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.
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 be 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.
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 can be 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.
Bottlebrush (Callistemon citrinus)
These evergreen trees produce beautiful red tropical bottlebrush-like blooms that create a striking contrast with its green foliage. The bright red flowers are fragrant that carry a lovely lemon scent and can grow two to four inches long.
We like to use the Bottlebrush tree as a colorful shade option for gardens or as an attractive privacy screen that can block out unwanted views. Bottlebrush trees are an excellent way to add color into a variety of landscapes. They love the heat, can handle the cold, and are drought tolerant once they are established in the soil.
The Bottlebrush is one of the most visible plants because of its impressive, bright red bushy flowers. the Bottlebrush is drought-tolerant and loves the Texas climate. Its resilience to pests, disease, and heat makes it a nice durable option to include in your yard on top of its alluring magnificence.
Oleander (Nerium oleander)
These extremely drought-tolerant beauties can be used in so many ways, such as an evergreen hedge, a border feature or a small tree. The varieties of Oleander offer colorful, lightly-scented flowers and come in white, red, or pink hues. The leathery, dark green, semi-glossy leaves on the Oleander are narrow and add to the year-round curiosity these trees provide.
They bloom the most in the spring and fall but can go longer if the climate stays at mild temperatures. Depending on the weather, these small-sized trees can bloom most of the year! The versatile trees can grow well in desert type climates and can handle tough drought seasons.
Hummingbirds are attracted to the colorful flowers and can often be found around an Oleander often.
AzaleasSome call this plant the “Royalty of the Garden” and that is spot on for the Azaleas. They are adored by people because of the bright flowers they bloom. The green foliage grows around the flowers to create a perfect contrast of the color combinations.
Azaleas range in many bright colors ranging from a dark red, bright purple, classic white, and rich pink flowers. Sun requirement can vary depending on the type of Azaleas species you choose to add to your yard but most of them prefer to be in a nice shady area.
No matter where you want to put them, such as an entry way to your home or scattered around the yard for a splash of color, these plants will get attention. It doesn’t hurt that they bloom almost all year!
Fall is just around the corner and now is the ideal time to start planning and get to planting. If you have any questions regarding any of these flowering 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. Nobody does it better than Moon Valley!
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