18 Flowering Trees For Missouri

Are you looking for flowering trees in Missouri that you can plant to beautify your home garden? Well, your search ends today! The Show-Me State is home to some of the most exquisite blossoming trees in the country that feature attractive blossoms and fall foliage. Read on to discover the best flowering trees to plant in Missouri! 

Home to numerous renowned natural landforms, such as the Ozark Plateau, the Mississippi River, St. Francois Mountains, and the Missouri River, Missouri is blessed with a diverse landscape that grows an abundance of varied flowering trees. The state is divided into four distinct regions – The Osage Plains, Dissected Till Plains, The Ozark Plateau, and The Mississippi Alluvial Plain. It features rolling hills, well-watered prairie countryside, fertile plains, tall mountains, and more such landforms. 

The Show-Me State has a central location that ensures its humid continental climate, marked by four distinct seasons. Missouri experiences hot and humid summers with a fair amount of rainfall and harsh, dry, and cold winters with spectacular snowfall. However, the state looks its best during the spring season with its myriad of contrasting blossoming trees. Similarly, fall brings with it the distinctive colors of fall foliage that are a sight to behold. 

The best part about living in Missouri as a gardening enthusiast is that the state has its fair share of gorgeous native flowering trees, including Red Buckeyes, Cockspur Thorn, Washington Hawthorn, and Ozark Witch Hazel. Apart from these native trees, you can also grow the ever-popular Magnolias, Dogwoods, Bradford Pears, and so many other flowering trees in your Missouri home. 

So, without any ado, here are some of the best flowering trees to plant in Missouri that will enhance the curbside appeal of your home:

1. Downy Serviceberry

• Amelanchier arborea
• Flowering in: Spring
• Height: 10-25 ft

Downy Serviceberry Trees are small-sized ornamental trees with profuse drooping clusters of white, slightly aromatic, 5-petaled blossoms that give way to black or purple-hued, minute, rounded berries. These flowering specimens are northeastern US natives. They feature small, dark green, ovate foliage that turns orange, yellow, and red in autumn. Serviceberry Trees tend to thrive in sun-kissed areas and moist, well-drained, acidic soils. 

2. Flowering Dogwood

• Cornus florida
• Flowering in: Spring
• Height: 25 ft

Flowering Dogwoods are highly popular, medium-sized flowering trees in the US. These low-branching trees are eastern North American and northern Mexican natives. They produce compact, minute, white blossoms that shoot from pink bracts. These low-branching trees have oval green deciduous foliage that turns reddish-purple in autumn and makes a pyramidal and then rounded flat-topped crown. Dogwoods grow well in speckled areas and organic, well-drained soils. 

3. Red Buckeye 

• Aesculus pavia
• Flowering in: Spring
• Height: 10-20 ft

Red Buckeyes are small-sized flowering trees that form clumps and have an irregular, rounded crown. These southeastern Missouri natives produce orange-red to red narrow-tubular blossoms that grow in erect clusters. The blooms give way to globular, smooth seed capsules. Buckeyes have shiny, dark green, deciduous, compound leaves. They thrive in sunlit or speckled areas and well-drained, medium moist, fertile soils. 

4. Wild Plum

• Prunus americana
• Flowering in: Spring
• Height: 15-25 ft

Wild Plums, also known as American Plums, are short-trunked flowering trees that form thickets. These US natives feature multiple arching branches adorned with attractive electric red and pale yellow-colored fall foliage. American Plum Trees produce massive, white, fragrant blossoms that grown in flat-topped clusters along its curving branches. They grow well in sun-kissed spots and well-drained soils. 

5. Eastern Redbud

• Cercis canadensis
• Flowering in: Spring
• Height: 30 ft

Eastern Redbuds are widely popular flowering trees native to the US and Mexico. These medium-sized ornamental specimens have horizontally growing branches that feature dark green, deciduous, heart-shaped leaves that turn canary yellow in autumn. They yield long-lasting pinkish-rose blossoms that bloom from dazzling clusters of tiny magenta shoots and cover their rounded crown. These multi-trunked, low-maintenance, adaptable trees can thrive in various growing conditions. 

6. Blackhaw Viburnum 

• Viburnum prunifolium
• Flowering in: Early Fall 
• Height: 12-15 ft

Blackhaw Viburnum Trees are native to the US. They are upright, multi-stemmed flowering shrubs that grow flat-topped clusters of white flowers. These trees bear berry-like, edible, blue-black-hued fruits. They also feature glossy, ovate, dark green, finely toothed leaves that develop red and purple hues in autumn. These drought-tolerant trees grow well in sunlit and speckled locations and well-drained soils. 

7. Catalpa

• Catalpa speciosa
• Flowering in: Spring and Early Summer
• Height: 25-40 ft

Also known as Northern Catalpa, this award-winning flowering tree is native to the US. Catalpa Trees have twisting, narrow trunks, arching branches, and a slightly oval crown adorned with heart-shaped, giant, deciduous, glossy green leaves. These trees grow beautiful clusters of slightly aromatic, white-hued, trumpet-shaped blossoms with distinctive purple speckles and yellow stripes. They thrive in speckled locations and well-drained, organically rich, acidic, moist loams and clay soils. 

8. Fringe Tree

• Chionanthus virginicus
• Flowering in: to Late Spring and Early Summer
• Height: 20 ft

Also known as Chinese Fringe Trees, these flowering trees are native to the eastern US. Fringe Trees are medium-sized ornamental specimens that produce creamy-white, scented, fringe-shaped blossoms growing in flopping clusters. These trees have deciduous, dark green, waxy, arrow-elliptic or oblong leaves that cover their rounded, spreading crown and turn yellow in autumn. They also bear bluish-black-hued olive-like fruits. Fringe Trees grow well in sunlit and speckled locations and fertile, well-drained, moist soils. 

