Originally Published In The Deseret News -- Wednesday, April 10, 1996
Be Sure They're Resistant To Mildew. Flowering Pears, Cherries Also Dress Up Yard.
Larry Sagers Is A Horticulturist With The Utah State University Extension Service.
The excitement of spring is symbolized by the trees and shrubs that burst into color one after another as if on cue from a master conductor. Wave after wave of these beautiful plants share with us their resplendent beauty with a crescendo that at times takes my breath away. Although each is beautiful in its own right, some skillful selection of varieties combined into a good design allows for unparalleled beauty.
My biggest problem with plants is that I always want one of everything. The more striking the plant the more its appeal. Since I don't own the National Arboretum, I must of necessity be slightly more selective. Even so, there are so many that I will cover trees this week and shrubs next week.
I must confess a special fondness for crabapples. I'm certain this dates to my childhood when a neighbor's tree produced an almost inexhaustible supply of sour but flavorful fruits. In my professional career I no longer consider fruit a desirable option, but I still consider them outstanding trees. To excel in the landscape choose those that are fruitless or those with persistent fruit that remains on the tree so it doesn't make a mess on the pavement.
Crabapples are small, versatile trees. They come in an unsurpassed assortment of shapes ranging from narrow upright forms to pendulous weeping forms and everything between. Flowers are single or double, large or small and come in white, pink, red and lavender or combinations of these colors. In addition the foliage ranges from bright to glossy green to shades of red, bronze and purple. Some varieties even have showy fall color.
Lest they sound too good to be true, I am compelled to point out a few drawbacks. The fruit can be a serious problem, so choose varieties carefully. They are also susceptible to diseases, so choose problem-free varieties. The major diseases are scab, fireblight, cedar apple rust and powdery mildew. In our area mildew resistance is the most important.
I am also very partial to flowering pears. They are generally quite upright and have beautiful white blossoms in the spring and dark green glossy leaves during the summer. Most have very showy fall color ranging from yellow to orange or red. They are very hardy and resistant to fireblight. The fruit is very small and round and never causes problems.
Bradford is the original introduction, but improved varieties include Aristocrat, Autumn Blaze, Chanticleer, Respire and Trinity.
Flowering stone fruits include cherries, plums, peaches and nectarines. Stone fruits are not always reliably hardy and are susceptible to peach tree borers.
Flowering cherries come in dozens of different varieties. They range in form from narrow upright columnar shapes to broad, spreading trees, to weeping forms. The flowers can be single or double and are white, pink or magenta. They make excellent specimen trees if properly cared for. Flowering choke-cherry is excellent here or in the mountains. It is very hardy and has the advantage of red to purplish foliage in summer.
Flowering plums are attractive but have several problems. Besides those mentioned previously, they have very thick, upright growth that breaks down easily with snow or heavy winds. Although they are attractive, they are overused in many landscapes.
Redbuds have brilliant purplish flowers in the spring. They are undemanding but grow best when slightly protected from the heat of the sun. Forest Pansy is a variety with purple leaves.
Hawthornes come in many different sizes, shapes and colors. Choose improved varieties and use them sparingly as they are susceptible to insects and diseases. They require regular pruning to keep them looking good. My own favorite is the Lavalle.
Don't overlook horse chestnuts. They are available in both the common white form and the red form. Other less common spring flowering trees include serviceberry with white clustered flowers. These can be trained to a tree form quite easily. Caragana or Siberian pea shrub is an old-fashioned plant with a new weeping form. It is hardy and withstands difficult sites. Branches are covered with small yellow flowers in the spring.
Dogwood trees are uncommon in this area, although I have seen some beautiful specimens. Their large, single flowers are extremely showy. Magnolias are also less common but will grow in protected locations. Flower colors are white to pink to red to purple. Don't overlook mountain ash with its small cluster of white flowers.
As you enjoy these radiant bursts of spring, make notes of those to dress up your landscape. Choose plants carefully, and each year you'll rewarded with a larger and showier display in your garden.
© 1998 Deseret News Publishing Co.