Japanese Flowering Apricot

Most apricot varieties neither flower nor fruit in February, but the Japanese flowering apricot (Prunus mume) is the exception. Its showy flowers and dark, shiny leaves will light up the late winter landscape.

While it only offers small, sour apricots – used for jams and teas, not snacking, you can delight in its fragrant blooms in February. The gorgeous flowers – red, white or pink – fill the branches before the tree leafs out.

Find this 'Peggy Clarke' Japanese flowering apricot tree on Etsy from Santiam Nursery.

March: Nectarine Tree

Early blooming nectarine trees (Prunus persica var. nucipersica)– like ‘Desert Delight’ - provide a spectacular show in March. The beautiful pink flowers appear on the tree’s bare branches in USDA zones 7-10. This clingstone cultivar is an excellent choice for a home orchard and requires very little maintenance.

Vigorous and upright, this variety is also a star when it comes to summer nectarines. The fruit is sweet and beautiful, with glowing red skin and golden flesh. It is one of the first nectarines of the season.

Find 'Desert Delight' nectarine trees at Stark Bro's Nursery & Orchards.

April: Cherry Tree

Cherry trees (Prunus spp.) are your best bet for April. While early-bloomers flower in March, mid-season and late-season cherry trees light up your garden in April. These are truly spectacular flowering trees, with showy masses of pink or white blooms.

Top cherry trees varieties that bloom in April include cultivars ‘Yoshino’ and ‘Akebono’. If you want deep pink blossoms, opt for ‘Okame’. Another early-blooming cultivar, 'Accolade', also provides a show in autumn with its fiery foliage.

Find the perfect 'Okame' flowering cherry tree from the Arbor Day Foundation.

May: Apple Tree

Spring is in full swing in May, and that’s the blooming season for many apple trees (Malus domestica). The apple blossom season is short but lovely, with frothy blossoms covering the branches. Exact bloom time will vary among species, climates, and weather.

Tiny young apples appear on the branches as the flowers die back. The fruits grow larger during summer and are ready for harvest in late fall or winter.

If you want to ensure healthy fruit from your apple tree, you need to plant a different variety alongside it. They require cross pollination to fruit successfully. Find an awesome selection of apple trees from Stark Bro's Nursery & Orchard and choose your two favorite varieties for a delicious harvest!

June: Peach Tree

While many peach trees are just setting fruit in June, some early growing peach varieties are already rocking and rolling.

The ‘June Gold’ peach tree (Prunus persica ‘June Gold’) only needs 450 chill hours to produce fruit, so by June, home-grown peaches are on the table. With this freestone peach tree, you can celebrate your birthday with a generous harvest of full-sized, scrumptious peaches.

Get a hardy potted 'June Gold' peach tree from the Arbor Day Foundation.

July: Asian Pear Tree

An Asian pear is a crisp, sweet fruit native to China, Korea, and Japan. Despite the name, the fruit’s texture is crisp like an apple, not soft like a European pear. In the United States, Asian pears are ready for eating in July.

The Asian pear tree (Pyrus pyrifolia) is small enough to fit into a backyard, topping out at 20 feet (6m) tall. In early spring, it produces fragrant white flowers, followed by the delicious fruit. Note that most varieties are not self-fertile, so you may need two to get fruit.

Find the 'Hosui' Asian pear tree and 'Shinseiki' Asian pear tree at Fast Growing Trees and you will have delicious fruit in no time!

August: Fig Tree

Fig trees are as easy to grow as a fruit tree can be and come in a range of sizes, from dwarf to tall. All offer the sweet fruit that is delicious to eat and also packed with fiber and vitamins.

The fig tree harvest begins in August, so that makes it a perfect birthday tree. These trees thrive in zones 5-11. (Did you know that many fig trees rely on the teeny tiny fig wasp to pollinate them? Too cool!)

Find the self-fertile 'Chicago Hardy' fig tree from Fast Growing Trees for a cold-hardy super producer.

September: Pawpaw Tree

Pawpaw trees (Asimina triloba) are native to North America, and the pawpaw is America’s largest native fruit. It has a curious, custardy flavor that seems to combine the tastes of bananas, mangoes, and pineapples. You can even make a delicious pawpaw pie!

The fruit is rarely offered in stores since it is extremely perishable, so the best way to enjoy it is to plant pawpaw trees in your yard. And what a great birthday tree! The pawpaw tree is small but has a lush, tropical look thanks to its huge green leaves.

Pawpaws ripen and begin dropping from the tree in September. The trees' large leaves shade the developing fruit. You will need at least two trees to get fruit.

Find an American pawpaw tree at Fast Growing Trees to up your native gardening game.

October: Pomegranate Tree

A pomegranate tree (Punica granatum) is very appealing. It bears shiny leaves and scarlet red, trumpet-shaped spring flowers that attract hummingbirds. The round red pomegranate fruits appear after flowering and ripen in the fall. Consider them your October birthday gift!

The leathery skin peels back to reveal sweet, edible seeds. And they are not just delicious, but also good for you, with antioxidants, Vitamin C, and fiber. In its native range in the Middle East, pomegranate trees signify abundance.

Find a cold hardy 'Russian' pomegranate tree from Perfect Plants Nursery.

November: American Persimmon Tree

American persimmon trees (Diospyros virginiana) are impressive in any landscape. The trunks are rugged and interesting with textured “alligator” bark. The lush green leaves blaze yellow in autumn. Best of all, the bright and delicious fruit that appear in fall and ripen after the first frost. Persimmon fruits are orange, big as baseballs and sweeter than honey when fully ripe.

This tree is an easy-care native that is perfect for an edible food forest garden. It accepts any well-drained soil, full sun or partial shade, and tolerates hot, dry conditions, poor soils, urban conditions, and wind in USDA zones 4-9. Only female trees bear fruit, and you’ll need a male tree in the neighborhood.

Find the 'Yates' American persimmon tree from Stark Bro's Nursery & Orchard. It is self-pollinating and a fast grower.

December: Orange Tree

Most orange trees (Citrus × sinensis) will be hanging heavy with fruit in December. They are subtropical citrus trees grown for their Vitamin-C-rich fruit in warm climates, like USDA zones 9-11. You can opt for dwarf or semi-dwarf if the regular trees are too tall.

Orange trees are evergreen, so their attractive foliage lasts all year round. The fruit tree needs lots of sun to fruit. It also requires well-draining soil, as well as ample irrigation.

Find delicious 'Cara cara' orange trees at Fast Growing Trees which you can grow in cooler zones as a part of a container orchard!

Growing "birth month trees" is a fun way to expand your garden and I hope this list has inspired you to grow a lovely fruit tree of your own!

The empress tree (Paulownia tomentosa) looks like a dream with its massive purple flower clusters and growth that outpaces others. It shoots up fast, promising shade by next summer. But the problems add up quick.

