Including Ornamental and Unusual Trees in Your Landscape

One of the truly delightful traits about Minnesota is our scenic landscape, filled with lakes and trees of all shapes and sizes. Whether you live in Minneapolis or Chanhassen, Minnesota, there are plant options that will blend in nicely with your existing landscape. Planting trees that are ornamental and unusual make lovely additions to the yards and gardens of those looking for variety. These trees produce beautiful, vibrant colors throughout spring, summer, fall and often even winter.

Small Ornamental Trees

Crabapple Trees range in height from roughly 15 to 40 feet. They blossom in the spring and provide fruit in the fall. The blossoms are typically red, pink or white. Coralburst is a common Crabapple species.

Plum Trees grow to 12-20 feet in height. Small white flowers and red plums appear February-May. The more sunlight they receive, the more they flourish.  Chicksaw is a common Plum species.

Redbud Trees grow 20-30 feet in height and prefer dry, windy climates. Pink flowers appear in the spring, before the leaves. The leaves change from purple in the spring to yellow in the fall. Eastern is a common Redbud species.

Large Ornamentals

Maple Trees are a very common ornamental tree that can grow to be very large in stature. In April, we provided an overview of four of the common maple trees, commonly chosen for aesthetics. These options provide bursts of vibrant colors throughout the year.

Buckeye Trees grow to about 50 feet in height. They produce light yellow flowers in early summer. The fruit of the tree is shiny and brown.

Other Unusual Trees

Dwarf Alberta Spruce Trees grow 10-12 feet in height in the shape of a pyramid. These trees are ideal for the Minnesota climate because of their resistance to high winds and cold temperatures.

Tree-Form Winged Burningbush is rich in color from pink to red during the fall. Its bark and branches add to its beauty with brown and gold coloring.

Hydrangeas, including Limelight and Peegee, can be shaped and grown into tree form. Much like the bushes, the flowers grow in large clusters. The color of the flowers depends on the species.

These are just a sampling of the trees available to spruce up your landscape. Never be afraid to experiment with different kinds of trees and plants, just make sure those you choose can adjust to Minnesota soil and climates.