Ornamental Trees

Flowering Dogwood

Cornus florida

• ☀️ Part sun – part shade
• 💧 Moderate water
• 📏 15–30 ft. tall × 15–30 ft. wide
• 🌸 Blooms April–May
• 🗺️ Zones 5–9

Kansas City: Beautiful native understory tree best in protected sites with morning sun and good soil moisture.

• Pruning: Prune after flowering only as needed
• Feeding: Light to moderate. If needed, feed during spring growth.
• Watering: Water deeply and less often while establishing; once established, water during extended dry periods rather than on a fixed shallow schedule.

Redbud

3 kinds in My Garden

• 
  Eastern RedbudFull sun – part shade · 20–30 ft. tall
• 
  Oklahoma RedbudFull sun · 20–30 ft. tall
• 
  Chinese RedbudFull sun · 8–12 ft. tall

Japanese Maple

Acer palmatum

• ☀️ Morning sun – part shade
• 💧 Moderate water
• 📏 10–25 ft. tall × 10–25 ft. wide
• 🌸 Blooms April–May
• 🗺️ Zones 5–8

Kansas City: Excellent specimen tree for protected Kansas City gardens with filtered afternoon shade.

• Pruning: Light pruning late winter; avoid overpruning
• Feeding: Light to moderate. If needed, feed during spring growth.
• Watering: Water deeply and less often while establishing; once established, water during extended dry periods rather than on a fixed shallow schedule.

Japanese Lilac

Syringa reticulata

• ☀️ Full sun
• 💧 Moderate water
• 📏 20–30 ft. tall × 15–25 ft. wide
• 🌸 Blooms May–June
• 🗺️ Zones 3–7

Kansas City: Full sun, 20–30 ft tall; blooms May–June. Deer resistant.

• Feeding: Light to moderate. If needed, feed during spring growth.

Flowering Cherry

Prunus serrulata

• ☀️ Full sun
• 💧 Moderate water
• 📏 15–25 ft. tall × 15–25 ft. wide
• 🌸 Blooms April
• 🗺️ Zones 5–8

Kansas City: Showy spring blossoms in white to deep pink.

• Pruning: Prune right after flowering
• Feeding: Light to moderate. If needed, feed during spring growth.

Serviceberry

Amelanchier arborea

• ☀️ Full sun – part shade
• 💧 Moderate water
• 📏 15–25 ft. tall × 15–25 ft. wide
• 🌸 Blooms March–April
• 🗺️ Zones 4–9

Kansas City: Native multi-season small tree with spring flowers, edible fruit, and good fall color.

• Pruning: Prune after flowering or dormant season
• Feeding: Light to moderate. If needed, feed during spring growth.
• Watering: Water deeply and less often while establishing; once established, water during extended dry periods rather than on a fixed shallow schedule.

Magnolia

9 kinds in My Garden

• 
  Saucer MagnoliaFull sun – part shade · 20–25 ft. tall
• 
  Star MagnoliaFull sun – part shade · 15–20 ft. tall
• 
  Cucumber MagnoliaFull sun – part shade · 50–80 ft. tall
• 
  Kobus MagnoliaFull sun – part shade · 25–30 ft. tall
• 
  Loebner MagnoliaFull sun – part shade · 8–30 ft. tall

Disease-resistant Crabapples

2 kinds in My Garden

• 
  Flowering CrabappleFull sun · 15–25 ft. tall
• 
  Sargent CrabappleFull sun · 8–12 ft. tall

Japanese Snowbell

Styrax japonicus

• ☀️ Full sun – part shade
• 💧 Moderate water
• 📏 20–30 ft. tall × 20–30 ft. wide
• 🌸 Blooms May–June
• 🗺️ Zones 5–9

Kansas City: Hanging white bell flowers under the branches in late spring.

• Pruning: Prune in winter to shape
• Feeding: Light to moderate. If needed, feed during spring growth.

Buckeye

6 kinds in My Garden

• 
  Bottlebrush BuckeyePart sun – part shade · 8–12 ft. tall
• 
  Ohio BuckeyePart shade · 20–40 ft. tall
• 
  Red BuckeyePart shade · 15–25 ft. tall
• 
  Red HorsechestnutFull sun – part shade · 30–40 ft. tall
• 
  Common HorsechestnutFull sun – part shade · 50–75 ft. tall

Tricolor Beech

Fagus sylvatica

• ☀️ Full sun – part shade
• 💧 Moderate water
• 📏 50–60 ft. tall × 35–50 ft. wide
• 🌸 Blooms April–May
• 🗺️ Zones 4–7

Kansas City: Smooth gray bark and golden-bronze fall color; many purple and weeping forms.

• Pruning: Tolerates pruning as a hedge
• Feeding: Light to moderate. If needed, feed during spring growth.

Fringe Tree

2 kinds in My Garden

• 
  Chinese FringetreeFull sun – part shade · 10–30 ft. tall
• 
  White FringetreeFull sun – part shade · 12–20 ft. tall