The empress tree’s floral cloud in spring pulls folks in, but its invasive empress tree habits and spreading seeds choke out everything else around it. And getting rid of empress trees becomes a gardener’s worse nightmare, with their stubborn roots that keep sprouting back.

There are plenty of empress tree alternatives that deliver just as much beauty without the chaos. So don't be tempted by this invasive tree covered in purple blooms. Its charm fades once you see the damage it can do. I'll dig into the reasons why you should never plant an empress tree as well as some of the best alternatives for stunning blooms without the headache.

Why People Plant Empress Trees

The empress tree, also known as the princess tree, hooks gardeners with its springtime show. It has huge purple flower clusters that dangle like chandeliers and they fill the air with a faint honey scent.

It grows incredibly fast, too. These trees usually grow around to 15 feet (4.5 meters) a year, hitting 40 feet (12 meters) in no time at all. Some nurseries push it as eco-friendly, with lightweight wood you can use for building furniture or as biofuel.

It’s marketed as a low-maintenance win for any garden. Some even call it a “miracle tree” for creating a shady yard. But that promise of quick shade and blooms tempts folks to plant it without a second thought. Who doesn’t want a tree that’s big enough to produce shade by next summer? But those supposedly great features actually make this fast-growing tree a nightmare.

Why You Should Never Plant One

Do you have a yard that's craving shade? Don’t fall for the empress tree’s flashy act. The empress tree is native to China and considered a problem plant in many parts of the United States. This invasive plant species spreads like wildfire. Each empress tree propagates via millions of tiny seeds that can blow hundreds of yards and sprout in every sidewalk crack or nearby forest.

The greedy tree roots cause problems, too. They suck up water and nutrients and its branches hog sun, leaving native plants high and dry. The strong and invasive tree roots can also crack your driveway and sidewalks, leading to costly repairs. The tree’s brittle branches also commonly snap when the wind blows, dumping twigs everywhere.

The obvious answer would be to chop this tree down, but the empress tree will just keep coming back. Invasions tend to overrun native habitats, crowding out wildflowers and critters. Nearby meadows lose their native grasses, and songbirds struggle for nesting spots. So instead of trying to get rid of this tree, the best course of action is not to plant it in the first place.

What to Grow Instead

The empress tree’s purple blooms and speedy growth seem tempting, but it’s a garden disaster waiting to happen. All the problems it causes – invading roots, snapping branches, and relentless sprouts – aren’t worth the fight just for the flowers it puts out in spring.

Instead, choose a native tree species that brings blooms and charm without turning your yard into a war zone. Plant something that grows in harmony with your native ecosystem, not against it. Here are some of the best native alternatives to plant instead of an empress tree.

1. Eastern Redbud

The pink flowers of the eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis) burst out in April like candy scattered on their branches. The stunning blooms are followed by heart-shaped leaves that turn gold in fall.

This native tree will slowly grow up to 20-30 feet (6-9 m) tall, but it's extremely resilient. Its small, pea-sized blooms last for three weeks in spring and its gray bark stays smooth. Leaves feel soft, dropping like a pile of coins in autumn. This compact tree is perfect for small yards with loamy soil.

Buy eastern redbud trees from the Home Depot.

2. Fringe Tree

The lacy blooms of the fringe tree (Chionanthus virginicus) appear in May and carry a sweet floral scent. This small-statured tree stands at a tidy 15-20 feet (4.5-6 m). Its thin petals remain for two weeks.

The bark flakes in patches, revealing a tan color underneath, and leaves stay glossy. The fringe tree can tolerate both moist and dry soils. And it fits neatly into a narrow garden or small front yard.

Buy a high-quality native fringe trees from American Beauties on Amazon.

3. Serviceberry

Serviceberry trees (Amelanchier spp.) produce white flowers in March, sweet berries by June that are tasty snacks for both you and critters, and orange leaves in fall.

This petite native beauty tops out at 20 feet (6 m). Its edible fruit ripens in early summer and makes a delicious jam or can be left for local birds and wildlife.

Get a serviceberry tree today from the Home Depot.

4. Flowering Dogwood

White or pink blooms on the flowering dogwood (Cornus florida) light up the spring. This native native tree then tosses out red berries for birds in autumn. This compact variety stays under 25 feet (7.5 m).

Its inch (2.5 cm) wide flowers last around month. Leaves turn scarlet by October and bark becomes scaly, adding winter interest and texture. This tree loves acidic, moist soils and is a great low-grower for tight spaces.

Explore a beautiful variety of flowering dogwoods from Fast Growing Trees.

5. Sweetbay Magnolia

Native magnolias, like the sweetbay magnolia (Magnolia virginiana), have creamy blossoms and glossy green leaves that make a statement even after blooms fade. Trees can reach 30-50 feet (9-15 m).

The elegant white flowers open in mid-June and smell like lemon and citrus. The bark of the sweetbay magnolia roughens with age, but stays brown. The thick and shiny leaves drop in fall after bright red, highly ornamental seed pods emerge. Magnolia grow best in rich, damp soil.

Buy a stunning sweetbay magnolia from Lowe's.

So many different ornamentals are described as unique, and gardening is filled with examples of stunning foliage and flowering potential. But the blooms of the American smoke tree (Cotinus obovatus) are unlike any other unique flowers out there – this tree is truly one of a kind. And for anyone looking for a tree that stands out across different seasons, the staggering beauty of this one is not restricted to flowering.

The florescence (the process of flowering) on the American smoke tree (also known as the American smoke bush, American smokewood or chittamwood) is undeniably breathtaking. The effect appears otherworldly, as it really looks like the leaves of the tree are laced in plumes of smoke, in wafts of pink and purple. It’s the wispy, string‑like panicles that create this impression – the flowers are small and yellow. But the smoke effect is extremely ornamental, and it can last most of the summer.

Beyond the summertime haze, this distinctive native earns its keep with fiery fall foliage and low‑input toughness. It slots beautifully into sunny, well‑drained sites, where you want a showy specimen in a native garden without needing to fuss over it. There is just one caveat with these gorgeous trees – you need to give them drainage, as they struggle with chronically wet spots. Find out how easy and enjoyable it is to grow your own enigmatic and unforgettable American smoke tree.

Quick Tree Facts

Planting American Smoke Trees

Planting American smoke trees involves an assessment of your USDA hardiness zone, soil conditions, and space. You will be blessed with great focal variety, depending on the time of year, from soft pink or purple airy summer ‘smoke’ to striking fall tones of gold, orange, red and burgundy. So before choosing your tree and planting it out, give some thought to other trees in your yard, as well as the condition of your planting site. If possible, test your soil before planting with a soil meter like the Raintrip 4-in-1 Soil Meter from Amazon, which can help you assess moisture levels and nutrient load as well as soil pH.

