Are you trying to find the perfect flowering trees to grow in Ohio? Well, you’re in luck! The Buckeye State has no shortage of flowering trees growing on its fertile landscape. With the right maintenance and care, you can grow all sorts of blossoming shrubs and trees that you can grow in your Ohio garden. Read on to discover the best flowering trees to grow in Ohio!
Even though most of Ohio is covered in plains, the state is divided into five distinct geographic regions – The northern Great Lakes Plains, The Till Plains, The Appalachian Plateau, The Bluegrass Region, and Lake Erie Shoreline. Ohio enjoys a fertile lowland with mountains, hills, [plains, plateaus, and arches. It also features clay and sandy beaches, sand dunes, and tall clay buffs. Its eastern half holds the state’s rugged landforms, including high hills and plunging valleys. The state also features steep cliffs and deep valleys, as well as caves and sinkholes.
The Buckeye State enjoys a temperate climate, with warm, humid summers and cold winters. The extreme south of the state experiences a humid subtropical climate. Some parts of Ohio, such as the Northeast, enjoys four distinctive seasons – rainy springs, warm and mildly humid summers, crisp and striking autumns, and cold, snowy winters.
Given its versatile landforms, rich soils, and ideal climate, the state of Ohio is home to some truly breathtaking, dense flowering trees, including the ever-popular Magnolias, Dogwoods, and Redbuds. The state also grows some unique Cherry and Plum cultivars, the stately Tulip Trees, Flowering Peers, Oak, and many other small-sized accent trees and ornamental shrubs.
You can grow these flowering trees as standalone ornamental specimens or as part of a fence of understory trees. You can also plant them in a mixed hedge of shrubs or grow them as single-trunk yard trees. However you decide to plant these flowering trees, they will boost your home’s curbside appeal with their attractive blossoms and spectacular fall foliage. Just make sure to take care of their soil and sun requirements.
So, without any ado, let’s take a look at the most beautiful flowering trees to grow in Ohio!
Purple Flowering Trees in Ohio
1. Redbud
- Cercis canadensis
- Flowering in: Summer
- Height: 20-30 ft
Native to the UD and Mexico, Redbuds are wildly popular flowering trees. These medium-sized ornamental specimens are multi-trunked and horizontally branched. They have a rounded crown that is decorated with dark green, heart-shaped, deciduous leaves that develop a canary yellow hue in autumn. Redbuds yield long-lasting, rosy-pink blooms that grow from minute magenta shoots. These trees are pretty low-maintenance and can thrive in various sun and soil conditions.
2. Okame Cherry Tree
- Prunus ‘okame’
- Flowering in: Late Winter or Early Spring
- Height: 20-30 ft
Okame Cherry Tree is a beautiful hybrid Cherry Tree developed in England. It’s a small-sized, deciduous tree with an upright, rounded crown adorned with simple, alternate leaves that turn bright orange and bronze-red in autumn. It has a distinctive polished reddish-brown bark. This tree produces 5-petaled, mildly fragrant, rosy pink blossoms with reddish stalks and calycles. Okame grows well and lowers brilliantly in moderately fertile, well-drained, moist loams and sun-kissed areas.
3. ‘KV’ Flowering Plum Tree
- Prunus cerasifera ‘krauter vesuvius’
- Flowering in: Spring
- Height: 15-20 ft
‘KV’ Flowering Plum Tree is a small-sized, purple-leaved cultivar of the original Cherry Plum. It’s a deciduous tree featuring a shrubby, spreading, upright, rounded, dense crown decorated with abundant, 5-petaled, fragrant, pink blossoms. It also bears small, somewhat sweet, edible fruits. This tree features elliptic to ovate, serrate leaves that have a striking dark reddish-purple color. This Plum cultivar thrives in sunlit areas and well-drained, medium moist soils.
4. Thunderstruck™ Lavender Blast™ Crape Myrtle Tree
- Lagerstroemia x ‘JM3’ PPAF
- Flowering in: Spring to Early Summer
- Height: 12-15 ft
Thunderstruck™ Lavender Blast™ Crape Myrtle Tree is a unique, attractive, small-sized, multi-trunked flowering tree with an upright crown adorned with dark, almost black-colored leaves. What makes this tree stand out is its soft lavender blossoms that contrast so beautifully with its dark foliage. It’s a fast-growing, cold-hardy, drought-tolerant, and deer-resistant plant ideal for smaller gardens. It grows well in well-drained, moist soils and sun-kissed areas.
