Spring is finally here! With everything going on regarding the ‘stay at home’ restrictions, you may find that you have more time to stop and smell the ‘roses’. Well, not roses in particular, but there are plenty of plant species in bloom right now. Are you seeing beautiful bright flowers and shrubs but have no idea what they are? Let’s take a look at just some of the most popular trees and shrubs you may be seeing in and around Lancaster PA in early Spring.
Saucer Magnolia (Magnolia X soulangeana) -Budding saucer-shaped white and pink blooms on branches.
Merrill Magnolia (Magnolia x loebneri ‘Merrill’) -Vigorous-growing deciduous large shrub or small tree with dense branching habit. Large star-like flowers have a beautiful light fragrance. Very useful in shrub borders.
Star Magnolia (Magnolia stellata) – Sometimes called the star magnolia, is a slow-growing shrub or small tree native to Japan.
Magnolia ‘Butterflies’ This official spring greeter is a small deciduous tree. It’s rare but you might see its beautiful yellow flowers.
Serviceberry (Amelanchier) – Native to Eastern North America. Beautiful small white flower, one of the first to bloom. George Washington enjoyed this tree and planted them at his Mt. Vernon home. Edible fruit in late summer.
Redbud (Cercis canadensis) – The Eastern redbud is native to Eastern North America. There are a few good cultivars as well. One newer cultivar that has performed well is the ‘Appalachian Red’. If you see one with purple leaves is it most likely a ‘Forest Pansy’.
American Dogwood (Cornus florida) – Native to Eastern North America. Typical flowers are white, flowers before the leaves come out. There are a few nice cultivars with pink and red flowers.
Forsythia (Forsythia) A genus of flowering plants in the olive family Oleaceae. There are about 11 species.
Cleveland Select flowering Pear trees (Pyrus calleryana ‘Cleveland Select’) Showy clusters of gleaming white blooms in early spring. Dark green summer foliage turns a brilliant purplish red-orange in fall.
Ornamental Cherry Trees- here are a few of the most popular
Yoshino (Prunus × yedoensis). White-pink blossoms. When in bloom Washington D.C is the place to be to see these beauties!
Weeping Japanese Cherry (Prunus subhirtella ‘Pendula Plena Rosea) Easy to grow by beginning gardeners to its natural height and width. Weeping Cherry becomes a truly magnificent focal point in the landscape.
Kwanzan Cherry (Prunus serrulata ‘Kwanzan’) Is a flowering cherry cultivar. In spring they produce red buds, opening to deep-pink double flowers.
There are of course more to list than what we had room for here. All of the Ornamental Fruit Trees are in bloom right now, along with actual Fruit producing trees you would typically see if you drive by an orchard. Such as Pear, Peach, Apple, Cherry and Plum Trees. Enjoy the Spring weather, and the Spring blooms!