Plant your American smoke tree (aka American smoketree, depending on where you source it) in spring or fall. In cold regions, spring planting lets roots settle before winter. In warmer regions, fall planting rides cooler weather. Plan for a mature spread of 20-30 feet (6-9m) to get the best out of growing and caring for these trees. Give your tree breathing room from foundations and overhead wires. Also, keep it out of low, soggy pockets – this is a drainage‑first tree.

Soil Needs

American smoke trees aren’t too fussy when it comes to soil requirements. The only real deal-breaker is drainage – as long as the soil drains well, these gorgeous four-season trees are happy. They can’t stand waterlogged soils, so just try to avoid this. It’s fine for soils to be sandy, rocky, even a little clay-based – within reason, as long as drainage is possible.

If you garden in heavy clay, improve the soil structure with some aged organic matter and plant slightly high so the water sheds away. These trees favor a soil pH that is a little on the alkaline side, and are in their element in rock gardens, dry slopes and meadow-style plantings. You can add a little garden lime, like True Organic’s Garden Lime from Amazon, to raise alkalinity levels to a more desirable level.

Light and Warmth

These trees need sun, and the more the better. I have seen smoke trees thriving with modest morning sun in bright urban courtyards. For best plume and fall color, though, you need to aim for full sun – this means 6 hours or more each day. If you are thinking of growing your American smoke tree in part sun, 4-6 hours of daily sunshine is acceptable if you’re willing to wind up with fewer smoke puffs!

Exposure to full sunshine will give you the strongest foliage tones in the fall and the most impactful and generous flowering smoke effects in summer. Smoke trees are open and airy, so it’s also important to allow 12-15 feet (3.6-4.5m) space around the tree to allow for continuing access to unfettered light and to moderate airflow.

Planting Step by Step

Having prepped your planting site and checked soil drainage is adequate, the process of planting your tree should be relatively straightforward:

1. Dig a hole that is 2-3 times as wide as the root ball. Mix a little aged organic matter into the hole, but don’t be tempted to overdo it, as American smoke trees prefer slightly lean soil.
2. Dust the tree roots with a little sprinkling of mycorrhizal fungi before planting into the ground. An organic root enhancer like Smart Grower’s Micorrhizal Fungi from Amazon is a reliable way to bolster root growth.
3. Set the crown level with or just above the surrounding soil. Backfill with some of the native soil you dug out for the hole and tamp gently. Fill the hole halfway, water to settle, then finish backfilling.
4. If you are planting in a site that has exposure to winds, it’s a good idea to add a stake to support the tree until it is strong enough to support itself. Use the DeWitt RS15 Tree Stake Kit from Amazon to help promote upright growth and stability in newly planted trees.

American smoke trees have a shallow, fibrous root system. This is handy if you need to shift your young plant to a sunnier spot, for instance. As long as you don’t do this too frequently, it is fine to transplant the tree inside the first few years, should you decide there is a better place to grow your tree.

Care for American Smoke Trees

Once planted, American smoke trees are very low-maintenance flowering trees – as long as you have ensured that they are in well draining soil and are receiving plenty of sunshine. You can remove stakes within a couple of years, once you are sure they are supporting themselves. Where these needs are met, just keep an eye on the following.

• Watering: Adult smoke trees are drought tolerant. However, young trees require moist soil to establish a strong root system. Water newly transplanted trees several times a week for the first few months. After the first season, you only have to water deeply during extended dry spells in the growing season. In terms of the best times to water, you can skip the rigid ‘every two weeks’ requirement used for other ornamentals, and watch the weather instead. This is a tough plant once mature, and doesn’t appreciate pampering.
• Fertilizing: In the tradition of many tough plants, the American smoke tree can thrive without fertilizer. Once established, the tree prefers a less lush, leaner soil, and seems content in dry or rocky terrains with little obvious fertility. Over-fertility can reduce autumnal color and increase the risk of disease. If you have to give your newly planted tree a little boost in the first year of growth, try a very light application of Espoma Organic Tree-Tone, available from Amazon, once in early spring. This will support root development during the first few seasons.
• Mulching: Your tree will benefit from an occasional mulch of organic compost, aged manure or bark-based material to thrive. If growth seems slow in lean soil, a light spring topdress is plenty. Maintain a 2-3 inch (5-8cm) ring of mulch around your tree, but make sure it is 12-18 inches (30-45cm) from the trunk. If you wish to use an organic bark-based option, go for the highly rated Back to the Roots Organic Mulch with Natural Wood, from Amazon. Doing this will help conserve moisture, moderate root temperature, and reduce weed competition.

Pruning American Smoke Trees

Pruning an American smoke tree can be relatively low key or it can be regular and focused, depending on your needs, the maturity of the tree, and the time of year. In terms of maintaining a healthy and vigorous shape, you don’t have to routinely commit to cutting back a certain amount each year. In terms of timing, the best time of year to prune is late winter or very early spring, before new growth begins. Don’t make excessive cuts after flowering, as you risk reducing future plumes.

If you are pruning in late winter, unless you are looking to shape the tree, stick to the basics and simply remove dead, damaged or crossing branches to maintain structure. You can also thin interior branches to improve air circulation. If you do want to cultivate a tree form, remove the lower stems each year. To make it look more like a tree, take out all leaders but the central stem. You can prune harder to reduce the size or to rejuvenate, but the natural form is often the most desirable.

Use pruners and loppers for shaping, removing dead or damaged wood, and maintaining a pleasing shape and structure. Fiskars’ 32-Inch PowerGear Tree Loppers from Amazon cut thicker branches with ease, while Corona’s Classic Cut BP3180D Bypass Pruners from Walmart are reliable and efficient with thinner, smaller branches. Clean pruning tools after use to prevent disease transmission.

Great American Smoke Tree Varieties

The true species can support native ecosystems, but it has spawned some gorgeous cultivars, several with variations of the distinctive clouds and vivid red fall foliage. When choosing your tree, check the label to ensure you're getting the true species or cultivar you want, especially if native provenance is important to you. Some of the most enchanting and resilient varieties include:

• Northstar: Also known as ‘Cotton Candy’, this tree variety is cold‑hardy to zone 3, with big, pink smoke swirls and potent red‑orange fall tones. It also reaches fairly modest heights of 10-18 feet (3-5.5m).
• Grace: Technically, this is a cross between the Eurasian smoke tree and American C. obovatus. It develops large, pink smoke plumes and flattering contrasting blue-green leaves, as well as vibrant fall foliage.
• Tulsa Lady: Featuring an alluring combination of blueish leaves and fantastical pink seed heads, this compact cultivar originated around Oklahoma. Alongside the sensational summer pinks, you can also enjoy the dazzling russet fall display.