5. Dwarf Korean Lilac
- Syringa meyeri ‘palibin
- Flowering in: Spring
- Height: 5-7 f
Dwarf Korean Lilac is a compact, low-spreading cultivar of the Korean Lilac. It produces sweetly fragrant, pale pink blossoms that grow in dense, terminal clusters along its crown. This small-sized tree can also be grown as a rounded shrub. It has small, broad, elliptic to obovate, dark green leaves. Dwarf Korean Lilac Tree thrives in sunlit areas and well-drained, dry to medium moist, rich, slightly acidic or alkaline soils.
White Flowering Trees in Ohio
6. Magnolia
- Magnolia grandiflora
- Flowering in: Summer
- Height: 40 ft
Magnolias are popularly grown US native ornamental trees. These medium-sized trees have massive, creamy-white, cup-shaped, scented blossoms that decorate their dense crown. They have a sturdy stem and branches that are covered with evergreen, dark green, leathery leaves with rusty brown undersides. Magnolias grow well in sunlit or speckled areas and moderately watered, well-drained, organically rich soils.
7. Crabapple
- Malus sylvestris
- Flowering in: Spring
- Height: 40 ft
Crabapple is a versatile, medium-sized ornamental specimen that produces pointy-tipped, oval, green, deciduous leaves that develop a yellowish-orange and reddish-purple hue in autumn. It also features clusters of yellow, green, and red-hued fleshy, tart apples. This flowering tree is a North American, Asian, and European native that produces striking clusters of white and pink blossoms. Crabapple Trees grow well in sunlit or speckled areas and well-drained moist soils.
8. Flowering Dogwood
- Cornus florida
- Flowering in: Spring
- Height: 25 ft
Flowering Dogwoods are widely popular northern US and Mexican native ornamental trees. With deciduous leaves and a pyramidal to rounded, flat-topped, medium-sized habitat that is covered with compact clusters of minute white flowers, this tree is an excellent addition to any home garden. Its blooms grow from pink bracts and are accompanied by ova green foliage that develops a purple-red hue in autumn. Dogwood Trees thrive in speckled areas and well-drained, organic soils.
9. Star Magnolia
- Magnolia kobus var. Stellata
- Flowering in: Spring
- Height: 20 ft
Star Magnolia is a popular Magnolia Tree with large, star-shaped, white, fragrant blossoms that grow on its stark, naked branches. This tree has exquisite blooms with 25 to 30 distinctive, elongated, ribbon-shaped petals and prominent pale yellow centers. Star Magnolia is a Japanese native with glossy, oblong leaves. This ornamental, versatile, pest-resistant specimen thrives in sunny or speckled areas and well-drained soils.
10. Hawthorn
- Crataegus spp.
- Flowering in: Spring
- Height: 20-30 ft
Hawthorn Trees are small to medium-sized, deciduous flowering trees found naturally growing in the temperate regions of North Africa, North America, Asia, and Europe. These trees have an upright, spreading crown decorated with green lobed, finely-toothed leaves and white or pink, 5-petaled, fragrant blooms that closely resemble apple blossoms. Hawthorn Trees bear songbird-attracting, edible pomes. They are drought0resistant trees that grow well in sun-kissed areas and various soil conditions.
11. Tulip Tree
- Liriodendron
- Flowering in: Late Spring and Early Summer
- Height: 70-90 ft
The Tulip Tree is a tall, majestic flowering specimen that features a rounded and ovate or pyramidal crown adorned with 4-lobed, bright green, glossy leaves. This eastern North American native yields greenish-yellow, tulip-shaped blossoms with orange undersides. This tree also bears cone-shaped fruits. Tulip Trees tend to thrive in sunlit areas and organically rich, well-drained, moist, acidic soils.
12. Western Mountain Ash
- Sorbus sitchensis
- Flowering in: Early Spring
- Height: 10-30 ft
Also known as Sitka Mountain Ash, Western Mountain Ash is a small-sized, deciduous, multi-stemmed flowering tree with a thin, scaly bark and rounded crown. It features alternate, pinnately compound, stalkless, elliptic or oblong, round-tipped, serrate-margined, blue-green leaflets. It produces creamy-white blossoms that grow in flat-topped clusters. Western Mountain Ash bears small, orange-red, bitter, acidic, apple-like fruits. This tree grows well in sunlit areas and moist to dry, well-drained sandy loams.
