You cannot go wrong with planting trees with white flowers around your house. White is a great color, as it mixes with any other color and can really bring some beauty to your yard. Of course, you’ll want to do your research and make sure the trees that you buy are suitable for where you live and what time of year you want them to bloom. Below are seven trees with the prettiest white flowers that you may want to consider.
1. Natchez Crape Myrtle
The crape myrtle, or Lagerstroemia ‘Natchez’, is one of the most popular trees with pretty white flowers. These trees normally bloom between July and September and have been nicknamed “the lilac of the South.” The white flowers get to be quite large in the Spring, oftentimes being as big as official NFL footballs, so passersby are sure to notice them. These can normally grow up to 21 feet, so they are a great option if you’re looking for some nature to line a walkway or some sort of paved entrance.
2. Japanese Flowering Cherry (AKA Yoshino Cherry Tree)
Have you ever been itching to go to a cherry blossom festival but just haven’t gotten the chance? Lucky for you, you can bring the trees to your own front yard. Formally known as the Prunus x yedoensis, this tree may be one of the best options for your home, whether you want it in the middle of your yard or next to your front or back porch. When in full bloom in the springtime, these trees feature white flowers that come with a pink tint and, depending on your sense of smell, may give off a hint of an almond scent. These trees can reach a height of about 50 feet and they mainly thrive in the sun, so you’ll want to plant them where they can get at least a few hours of sun per day.
3. Kousa Dogwood
Dogwoods come in all different varieties, but one of the ones with the most beautiful white flowers is the kousa dogwood, or Cornus Kousa. These are very similar to the so-called White Dogwood, or Cornus florida, but they tend to be less prone to becoming diseased. Kousa dogwood trees offer larger and more wide-spanning white flowers than other dogwood species, meaning the flowers will cover more area, providing you with more shade and more beauty. Also, the Kousa dogwood has a more distinct bark and branches than other dogwood varieties, as they are more of a unique brown-and-tan mix instead of a bland brown.
4. Magnolias
There are several amazing species of magnolias; therefore, it is hard to just choose one. The white flowers on magnolias are large and truly make a statement in any yard. If you have a yard that needs some shade, magnolias might be perfect for you. They provide a lot of coverage and are able to withstand very high temperatures, meaning they can thrive even in the hottest parts of the year. The bigleaf magnolia, or Magnolia Macrophylla, has very large leaves – in fact, they are likely the largest leaves on the continent. Southern Magnolia, or Magnolia grandiflora, is another great option and features darker green leaves and flowers that are up to a foot in diameter when they are in full bloom. However, there are other species that can be grown in a pot indoors.
5. Carolina Silverbell
If you’re looking for a tree with white flowers of a unique shape, look no farther than the Carolina Silverbell, formally known as the Halesia Carolina. These trees grow naturally in certain areas such as the Appalachian Mountains, but may also be great for your yard. These trees normally grow to be about 35 or 40 feet tall and have extremely unique flowers that can be described as “drooping.” As the name suggests, the flowers – which “group” together – are shaped like bells, but instead of being silver, they are a beautiful shade of white. These normally bloom in April and are best for outer shrubbery or more woodlands type settings.
6. Panicle Hydrangea
Panicle Hydrangea, or Hydrangea Paniculata “Limelight,” is an extremely attractive plant year-round. Although hydrangeas are normally thought of as shrubs – and not trees – the Panicle Hydrangea can be pruned to make it into a small tree. Since these are quite small compared to other trees and only grow up to around 8 feet high, they are great for even small gardens and yards. These bloom between July and September and, when in full bloom, the flowers appear as more of a creamy white instead of a bright white. The neatest thing about these is that the flowers first seem to have a hint of green when they start to bloom, which is why they are called “Limelights,” and then change into a red-pink color after they turn to white. Therefore, you get several different colored flowers in one tree throughout the year.
7. California Buckeye
If you are looking for another white-flowered tree with a unique shape, the California Buckeye (AKA Aesculus Californica) might be what you are looking for. Unlike many of the other trees on this list, this tree blooms earlier in the year, normally in February and March. When full height, these are between 15 and 30 feet. As you would expect from the name, these are native to California but are great anywhere, especially within the hardiness zones of 7 and 8. Typically, these are easily identifiable by the moss and/or lichen that surrounds the trees’ trunks. Most unique, however, is that the flowers will bloom in sort of a “spiky” shape, and they also sometimes have a sweeter smell. You’ll want to be careful with these and plant them solely for their beauty, though, because the fruit, leaves, and bark are all toxic.
Bonus – Gardenia
Gardenia plants grow as bushes, not trees, but they can get up to five feet tall. Depending on your landscaping situation a bush like this may be perfect. Gardenia bushes are evergreen shrubs with beautiful white flowers and glossy leaves. And you simply cannot beat the smell! The flowers are intoxicatingly fragrant!