Winter Care for American Smoke Trees

Once your American smoke tree is established, you shouldn’t need to worry too much about winter care. No special measures are required in USDA zones 4-8, beyond a steady mulch layer using organic bark, wood chips, or shredded leaves. It’s definitely worth replacing and replenishing your mulch layer if you suspect that extreme weather may have disturbed or eroded your good work – don’t leave this to chance. Also, make sure you have given your tree a good drink before the first fall frost and before the ground freezes.

In very cold or windy sites, a first‑year American smoke tree will also appreciate a windbreak, from well positioned neighboring shrubs, some temporary fencing, or a screen. It’s also a good idea to wrap the trunk of young trees with some tree wrap or burlap (which can then be removed in spring when conditions warm up again). Try some DeWitt Tree Wrap from Amazon, which is breathable and easy to secure.

Propagating American Smoke Trees

You can propagate American smoke trees via seed or by using cuttings. However, while using seeds for propagation is possible, it can be challenging. Seeds often have low viability, they have a hard seed coat, they may require stratification, and germination can be slow and uneven. Also, the species has fewer cultivars than the European counterpart. For those who are keen to propagate, root cuttings are another option, and often a lot easier for the domestic grower.

This method of propagation will duplicate the parent plant – something which seeds won’t accomplish. The best time to take these cuttings is usually during summer (July or August), using semi-hardwood or softwood cuttings. Take cuttings early in the morning, from healthy, leafy stems. Make softwood cuttings the same length as your hand, remove the lower leaves, then plant the cut end in moist potting soil. You can use rooting hormone if you have any, but I’ve had good results without.

Care Calendar

Common American Smoke Tree Problems

Great news for American smoke tree growers: there are few common tree pests and diseases to worry about. If you have taken adequate steps to plant in a sunny, well-draining spot, you are unlikely to have to worry about fungal issues or rots. American smoke tree leaves may flag up issues such as leaf spot, rust and verticillium wilt, associated with wet conditions, but these are also unlikely to cause trouble – unless other factors are causing excess moisture on or around the plant.

Mulching around the base will prevent splash-back, often associated with fungal issues. Also, if you water correctly, early in the day, there is less chance of a foliar disease. Avoid the temptation to over-water or over-fertilize, and you should be fine. The only pests likely to cause issues are aphids, borers or caterpillars. Treat aphids by introducing beneficial insects such as ladybugs or lacewings, or by using neem oil sprays. Try swift, repeat application of Bonide Captain Jack’s Ready-To-Use Neem Oil Spray from Amazon, which can also help as mild fungal controls.

American Smoke Tree Companions

Good companion plants for American smoke trees include plants with contrasting colors (such as dark foliage or silvery notes), plus the same growing requirements of full sunlight and well draining soil, such as Mediterranean herbs such as lavender and ornamental grasses, which also provide pleasing visual contrasts because of their arching, flexible plumes. Highly suitable planting companions include:

• English Lavender: This popular lavender type (Lavandula angustifolia) loves the same dry, sunny, well-drained conditions. Its soft purple flowers echo the smoke tree’s hues and its aromatic oils repel deer, aphids, and some fungal issues.
• Leadplant: This nitrogen-fixing shrub (Amorpha canescens) provides gorgeous silvery foliage and purple flower spikes, plus it attracts bees and butterflies, and increases resilience in a native planting scheme.
• Spirea: Steeplebush (S. tomentosa) or meadowsweet (S. alba) appreciate the same conditions, and their blooms echo the smoke tree’s inflorescences for a soft and layered look. Dense branching also offers habitat for beneficial insects.
• Little Bluestem: This native grass (Schizachyrium scoparium) thrives in dry, sunny soils and adds vertical texture. Blue-green summer blades and reddish-orange fall tones complement the smoke tree’s seasonal palette. Plus, deep roots stabilize soil.

Frequently Asked Questions

American Smoke Tree Quiz

American Smoke Tree Care Essentials

• When planting your American smoke tree, dust the tree roots with an organic root enhancer – Smart Grower’s Micorrhizal Fungi from Amazon is a reliable way to encourage root growth and so helps trees to establish that bit quicker.
• Add a stake at the time of planting to help support the tree until it is strong enough to support itself. The DeWitt RS15 Tree Stake Kit from Amazon will help promote upright growth and stability in newly planted American smoke trees.
• Give your newly planted tree a little boost in the first couple of years with a light application of Espoma Organic Tree-Tone, available from Amazon, in early spring. This will help support root development during the first few seasons.
• Protect tree growth with regular top-ups of mulch such as Back to the Roots Organic Mulch with Natural Wood, available from Amazon to regulate moisture levels, suppress weeds, keep roots cool, and help to reduce the risk of disease.

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Drive through any neighborhood in the fall, and chances are you’ll see a splash of Japanese maple color (in USDA zones 5-8, certainly). Striking varieties of Acer palmatum and A. palmatum var. dissectum grace yards with finely cut leaves in multifaceted shades of red, yellow, orange and green. Sure, Japanese maple seasonal characteristics vary in tone, but you can generally expect exceptional fall foliage.

However, these beautiful trees are not just about their autumnal displays. Their textures and tones delight year round and, in some cases, not just for their foliage. Given the right Japanese maple care, you can enjoy multi-seasonal dynamics. If you are looking for the quintessential tree for year-round interest, here are some of the most inspiring varieties of Japanese maples. Rest assured, they will fill your yard with a spectacular show from spring through to winter, year after year.

Why Japanese Maples are Great 4-Season Trees

These trees are revered for their brilliant fall foliage in reds, golden yellows and bright oranges, or a dazzling mix. Japanese maple color is heavily identified with these fiery autumnal displays, and you may have wondered if these tones are possible year round. Some varieties do stay red, but the amount of sun will affect how well they hold their color. Too much sun can cause fading or scorching, with crispy or brown Japanese maple leaves. That said, cultivars ‘Bloodgood,’ ‘Red Dragon,’ ‘Crimson Queen’ and ‘Emperor 1’ retain their color well.

That said, these are outstanding trees across all the seasons. Indeed, Japanese maple colors can be just as captivating in spring. You’ll see emerging spring foliage in red, pink or green, often changing to a deep green in summer. Certain Japanese maple foliage color changes have a way of standing out in a crowd. These summer displays then transform into those stunning fall hues of red, scarlet, orange or gold.

Even though these trees are deciduous, winter shows off their structural beauty, and certain cultivars have interesting bark variations. Japanese maples with colored bark include A. palmatum ‘Gold Digger,’ which has pale yellow bark, and the popular 'Sango-kaku' (listed below) with its fine coral bark. Certain specimens such as ‘Nishiki-gawa’ have wrinkled, coarsely textured bark which resembles pine.

Best Japanese Maples for Year-Round Beauty

The colors of Japanese maples are often the primary incentive for selection. However, there are plenty of other reasons to choose these versatile trees, based on the specific needs and conditions of your yard. Japanese maple growth habits are upright, dwarf, cascading or weeping, with sizes from 2-30 feet (60cm-9m) in height, so there is something for everyone. Dwarf cultivars work well in foundations and container gardens, as bonsai specimens, or as hedge plants. Taller trees can provide dappled shade in a woodland garden, or can be mixed with other trees and shrubs.

