The Most Beautiful Flowering Trees

Spring is just around the corner! Although you can already enjoy the winter cherry (Prunus autumnalis) in winter, the true splendor of the blossoms doesn't begin until early spring.

It won't be long before we can enjoy the most beautiful blossoms again!

Ornamental cherry trees are second to none in this regard! Ornamental pear and apple trees are also a sight to behold. But even real fruit trees often have very beautiful blossoms. All those beautiful blossoms are sure to bring plenty of joy to the garden in February, March, and April!

These are our 11 favorite flowering trees

Ornamental cherry blossoms

Perhaps the best-known flowering trees are ornamental cherry trees. In countries like Japan, entire festivals are dedicated to them. Few flowering trees bloom as profusely and abundantly as the ornamental cherry. Ornamental cherry trees therefore rank number 1 on our list of the most beautiful flowering trees. Ornamental cherry trees bloom in white, white-pink, and pink. They usually do not produce fruit.

Prunus ‘Accolade’

The Accolade is an ornamental cherry tree that blooms around early April, producing clusters of double, light pink flowers. The flower buds are a darker shade of pink, creating a beautiful contrast. The tree’s shape is often described as funnel- or vase-shaped.

Prunus cerasifera ‘Nigra’ (cherry plum)

The cerasifera usually begins to bloom as early as March. This variety blooms profusely with a few light pink flowers. During flowering, the tree also begins to leaf out, creating a beautiful contrast, as the leaves are dark red. The cherry plum has an oval to round crown and is usually quite densely branched.

Prunus sargentii

The sargentii blooms around April, producing light pink single flowers. At the end of the blooming period, the leaves turn bronze. This, combined with the glossy dark brown bark, creates a beautiful overall appearance. This cherry tree has a vase-shaped growth habit and is also sometimes grown as a multi-stemmed tree.

Prunus serrulata ‘Kanzan’

The Kanzan is perhaps the most beautiful, but certainly the best-known ornamental cherry. As its bronze-colored leaves begin to emerge, this ornamental cherry bursts into full bloom. Around April and May, the Kanzan blooms profusely, producing double pink flowers. Compared to many other ornamental cherry trees, these flowers are quite large (about 4 cm). Because the flowers are clustered in dense bunches, the entire crown is completely covered with spectacular blossoms.

Prunus yedoensis (Yoshino cherry)

The Yoshinokers cherry tree blooms with white flowers in April. Because the buds are light pink, the already-open flowers and the still-closed buds create a beautiful contrast. This ornamental cherry tree has a vase-shaped growth habit, but the canopy of older trees often becomes quite broad.

Crabapple Blossoms

Many ornamental apple trees also have beautiful blossoms. Fortunately, ornamental crabapples have been gaining popularity again in recent years. Not only can you enjoy beautiful white or white-pink blossoms in the spring, but in the fall they also display lovely autumn colors, and the fruit often remains on the tree well into the winter. Crabapples are a must-have in our list of the most beautiful flowering trees.

Malus ‘Evereste’

The Evereste ornamental apple tree produces larger, bright white flowers and blooms profusely in April and May. When in bud, the flowers are dark pink. It’s rightly one of our favorite flowering trees. In addition, the tree produces many orange-red apples and displays beautiful fall colors. This ornamental apple tree does not grow very large and has a fairly narrow, upright growth habit during its first few years.

Malus ‘Red Sentinel’

The Red Sentinel ornamental apple tree produces many white flowers around April–May. This ornamental apple tree also has pink buds, creating a beautiful contrast. After flowering, bright red apples form and remain on the tree for a very long time. This ornamental apple tree has an oval to round crown but grows primarily upright, especially in its early years.

Ornamental pear blossom

There is also a cultivated variety of pear with impressive blossoms. Although pears often have beautiful white blossoms on their own, few bloom as profusely as the Chanticleer ornamental pear. It may well be the most beautiful pear blossom.

Pyrus calleryana ‘Chanticleer’

The Chanticleer is an ornamental pear tree that blooms profusely, with small white flowers. The entire crown is covered with beautiful white blossoms. The bark is gray to gray-brown, and this tree has a conical shape. However, it can grow quite tall, reaching about 12 meters.

Peach, apricot, and almond blossoms

The earliest blooms come from apricots, almonds, and peaches. They often bloom when it’s still quite cold in our country, which means that (the lack of) pollination can sometimes cause problems, as can frost, of course. The blossoms are also much less vivid than those of ornamental cherries, for example. Still, they are quite a sight to behold.

Prunus armeniaca (apricot)

The apricot tree blooms early in the spring (or, actually, late in the winter). Apricot trees produce striking white flowers. Because these emerge from a reddish-pink bud, they create a very beautiful effect. The flowers are also quite large. An added bonus, of course, is the delicious apricots later in the year.

Prunus dulcis (almond)

Around February–March, the almond tree produces graceful blossoms with very beautiful white flowers. These white flowers have a pink center. Because it is often one of the first trees to bloom, it makes a striking impression. There is also a cultivar with light pink flowers: Prunus dulcis ‘Robijn’.

Prunus persica ‘Revita’ (peach)

This peach tree produces beautiful soft-pink blossoms around March. Not all peach trees have distinctive blossoms. These are small, but definitely worth seeing.

Currant Blossom

Don't forget the beautiful white blossoms of the serviceberry trees, either. Our favorite tree for small gardens: the Amelanchier. The white blossoms pair beautifully with the bronze-tinged foliage.

Amelanchier lamarckii (sour cherry tree)

The currant tree blooms around April, producing a sea of bright white flowers. As the blooming period comes to an end, new leaves begin to form. The bronze-colored leaves contrast beautifully with the white flowers. These are fairly small trees, and they have a particularly airy appearance. The black berries that form later in the year, along with the beautiful fall color, continue to make this one of the most attractive trees for small gardens.