9. Yellowwood

• Cladrastis kentukea
• Flowering in: Spring
• Height: 30-50 ft

Yellowwood Trees are American native flowering specimens with a wide, rounded crown. These trees have upward-facing branches that feature pinnate, yellow-green, deciduous leaves. They have vivid yellow fall foliage. Yellowwood Trees produce intensely fragrant white blossoms that grown in massive, pendulous clusters or tumbling canopies. These trees thrive in sun-kissed spots and well-drained, fertile soils. 

10. Cockspur Thorn

• Crataegus crus-galli
• Flowering in: Spring to Early Summer
• Height: 20 ft

Cockspur Thorn Tree is an Eastern North American native flowering tree with a dense, broad-rounded crown and low-hanging branches. It can also be grown as a flat-topped, tall shrub. In Missouri, this shrub occurs in thickets and rocky pastures. It features oblong-obovate, dark green, wedge-shaped leaves that turn purple-red, orange, and scarlet in autumn. Cockspur Thorn produces white blossoms followed by rounded, deep red fruits. This tree grows well in sunlit areas and well-drained, medium moist soils. 

11. Washington Hawthorn

• Crataegus phaenopyrum
• Flowering in: Spring
• Height: 25-30 ft

Washington Hawthorn is native to the Southeastern United States and is popularly found growing in Missouri’s open grounds, wood margins, and thickets. This medium-sized, low-branching tree produces 5-petaled, white-hued, fragrant blossoms that grow in clusters. It features a rounded crown adorned with deciduous, serrate, shallow-lobed, glossy dark green leaves that turn red and orange in fall. Washington Hawthorn thrives in sun-kissed areas and moist, well-drained soils 

12. Tulip Tree

• Liriodendron
• Flowering in: Late Spring and Early Summer
• Height: 70-90 ft  

Tulip Trees are tall-sized ornamental specimens that have a pyramidal to rounded-ovate crown. They are native to eastern North America, where they grow in sunlit locations and acidic, organically rich, moist, well-drained soils. This stately tree features bright green, 4-lobed, glossy leaves that are accompanied by yellowish-green, tulip-shaped blossoms with distinctive orange bases. The blooms give way to cone-shaped fruits. 

13. Ozark Witch Hazel

• Hamamelis vernalis
• Flowering in: Mid-Winter to Spring
• Height: 10 ft

Ozark Witch Hazel is a Southern and Central United States native flowering tree. In Missouri, it typically grows in gravelly stream beds and rocky wooded hillsides in large colonies. This small-sized tree produces red and copper-orange flowers with narrow, crinkly, ribbon-shaped four petals. It also features ovate-rounded dark green leaves that turn pale yellow to golden yellow and dark reddish-purple in fall. Ozark Witch Hazel thrives in sunny areas and well-drained, acidic, consistently moist, organically rich soils. 

14. Saucer Magnolia

• Magnolia x soulangiana
• Flowering in: Early Spring
• Height: 30 ft

Saucer Magnolia Trees are hybrid flowering specimens that produce dark-purple buds that turn into pink, goblet-shaped, large scented blossoms. The Saucer Magnolia was originally bred in France. It features dark green, smooth leathery leaves that develop a golden-bronze hue in autumn. This versatile tree can grow well in full sun and a variety of well-drained, evenly moist soils. 

15. Fragrant Mimosa

• Mimosa borealis
• Flowering in: Spring to Summer
• Height: 20-40 ft

Also known as Catclaw Mimosa, Fragrant Mimosa is a medium-sized, slender, intricately-branched, rounded, deciduous shrub. It features delicately bipinnate leaves that grow on slightly zigzagging, rigid branches. It produces showy, aromatic, pink, globe-like blossoms that grow in dense, ball-shaped clusters. This drought-tolerant accent plant thrives in full sun and acidic or slightly alkaline soils. 

16. Bradford Pear

• Pyrus calleryana
• Flowering in: Spring
• Height: 30-50 ft 

Also known as Cleveland Pear Tree and Callery Pear, Bradford Pear is a drought-tolerant, medium-sized ornamental specimen. This Vietnamese and Chinese native is exceptionally fast-growing and features alternate, ovate, dark green leaves that grow on upright branches. It has an arresting, narrow, upright crown adorned with spectacular pure white blossoms that grow in clusters. Callery Pear grows well in sun-kissed areas and somewhat alkaline, organically rich, medium moist, well-drained soils. 

17. Flowering Crabapple

• Malus sutyzam sugar tyme
• Flowering in: Mid Spring to Late Spring
• Height: 20-40 ft

Flowering Crabapple is a medium-sized ornamental tree that produces pale pink, fragrant blossoms. This deciduous tree is native to Europe, Asia, and North America. It features dark green, indented, ovate, slender leaves that adorn its oval, upright crown. Flowering Crabapple Trees are drought-tolerant specimens that thrive in sunlit areas and well-drained, acidic, medium moist soils. 

18. Flowering Cherry

• Prunus serrulata
• Flowering in: Spring
• Height: 20-30 ft  

Also known as Cherry Blossom or Sakura, Flowering Cherry is a Japanese, Korean, and Chinese native ornamental tree. It grows stunning abundant clusters of powdery white or baby pink, non-fragrant blossoms that grow in double, semi-double, and singe forms. Flowering cherry is a medium-sized tree with an umbrella-shaped crown and upright branches. It grows well in sun-kissed spots and well-drained, fertile, moist soils.