Try these Japanese maples for enduring tone, texture, and lively focal interest. Plant them in slightly acidic, well-drained soil with morning sun and afternoon shade for the best performance. If you aren’t sure about your soil’s acidity levels, test with a meter such as the Raintrip 4-in-1 Soil Meter from Amazon. Don’t forget mulching to keep the soil moist and ensure that these 4-seasons trees stay at their best all year long.

1. Bloodgood

This is the classic broadleaf Japanese maple, reaching 25 feet (7.6 m), with rich foliage that turns dramatic scarlet in the fall. Yet ‘Bloodgood’ delights through the year. It gives an upright canopy of reddish purple leaves in spring, creating ruby tones in summer (slightly darker where there is more shade), before catching fire in the fall. Once the leaves fall away, it reveals smooth, silvery branches with red tones in winter.

Unlike many Japanese maple, this one is resistant to leaf scorch. Plant ‘Bloodgood’ where you can appreciate the morning or evening sunlight dancing through the vivid foliage. It thrives in USDA hardiness zones 5-8. Buy Brighter Blooms’ Japanese Maple ‘Bloodgood’ from Amazon.

2. Orangeola

One of the best laceleaf Japanese maples for fiery red-orange fall color, Orangeola also creates a breathtaking form with its weeping silhouette. It starts out with orange and coral tones in emerging spring foliage which changes to green and purplish in summer. This is followed by a second flush of orange, creating a textured cascade of varying leaf tone. Then come the dazzling autumnal oranges and reds that give this Japanese maple its name, before leaving graceful arching branches in winter.

Orangeola’s cascading form tops out at 5 feet tall (1.5m). It is more heat resistant than many Japanese maple varieties, as well as being hardy in USDA zones 5-9. Thanks to its compact form, this is one of the most gorgeous trees for containers, patios and courtyards. Buy 'Orangeola' Japanese Maples from Fast Growing Trees.

3. Tamukeyama

There is something fern-like about ‘Tamukeyama’ with its gently weeping habit, so it could work well in fern gardens as well as a specimen plant. This deeply cut, purple-red Japanese maple grows in a cascading mound shape to 10 feet (3m) tall and wide. Its fall foliage intensifies to a deeper scarlet and is reputed for its dependable color. New leaves appear rich red in spring, maintaining a rich intensity through summer, as long as you maintain good moisture levels in the soil and allow for afternoon shade.

Red radiant foliage colors deepen through to fall, when this deciduous beauty will quietly shed its leaves and reveal gently arching branching and bark details. It’s a versatile choice for both compact gardens and larger containers. It flourishes in USDA zones 5-8, but be sure to protect from strong dry winds in order to get the most from these satisfying hues. You can buy Japanese Maple ‘Tamukeyama’ from Fast Growing Trees.

4. Coral Bark (Sango-kaku)

Upright 'Sango-kaku' is also known as Coral Bark because of its distinctive bark color tones, which shift in intensity through the year. This Japanese Maple, which reaches 15-20 feet (4.6-6m) tall and wide, is much loved for its salmon pink bark, which deepens in winter to coral red and contrasts beautifully with gold fall leaves and brightly tinted fall flowering trees you might have growing nearby.

Spring foliage also loves lovely, though, emerging light green with red edges and persisting all summer. And then in winter, that stunning bark shimmers against seasonal frosts and deep blue skies. This Japanese maple thrives in USDA zones 5-8 – but just avoid dry winds and intense heat. Buy Coral Bark Japanese Maples from Nature HIlls. There is also a dwarf variety called ‘Little sango’, which tops out at 8 feet (2.4m).

5. Viridis

Another gorgeous weeping laceleaf (dissectum) variety, this Japanese maple creates dreamy drifts of weeping color. Its delicately feathered foliage is bright green for most of spring and summer, falling into finely textured gold and crimson leaves in the fall. In some cases, the tonal shifts appear as edging on green leaves for an enchanting multi-colored effect and dramatic fall color trees. The branching of this lovely tree becomes more pronounced in winter as the leaves fall away.

‘Viridis’ grows slowly to 8 feet (2.4m) tall and wide with excellent branching structure that is especially evident in winter. As a predominantly green variety, this Japanese maple is more tolerant of sunlight than some of the red varieties, but do keep an eye out for signs of stress like leaf curl on hot days, make sure you retain soil moisture, and cultivate only in USDA zones 5-8. Buy ‘Viridis’ Japanese Maples from Amazon.

6. Green Mist

This Japanese maple has the perfect name, as the foliage really does give a misty appearance. ‘Green Mist’ is a delicate, sweeping specimen with lacy green foliage which starts pale and then gleams brightly all summer, shifting to gold and red in autumn, before dropping to reveal a dainty and delicate structure in winter.

Dappled light gives the best visual displays year round for these partially shade loving trees. These delicate lacy leaves will get stressed and scorched in intense heat, but ‘Green Mist’ is otherwise happy in USDA zones 5-9. It grows up to 12 feet tall (3.7m) and 10 feet wide (3m), and creates easy elegance even in small spaces. You can buy ‘Green Mist’ Japanese Maple trees from Maple Ridge Nursery.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Privacy in your yard or garden is something to treasure. Many homeowners live close to others, yet crave that feeling of a private and secluded space – especially in the back yard. Fast growing privacy fence trees give you a natural, beautiful way of maintaining your own quiet corner – without having to wait too long for it.

Fast growing trees for privacy are some of the most low maintenance and attractive plants you can cultivate, as well as some of the most sturdy. Planted in tandem with a few easy fence landscaping ideas, you can create a private haven in very short order. With the right growing conditions, it won’t take long to grow fast growing fence line privacy trees of the right height and density.

Fast growing trees for privacy fence areas are a simple, attractive way of achieving an enclosed outdoor space that is natural and relatively easy to maintain. Use these ideas for inspiration to find your perfect, natural privacy barrier.

Ultimate Fastest Growing Privacy Fence Trees

When choosing fast growing trees for fence privacy, the most obvious thing to consider is the rate of growth. Some trees grow faster than others, even a few feet per year. Other essential factors for fast growing fence line privacy trees are unique to your area and personal preferences.

For example, should you choose a fast growing evergreen or deciduous tree? The evergreen will give complete year-round privacy. You can even take evergreen cuttings to add to your privacy boundary. Limit your options to trees that are hardy in your growing zone, which will thrive in the light and soil conditions you have. Be sure to do a soil test using a soil meter like the Raintrip 4-in-1 Soil Meter from Amazon.