13. Japanese Tree Lilac
- Syringa reticulata ivory silk
- Flowering in: Early Summer
- Height: 15-25 ft
Japanese Tree Lilac Trees are multi-trunked, small-sized flowering trees that can also be grown as single-trunk specimens. This award-winning blossoming tree features dark green foliage that contrasts brilliantly with its abundant, dense, large, pendulous clusters of scented, minute, creamy-white blossoms. Japanese Tree Lilac is a hardy, low-maintenance tree that thrives in medium moist, well-drained soils and sun-kissed locations.
14. Pagoda Dogwood
- Cornus alternifolia
- Flowering in: Spring
- Height: 30 ft
Also known as Alternate Leaved Dogwood, Pagoda Dogwoods are medium-sized flowering trees native to North America. These attractive ornamental trees bear bluish fruits that grow from pale yellow or white blossoms. They also feature horizontal branches and purple-red fall leaves. Pagoda Dogwood Trees grow well in speckled or sheltered areas and require moist soils for steady growth and flowering.
15. Flowering Pear Tree
- Pyrus calleryana
- Flowering in: Spring
- Height: 40 ft
Also known as Bradford or Callery Pear, Flowering Pear Trees are medium-sized ornamental specimens native to Vietnam and China. These fast-growing, drought-tolerant trees have ovate, dark green. Alternate leaves that grow on upright branches. They have an upright, narrow crown adorned with spectacular clusters of pure white blooms. This tree produces excellent plum, red, mellow golden yellow, and orange fall leaves. Bradford Pear thrives in well-drained, organically rich, medium moist, somewhat alkaline soils and sun-kissed locations.
16. Limelight Hydrangea Tree Ohio
- Hydrangea paniculata ‘limelight’
- Flowering in: Late Spring to Summer
- Height: 6-10 ft
Limelight Hydrangea Tree Ohio is a compact, small-sized cultivar of the Panicle Hydrangea. It produces large, upright, dense, cone-shaped panicles of mostly sterile blossoms that change color as they mature. They emerge with a creamy-white hue that turns into chartreuse-lime and then dark pink to rose hues. It features ovate to oval, serrate, dark green leaves that turn red in autumn. Limelight Hydrangea Tree Ohio grows best in sunlit or speckled locations and organically rich, well-drained, medium moist soils.
17. Plumeria Tree
- Plumeria rubra
- Flowering in: Late Spring, Summer, and Fall
- Height: 25 ft
Plumeria Trees, also known as Nosegay Trees, are small-sized, rounded, deciduous trees with a vase-shaped crown and fleshy branches. They are native to the dry, hot parts of Central America, Mexico, and Venezuela. And also grow in certain tropical parts of the world. These trees produce intensely fragrant, 5-petaled, and pink to red blossoms that grow in terminal clusters at their branch tips. They have elliptic, dark green leaves with undulated margins. Plumeria Trees thrive in rich, well-drained, dry to medium moist loams and sun-kissed areas.
Other Colors
18. Sassafras
- Sassafras albidum
- Flowering in: Spring
- Height: 30-60 ft
Sassafras Trees are medium-sized, deciduous flowering specimens that are native to Missouri. These trees have a dense, pyramidal crown that is adorned with yellowish-green flowers that grow in clusters. The blooms give way to small, pendulous clusters of blackish-blue berries. These trees feature ovate, three-lobed, variable, bright green leaves with white bottoms. They produce brilliant red, purple, and yellow fall foliage. Sassafras Trees grow well in sunlit or speckled areas and acidic, loamy, moist, and well-drained soils.
19. Weeping Cherry
- Prunus subhirtella pendula
- Flowering in: Spring
- Height: 15-25 ft
Weeping Cherry Trees are Japanese natives. They are small-sized, grafted flowering trees with pendulous branches adorned with clusters of pale pink and white non-fragrant blossoms. The flowers grow in double form and give way to pear-sized blackish fruits. These trees also feature lanceolate to ovate green leaves. They thrive in sunlit areas and fertile, moist, well-drained loams.
20. Witch Hazel
- Hamamelis x intermedia
- Flowering in: Late Winter to Early Spring
- Height: 10-20 ft
Witch Hazel Trees are originally from eastern North America. They are medium-sized flowering trees with a spreading crown that is decorated with oval to obovate, wavy-edged, deciduous, dark or medium green leaves. Witch Hazel Trees yield crinkly, bold yellow blossoms that grow in stem-hugging clusters and feature ribbon-shaped petals. These trees grow well in well-drained, fertile, medium moist, organic soils and sunlit or speckled areas.
