Trees that Bloom Pink in Spring
The daylight hours are lengthening and the transition between winter and spring is right around the corner. Bulbs begin to emerge from the ground with grass-like sprouts and tiny buds appear on trees and shrubs. You’ll also notice that vibrant pink blooms emerge on the defoliated branches. The flowering trees often bring the first signs that spring is near!
But what are these magnificent pink bloomers? Are they all the same type of flowering tree? Do they all bloom at the same time? At the garden center, we begin to hear these questions every year in mid-February through March.
To help answer your questions, we’re listing the top four trees that bloom pink in spring! We tried to narrow down the wide variety of pink blooming trees you may be seeing, so know that there are many more!
First to Bloom: The Japanese Flowering Apricot
One of the very first blooms we see is the Japanese flowering apricot (Prunus mume). These trees often flower in mid-February when the outdoor temps are still quite cold.
The Japanese flowering apricot tree can grow 10 – 20’ tall in full sun to part shade conditions. This pink tree features exquisite double-rose, pink flowers with extremely long stamens. The blooms have a clean spicy fragrance. Additionally, the tree produces fruit that is small and inedible.
As you start shopping, you’ll notice there are many varieties to choose from, but the most popular cultivar of the Japanese flowering apricot is the ‘Peggy Clark.’
Second to Bloom: The Flowering Cherry Trees
The next round of pink blooms usually comes from the Flowering Cherry Trees. These trees are hard to beat for their incredible floral show in late winter and early spring. There are many different varieties of flowering cherries, each producing blooms at slightly different time periods.
Usually, the first to flower is the Okame Cherry (Prunus x ‘Okame’). The Okame is a fast-growing variety of cherry that will perform well – even in the coastal south. The Okame can grow from 20 to 25 feet tall and up to 15 feet wide in full sun conditions. These trees produce clusters of deep rose blooms.
Three other popular choices for flowering cherry trees are Yoshino (Prunus x yeodensis), Kwanzan (Prunus serrulata), and Weeping Cherry (Prunus subhirtella ‘Pendula’). The Yoshino and Kwanzan cherry tree can both attain heights and widths of 20 feet, while the Weeping cherry can reach 12 to 25 feet in height and 15 feet in width (depending on cultivar).
For several weeks in spring, these trees are flowering machines that demand attention in the garden, showcasing several different colors. White flowers with a dappled blush pink throat cover the branches on Yoshino, while pink carnation formed flowers can be found on Kwanzan and either pink or white on the Weeping cherries.
Third to Bloom: The Saucer Magnolia
The saucer magnolia (Magnolia x soulangiana) is a deciduous, Japanese relative to the Southern Magnolia. This is a fantastic choice if you’re looking for a small growing tree to add to your landscape. The saucer magnolia can achieve heights of 15 feet and widths of 8 to 10 feet.
As one of the earliest flowering trees, saucer magnolia seems to awaken the landscape in March. The trees feature large purple or pink tulip-shaped flowers.
Fourth to Bloom: The Redbuds
The Redbud is a native tree that provides the splashes of purple and pink that dot the wood lines as you drive along many roads in the Piedmont region of North Carolina. This native is drought tolerant and perfect for any woodland or naturalized settings.
As you shop for redbuds, note that they come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors. Most redbuds produce very handsome rosy-magenta blooms of small sweet-pea-shaped blooms in spring. In part sun conditions, they can reach 15 to 25 feet tall, making redbuds a great understory tree.
Which Flowering Pink Tree Will You Choose?
With these four trees, you can create a beautiful pink paradise in your yard each and every spring! We can’t wait to see what you come up with and how you add these trees to your landscape.
It’s important to remember that there are many other trees and shrubs that bloom pink in the spring beyond what’s listed here. This article focuses on those that are the showiest and most heavily planted in our area.
To discuss even more types of flowering trees, give us a call at 919-851-6821, send us a message, or visit the garden center. We’re always happy to help you locate the perfect plant for your yard!