Also, consider the ultimate size of the tree, and ensure you have space for it. Here, I’ve outlined some of the fastest growing options for a range of hardiness zones and conditions. Finally, before planting your trees, you might also want to add a sprinkling of mycorrhizal fungi, like DynoMyco Granular Mycorrhizal Fungi from Amazon. Sprinkle this on tree roots to help your trees hit their stride even quicker.

1. American Arborvitae

You can hardly do better than Thuja occidentalis to meet the main criteria for a natural privacy fence. American arborvitae plants are evergreen, providing year-round privacy. This plant grows between 1-5 feet (30cm-1.5m) per year, depending on variety. So while it may start off feeling like a small privacy tree, it ultimately grows into a tall, dense hedge. Buy a 10-pack of live Thuja Occidentalis ‘Smaragd’ from Amazon.

American arborvitae grows easily in USDA zones 3-7, in most types of soil and either full sun or partial shade. Choose a variety based on the size and shape you prefer. For one of the tallest and fastest growing trees for privacy fence locations, choose ‘Green Giant’ arborvitae.

2. Eastern Red Cedar

If you want a towering privacy fence, up to 60 feet (18m), consider the native evergreen, Juniperus virginiana. Eastern red cedar is appropriate for USDA zones 2-9 and grows 1-2 feet (30-60cm) per year under the right conditions. It also has a narrower profile than many tall trees, so you can plant it closer to the house. You can buy Eastern Red Cedar Trees from Amazon as live quart pot plants.

To maximize your red cedar’s growth, give it a spot with full sun. The soil can be average, but should drain very well. Keep the soil moist as the young trees grow to help them establish strong roots.

3. Crepe Myrtle

Crepe myrtle is a good option for USDA zones 6-9. Although crepe myrtle is deciduous, but provides good coverage most of the year. It flowers in summer and fall, providing additional color and visual appeal. It grows best in full sun and soil that holds some moisture.

Crepe myrtle includes several types in the genus Lagerstroemia, so you can select one depending on your needs. Some can be small flowering trees, but there are a few capable of filling a space impressively well. Most types grow fast, but some faster than others. ‘Natchez’ is one of the fastest, adding a few feet per year. You can buy ‘Natchez White’ Crepe Myrtle from Amazon as live quart pot plants.

‘Red Rocket’ and ‘Basham’s Party Pink’ are amongst the other fast varieties available. Just bear in mind that full sunlight is important for getting the most growth out of these trees.

4. Southern Wax Myrtle

This diminutive tree (or tall shrub) is a great choice for southern gardeners, as it is hardy in USDA zones 7-10. Myrica cerifera ultimately grows to about 25 feet (7.6m) tall and 10 feet (3m) wide. It creates a dense, semi-evergreen to evergreen hedge, by growing 3-5 feet (90cm-1.5m) per year. Once established, it is drought tolerant.

Southern wax myrtle isn’t too particular about its growing conditions. It thrives in full sun or partial shade, and a range of soil types. Provide plenty of water as it gets established. After that, these are very low maintenance trees. You can buy fast-growing Wax Myrtle Trees from Fast Growing Trees – as a special bonus, the fragrance is a great deterrent for several pests.

5. Carolina Cherry Laurel

Prunus caroliniana is a native evergreen that can be considered a large shrub or small tree. It has a dense, pyramid shape, which makes it a good privacy screen. Under the right conditions, Carolina cherry laurel can grow 1-2 feet (30-60cm) per year and provide sweet-smelling spring flowers and summer berries. Be aware that all parts of this tree are very toxic to humans and pets. You can buy Caroline Cherry Laurel from Walmart as live pot plants.

Carolina cherry laurel can grow in USDA zones 4-9. It tolerates a range of sun conditions, but must have good drainage in the soil. Help it grow even faster with a fertilizer designed for ornamental trees. A good choice is TPS Nutrients Arborvitae Tree Fertilizer for Evergreens, available from Amazon.

6. Leyland Cypress

Leyland cypress is a cross between two other cypress tree types. It grows fast, up to 4 feet (1.2m) per year when young, and tops out at 70 feet (21.4m) tall. Cuprocyparis leylandii is best suited to USDA zones 6-10. Because this is a big tree, make sure you have space for its rapid growth.

Leyland cypress is popular because it grows fast, is very attractive, and isn’t too picky about conditions. On the other hand, it can be susceptible to some serious diseases and pests. Be aware of these potential issues before using it for a privacy screen. You can buy packs of 10 live plants of Leyland Cypress from Amazon.

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As a committed gardener, I baby my plants and try to learn as much as I can about them. But one group of plants, evergreen trees, was an area I had little knowledge about. My range is the Pacific Northwest, home to some of the most giant conifers and evergreens in the world.

In fact, many are world record setters and they are just a brief drive from my front door. I visited eight of the biggest Pacific Northwest conifers and they didn't just teach me about themselves, they taught me about life.

Redwood trees are colossal. It is hard to truly understand how large they are until you are standing under one. Some of these giant creatures have been around for over 1,000 years. But they aren't the only big trees in the Pacific Northwest. Follow along with me as I recount my journey to meet the largest trees in the PNW and what they taught me.

The Giant Trees of the Pacific Northwest

The Pacific Northwest is composed of coast, forest, and plains. The coastal forests are the home of some impressively sized trees that are an important source of food and habitat for its wildlife. These range along California, Washington, and Oregon. As a child I visited the great redwood forest in California. The sight of those monstrous trees left an indelible impression on my young mind. Along the nature trails there were educational plaques that told of the harmful logging of these trees and the impact on the environment. I was awed that some of those trees were up to 3,000 years old. Their impressive size was due to the climate and their longevity. By logging the forest extensively, the delicate ecosystem was permanently damaged and many animals and plants faced loss of habitat.

In this region, the temperatures are mild, and there is plenty of snow runoff from the Cascades and other mountains. The temperate climate means the growing season is long. Along the coast, the trees are not exposed to harsh weather events like tornados and hurricanes that could damage or kill the trees before maturity. The soils are rich from ancient lava flows and a deep carpet of forest humus. All of this combines to create a perfect environment for long lived trees to reach their potential heights.

The trees I have seen are the largest western red cedar, Sitka spruce, western and mountain hemlocks, grand fir, Engelmann spruce, Douglas fir, and yellow cedar. Many of these required a pleasant hike to visit their forest home, but that is part of the fun. As you stand and gaze upwards to try to see their tops, you can’t help but be reminded of the awesomeness of Mother Nature and our connection to the land. The fact that these trees have lived hundreds if not thousands of years lets you know how important they are. My life is but a blip in their long lives and my insignificance in the greater scheme of things couldn’t be clearer as I stare at these beautiful giants.

