Trees are very special plants. Many of them produce spectacular flowers, others give a very pleasant shade, others have a bearing and elegance worthy of admiration,… and there are others that combine all these qualities. Being under your glass is always a very pleasant experience, so it is very interesting to plant some in the garden. But wich ones?
The truth is that it is very difficult for me to choose beautiful trees because there are so many that are … So what I am going to do is recommend those that are also suitable for beginners and have roots that are not invasive at all.
What are the best trees for the garden?
There are trees for all tastes and for the vast majority of climates, so it is difficult to select just a few species. But based on my experience, I consider these to be the most suitable. Discover them by looking at the photos of beautiful trees that I show you:
Choral Tree (Erythrina caffra)
Image – Wikimedia Commons / JMK
El coral tree, whose scientific name is Erythrina caffrais a deciduous tree that reaches a maximum height of 12 meters. Throughout the spring it produces flowers grouped in inflorescences of a very striking orange-red color.
It resists cold and frost down to -7ºC. And it is one of the best trees for a large garden, although it can also be in the medium-sized ones.
Jupiter tree (Lagerstroemia indica)
Image – Wikimedia / Captain-tucker
jupiter tree it is a deciduous garden tree that can reach a height of 8 meters as much. It is beautiful in spring when it blooms, but also in autumn when its leaves turn orange. In addition, it is a plant that, as it grows slowly, you can control very well without needing to prune it as often as other trees sometimes need.
Withstands frosts down to -18ºCbut it is important that it be planted in acidic soil, since it is a garden tree that would have chlorosis if it was kept in alkaline soil.
wait maple (Tartary maple)
The Tataria maple is a relatively small deciduous tree compared to others of its genus, as it does not usually exceed 4 meters in height (but yes: sometimes it reaches 10m). The leaves are opposite, green, but in autumn they turn a deep red. The flowers bloom in spring, are yellowish-green in color and often go unnoticed.
It is a plant that withstands the cold without difficultyand that even resists frost down to -20ºC.
Manchurian catalpa (catalpa bungei)
Image – Wikimedia/HorsePunchKid
La manchurian catalpa It is a deciduous tree It reaches about 10 meters in height. Its crown is wide and leafy, and can reach 5 meters in diameter, although it also becomes somewhat irregular as it ages.. The flowers are bell-shaped and deep pink. These sprout during the spring.
Resists frost up to -18ºC.
Japanese cherry (Prunus serrulata)
El japanese cherry, whose scientific name is Prunus serrulatais a deciduous tree that grows to a height of 4-5 meters. In spring it produces a large number of pink flowers that practically hide the branches; and in autumn its foliage turns a spectacular red color before falling.
It is ideal for temperate climateswith temperatures that range between -18ºC and 30ºC.
garden plum (Prunus cerasifera)
Image – Wikimedia / Drow male
El garden plum It is another beautiful tree that I am going to tell you about. It grows between 6 and 15 meters in heightand develops a crown about 4 meters wide. The leaves can be green or reddish, depending on the variety in question. The flowers are whitish and bloom in late winter/early spring.
It is not demanding at all, in fact it lives well in slightly acidic soils, as well as in neutral and alkaline ones. Withstands up to -15ºC.
Jacaranda (jacaranda mimosifolia)
El jacaranda It is a tree that can behave as deciduous or semi-evergreen depending on the climate and how protected it is from the wind. Thus, in warmer climates, it will keep almost all of its leaves; while in the coldest it will lose them all. Reaches 10 meters in height and develops a crown about 5 meters wide. Its flowers are lilac-lavender, and appear in spring.
It can live in subtropical as well as temperate climates. with mild winters. It resists up to -4ºC.
Lapacho (Tabebuia sp.)
Image – Wikimedia / mauroguanandi
Lapacho is the term used to refer to deciduous tropical trees -they lose their leaves in the dry season- of the genus Tabebuia, such as the Tabebuia rosea that you can see in the image above. They reach a maximum height of 35 metersalthough the normal thing is that they are pruned a little so that they do not exceed 10-15m. Its lovely pink or yellow flowers appear during spring, before the leaves sprout.
They are plants that, due to their origin, can only be grown in warm climatesno frost.
Magnolia (magnolia grandiflora)
Image – Flickr / vhines200
The Magnolia of the species magnolia grandiflora It is one of the most beautiful evergreen trees in the world. Although it reaches a height of 30 meters over the years, it has a pyramidal shapewhich is perfect if you want to plant in medium gardens. In spring some very pretty and fragrant white flowers sprout from its branches.
It can be grown in the soil as long as it is acidic (pH 4 to 6) and the climate is temperate. Resists frosts down to -15ºCbut he does not like temperatures over 30ºC too much.
Cow leg (Bauhinia sp)
Image – Wikimedia Commons / Daniel Chapel
La cow leg It is a deciduous tree that is also known as the orchid tree. Reaches a height of 6 to 8 metersand produces large pink, white or purple flowers in spring.
Despite being native to tropical Asia, it is a plant that it withstands cold and light frosts quite well down to -7ºC.
Which of these trees did you like the most?
