Any yard or landscape can benefit from having some color thrown in to it somewhere. An accent plant (or many!) will get the attention of anybody who sets their eyes on it. If you choose the right plant or tree, you might even catch the attention of some pollen and nectar loving insects that will be happy to enjoy your yard with you!
Check out five great flowering trees and plants you can pick for your yard.
Magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora)
Magnolias are an iconic variety of trees and a popular choice for our customers at Moon Valley Nurseries. One of the main reasons Magnolia trees are often wanted for landscapes is due to the beautiful, large, and fragrant white flowers that bloom from them. The flowers can start to bloom as soon as early spring and continue through the summer up until early fall. The sweet-smelling flowers also attract many pollinating friends looking for pollen and nectar.
While the flowers alone are mesmerizing, many of our customers also love the striking silky leaves and the Magnolia's ability to grow into a thick canopy for summer shade relief. Magnolia trees are easy to grow and can handle the hot western summers.
The best Magnolia for shade in the southwest is the Magnolia D.D. Blanchard tree. This Magnolia variety grows into a large thick canopy to create a cooler and aromatic yard.
Crape Myrtle (Lagerstroemia)
These versatile trees are one of the best flowering trees for our region and are incredibly colorful when in bloom. The Crape Myrtle tree flowers into shades of white, red, purple, and pink that will help decorate your yard in an accent of colors.
These trees are not only drought-tolerant, but they love the heat! When the high temps arrive, get ready for your yard to start showing off the beautiful shades of color. These small to medium trees offer amazingly reliable bloom cycles so we can enjoy the show from spring through fall!
Even when the flowers are not in bloom, the multi-trunk structure with grey to light brown spotted bark are still impressive to the eye.
Tipu (Tipuana tipu)
The Tipu tree is one of the best trees you can plant if you’re looking to add shade in your yard and here’s why! These trees grow into medium to large sizes with a high canopy and do well in our intense heat. They would be perfect planted along the street, in the lawn, or on the patio.
Another great feature of this tree is that it can produce a lush layer of golden blooms in the spring through the summer. Tipu trees also offer thick foliage that feature bright bluish-green hues. You might also get the attention of your neighborhood butterflies with the abundance of nectar that this tree offers. All these features will enhance the look of any landscape.
A Tipu is a convenient tree for a variety of landscape designs! So, kick back, relax under the shade coverage, and enjoy the vibrant blooms that they bring every year.
Hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinenses)
The Hibiscus shrub is a very well-known plant, even to people who have no experience with plants or landscaping. These medium to large growing shrubs are just that impressive!
They bloom large bright tropical flowers with colors such as white, yellow, red, orange, and purple (just to name a few!). The beautiful flowers give off an even brighter look thanks to the full, dark foliage that surrounds them.
They thrive in partial sun but can build up strength to full sun quickly. Hibiscus shrubs can be planted as a hedge, a colorful accent piece, or in a pot. No matter how you plant them, with well-drained soil, your hibiscus will be good to go!
Fertilized monthly from March through September, these plants will have the best growth and a productive blooming season.
Tropical Bird of Paradise (Strelitzia reginae)
For a really unique plant to add to your yard, you will want to check out the Tropical Bird of Paradise. If the name alone doesn’t make you want to get one of these shrubs, the beautiful flowers will surely convince you!
These shrubs are fairly easy to grow and do well in the hot California summers without needing much protection, if any at all, but would prefer some shade. They also make great patio container plants and do well indoors as a houseplant.
Its leaves are large, can reach up to five inches high and wide, and resemble banana leaves. The mixture of the leaves and interesting flowers create a perfect plant to create a focal point in your landscape or a lucky room in your house!
The upcoming fall season is the ideal time to plant in Southern California. If you have any questions about any of these beautiful trees or plants, be sure to contact one of our nursery experts at any of our Moon Valley Nursery locations and ask them about our FREE professional planting services.
Submit a Comment