What I Learned From These Giants

I had a house in Seattle that had numerous mountain ash trees. It was a large property and there were eight of these trees in various stages of health. I had to have two taken down by an arborist but he helped me save the others. The hole in my landscape left by the removed trees mimics, in a way, the hole left in an entire ecosystem when a tree is felled in a forest. Everything in nature is connected. Without one component other factions of the whole have to adapt and adjust. But what if the tree was a pivotal feature of the area that sustained most life? Its removal would be catastrophic to the other life forms in the forest.

As keystone plants, trees give sustenance, shelter, and nesting sites. They control the temperature and moisture that exists below them. Changing one piece of this well engineered natural machinery can have detrimental effects on the entire system of life. It gives me a new understanding of the importance of trees.

What You Can Learn From the Trees

When you go see these record holding trees they are in their natural state. You have the opportunity to observe the many birds, squirrels, chipmunks, and other animals that make the trees their home. Any nooks or holes are harboring racoons or other nighttime foragers. Their shade sustains countless fungi and organisms like lichen thrive on their bark. Trees clean the air and filter water. Their roots stabilize the soil and prevent erosion. Even in death trees support life. Their snags are homes to many birds and animals. Their decomposition enriches the soil and feeds beneficial organisms and fungi. They reduce the greenhouse effect, absorb excess carbon from the air, cool the forest, and much much more.

In our polluted world, trees are more important than ever. The acres upon acres of land that have been clear cut for modern building and other reasons have had a critical impact on the way nature is supposed to work. An unhealthy ecosystem in one area tends to bleed out into other ecosystems. Planting trees in our yards is one way to help combat environmental instability. By planting just one tree, it can provide enough clean air for two to four people for a year. And it does all this while looking beautiful, providing resources for other organisms, and regulating your yard’s temperature.

I’d suggest a visit to these huge trees. It is daunting to be in the presence of such giants both in stature and in importance. When you gaze up to try to see their tops, just remember, trees are one of our most important resources. Take care of them.

Big Trees for Your Ecosystem

• 'Black Hills' ponderosa pine is suitable for USDA Zones 3-7 and it will reach 80 feet (24.4 m) at maturity. This tall beauty is resilient and known for its pest and disease resistance. Ponderosa pines can live 300-600 years! Find the 'Black Hills' ponderosa pine at Fast Growing Trees.
• Loblolly pine trees reach up to 100 feet (30.5 m) at maturity and are suited for USDA Zones 6-9. Loblolly pines provide important habitat for animals native to the Southeastern U.S. and they can tolerate heat, flooding, and poor soil. Find your loblolly pine at Fast Growing Trees.
• Eastern hemlock trees are great trees that tolerate shady locations and top out at 70 feet (21.3 m). They grow well in USDA Zones 3-7 and have lacy needles that provide privacy and sound-dampening in your landscape. Hemlocks are being killed by the hemlock wooly adelgid insects so it is more important the ever to keep planting and preserving them. Find Eastern hemlocks at Fast Growing Trees.

When my sister and I were in grade school, we used to watch the Miss America pageant on television. In our childish ignorance, we would label some of these gorgeous ladies “pretty,” some “okay,” and some “not pretty at all.”

This comes to mind when ranking the best varieties of Japanese maple (Acer palmatum), since all of them are so beautiful. In fact, I’ve never met one of these small, ornamental maples that didn’t enchant me with their delicate leaves and fiery autumn display.

In my opinion, growing Japanese maples in your landscape is always a good idea. But if you want to create a truly spectacular autumn landscape, here are my top recommendations for the best Japanese maples. These picks all feature breathtaking fall foliage and there's a tree for almost every different growing situation.

Best Japanese Maples for Fall Color

There are so many beautiful varieties and cultivars of Japanese maples available. No matter whether your space is large or small, sunny or shady, hot or cold, you can find a tree with colorful fall foliage and year-long interest. Here are some of my favorites for different landscaping needs.

1. Best for Cold Zones: ‘Beni Kawa’

• Botanical name: Acer palmatum ‘Beni Kawa’
• Height and spread: 15 feet (5 m) tall and wide
• Zones: USDA 5-9
• Sun exposure: Full sun, or part shade in hot locations

Generally, Japanese maples are said to thrive in USDA growing zones 5-9, which may seem to leave those who live in USDA zone 4 out of luck. But that’s not necessarily true. Anyone seeking a Japanese maple for a colder climate should try the cultivar ‘Beni Kawa’.

This is a lovely, upright tree with a vas-like shape and bright red bark that makes it one of the best trees for four-season interest. The leaves start out dark green, then change in fall to gold and red. It is very cold tolerant and can thrive all the way down to zone 4

Buy a Beni Kawa Japanese maple tree on Amazon.

2. Best for Hot Zones: ‘Seiryu’

• Botanical name: Acer palmatum ‘Seiryu’
• Height and spread: 15 feet (5 m) tall, 12 feet (4 m) wide
• Zones: USDA 5-9
• Sun exposure: Full sun

If you are looking for a Japanese maple cultivar that supports the heat better than its fellows, consider ‘Seiryu.’ Most dissected, or lace-leaf, Japanese maples are weeping varieties so this may be the sole upright cultivar with those sought-after lacy leaves. They are red-tipped in spring, green in summer, and bronze-gold in fall.

Get your Seiryu Japanese maple from Home Depot today.

3. Best for Small Gardens: ‘Filigree’

• Botanical name: Acer palmatum var. dissectum ‘Filigree’
• Height and spread: 3-6 feet (1-2 m) tall and wide
• Zones: USDA 5-8
• Sun exposure: Full sun to part shade

Here’s another lace-leaf variety, with showy, dissected leaves. But this one is a mounding rather than upright variety, with branches that cascade down, sometimes to the ground. It's a great small tree for the front yard since it won’t get much taller than you are, so it won't dominate the landscape. The green leaves turn gold in fall or the 'Red Filigree' cultivars turn a deep, almost purple red.

You can find Red Filigree Japanese maples for sale on Amazon.

4. Best for Large Landscapes: ‘Osakazuki’

• Botanical name: Acer palmatum 'Osakazuki'
• Height and spread: 25 feet (8m) tall and wide
• Zones: USDA 5-8
• Sun exposure: Dappled or filtered sun

‘Osakazuki’, which stands about 25 feet (8 m) at maturity, is about as tall as a Japanese maple gets. Its graceful branching stems make it an appealing tree in all seasons, even before we consider the foliage show.

Choosing the right cultivar, like this stunning option, is the best way to get good fall color on Japanese maples. The deeply lobed leaves appear orange-tinted in spring, mature into bright green, then blaze a vibrant scarlet in fall.

Get gorgeous fall foliage with an Osakazuki Japanese maple from Amazon.

5. Best for Containers: ‘Velvet Viking’

• Botanical name: Acer palmatum var. dissectum 'Monfrick'
• Height and spread: 3 feet (1 m) tall, 6 feet (2 m) wide
• Zones: USDA 4-9
• Sun exposure: Filtered to full sun

There are many Japanese maples you can grow in containers, but ‘Velvet Viking’ is a personal favorite. It is a dwarf cultivar with a mounded and weeping form. The branches spread gracefully, and are covered with delicate, red leaves from spring to fall, with the red tones turning more vibrant in fall. Despite its lacy leaves and fragile beauty, this cultivar is tough and very cold tolerant.

Find Velvet Viking from Monrovia at a local retailer near you.

6. Best for Sun: 'Bloodgood'

• Botanical name: Acer palmatum atropurpureum 'Bloodgood'
• Height and spread: 20 feet (7 m) tall and wide
• Zones: USDA 5-8
• Sun exposure: Full sun to partial shade

The “atropurpureum” in the botanical name labels this maple as a plant with red-to-maroon leaves—and the name 'Bloodgood' is another clue. So yes, Bloodgood has crimson leaves that shine in fall.

This eternally popular Japanese maple cultivar offers reddish-purple leaves in summer if grown in shade, greener summer leaves in a sunny location. But all Bloodgood trees have red foliage in fall.

Buy Bloodgood Japanese maple trees from Home Depot online.

7. Best for Shade: ‘Orange Dream’

• Botanical name: Acer palmatum ‘Orange Dream’
• Height and spread: 10 feet (3 m) tall, 6 feet (2 m) wide
• Zones: USDA 5-8
• Sun exposure: Full to dappled sun

This stunning Japanese maple is a shrub-size tree that keeps changing leaf-color all during the growing season. The foliage grows in yellow with pink edging, then turns to shades of orange before blazing canary yellow for fall. ‘Orange Dream’ has an upright form and works well in a border or as a container tree on a patio.

Order your Orange Dream Japanese maple from Amazon today.

8. Best for Winter Interest: 'Sango Kaku'

• Botanical name: Acer palmatum 'Sango Kaku'
• Height and spread: 25 feet (8 m) tall, 15 feet (5 m) wide
• Zones: USDA 5-8
• Sun exposure: Full sun to part shade

Bright bark and lovely branch form are the best attributes of a Japanese maple in winter, and 'Sango Kaku' offers both. This tall, graceful cultivar has yellow-green foliage that turns gold in autumn, but it’s the red bark that makes it amazing even after the leaves fall. It's a beautiful tree for winter interest in the garden.

Shop high-quality Sago Kaku maples from Wayside Gardens.

I’m a great tree fan and believe that trees are first-tier elements in any landscape. They make the backyard inviting and beautiful, while also improving air quality, providing food and shelter for wildlife, preventing soil erosion and impeding stormwater runoff.

But when it comes to landscaping around trees, you need to tread carefully. While there are never hard and fast rules in landscaping, planting a garden beneath trees is not an “anything goes” project. Here are 7 recommendations to consider if you want both your trees and the landscaping around them to thrive.

1. Don't Damage Roots

A healthy root system is essential for a tree. A tree’s root system not only stabilizes the tree in the soil, but it is also the plant’s system for uptaking water and nutrients it needs to survive and thrive. Some trees, like oaks, have a big, deep tap root that is difficult to injure, but others, like maples, have a spreading root system closer to the surface. If you dig deeply or carelessly in the soil around the tree, you may injure critical roots.

Do dig delicately in the critical root zone

The critical root zone is the area of soil that would be shaded by the tree’s canopy if the sun were directly above it. The roots in this zone are too important to the tree’s survival to mess with. If you wish to plant in this area, work gently. If you come upon a root, move your digging tool to one side or the other of the root.

2. Don’t Use Weed Barriers

The purpose of weed barriers is to prevent weeds from growing. But there is nothing in landscape fabric that limits the effects to weeds. After all, a weed is neither more nor less than a plant growing somewhere you don’t want it to be. If you put weed barriers over a tree’s root area, it can impede water from getting to the tree’s roots.

Do make the critical root area as natural as possible.

In the wild, you might find weeds in the area under the tree’s canopy; you’ll probably find sticks and certainly find a light layer of leaves. Leave it as natural as possible. Yes, it’s possible to install a few shallow-rooted flowers, but why not add a few potted plants under your tree instead? Maybe with these amazing abstract face planters from Amazon? Hands off the roots to the maximum extent possible.

3. Don't Pile Up Soil

Sure, the idea may have a certain appeal: build a border around the bottom of a tree and make it into a raised bed for flowers. We’ve all seen it done, but you should avoid this at all costs. That soil will press moisture around the base of the trunk and, over time, cause the bark to rot. Disease and insect pests can enter through that rotten section.

Do maintain the existing soil level under the tree.

The tree has grown with this level of soil for years. Its roots are accustomed to the level of air and water provided.

4. Don’t Build Too Close

If you intend to install some hardscaping in your garden, work around mature trees. Don’t cut them down or crowd them. Keep in mind the decades it took that tree to grow. Build the deck or patio around the existing trees. Keep all hardscaping at least 3-6 feet (1-2m) from the tree’s trunk to allow for growth.

Do add a seating area beneath a tree’s canopy.

If there's sufficient room beneath the canopy of a tree for a bench, it’s a great idea to add one. Maybe this double Adirondack chair from Amazon?A hammock could work as well. It will turn into your favorite spot for relaxing after work and give you a daily dose of communing with the tree.

5. Don't Mow Over Roots

It’s too easy to injure the roots or the trunk of a tree if you run the mower under the canopy. Slicing a root can allow disease or insects to enter the tree.

Do pull out weeds by hand.

If there are weeds under the tree that you want to remove, pull them out by hand. The alternatives are to snip them out with a pruner or to just leave them in place.

6. Don't Mulch Up to the Trunk

Most trees do not need any mulch over the critical root zone. Certainly, you want to avoid using too much mulch as a “volcano” that prevents air and water from getting to the root area.

Do put a ring of mulch around the tree if it is planted in turfgrass.

If turfgrass grows under the canopy area of the tree, it is just as bad as mulch in terms of keeping water and nutrients from the roots. In addition, when grass grows right up to the trunk, you’ll need to mow or trim there and might injure the tree. It helps to remove a donut of turfgrass from the area nearest the trunk and install mulch. But leave a gap of bare soil between the mulch and the tree so that oxygen and water can get to the roots.

7. Don't Go It Alone

If you're putting in a swimming pool, patio, fountain, or any other type of large hardscaping, expertise is required. Don’t try to save money by being your own landscape designer. This could cost you the life of one or more trees.

Do call in an expert.

It’s well worth the money to work with an arborist to determine the best way to safeguard existing trees during a hardscape project. The arborist can inspect your landscape and your plans and make sure your trees are protected.

Mature trees can give your landscape a classic and elegant look. Don’t undercut their beauty by making mistakes that endanger the tree’s health. It’s much more efficient to organize a landscape project around existing trees than it is to plant new saplings and wait for them to grow.