Podcast: Let's Argue About Plants

Episode 82: Spring Trees

Video by Danielle Sherry and Steve Aitken. Edited by Kara Demos.

Despite there still being snow on the ground here in the Northeast, we’re thinking spring. Yes, there are daffodils and tulips to look forward to, but perhaps even more impressive is the show of spring-flowering trees. It’s an incredible sight to see a woody plant that was nothing but bare, brown branches a few weeks earlier explode into a flurry of pastel blooms. Our selections today are impressive, and most are moderately sized, so they are easy to include in the smallest of properties. Are you suffering from the winter doldrums still? Then give this episode a listen and you’ll soon be dreaming of more colorful days to come.

Expert testimony:

Matt Lobdell is the curator at the Morton Arboretum in Lisle, Illinois.

 

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Steve’s  Trees

Dove tree (Davidia involucrata, Zones 6–8)

Carolina silverbell (Halesia carolina syn. Halesia tetraptera, Zones 4–8)

White fringetree (Chionanthus virginicus, Zones 4–9)

‘Cherokee Chief’ flowering dogwood (Cornus florida ‘Cherokee Chief’, Zones 5–9)

 

‘Cherokee Chief’ flowering dogwood
‘Cherokee Chief’ flowering dogwood
White fringetree
White fringetree
Carolina silverbell
Carolina silverbell

Dove tree
Dove tree

Dove tree
Dove tree detail

 

Danielle’s Trees

‘Elizabeth’ magnolia (Magnolia ‘Elizabeth’, Zones 5–8)

‘Hally Jolivette’ flowering cherry (Prunus ‘Hally Jolivette’, Zones 5–8)

Red buckeye (Aesculus pavia, Zones 4–8)

‘Summer Snow’ Japanese tree lilac (Syringa reticulata ‘Summer Snow’, Zones 3–7)

‘Elizabeth’ magnolia
‘Elizabeth’ magnolia
'Summer Snow' Japanese tree lilac
‘Summer Snow’ Japanese tree lilac
Red buckeye
Red buckeye
‘Hally Jolivette’ flowering cherry
‘Hally Jolivette’ flowering cherry

 

Expert’s trees:

Matt Lobdell is the curator at the Morton Arboretum in Lisle, Illinois.

‘Louisa’ crabapple (Malus ‘Louisa’, Zones 4–8)

‘Butterflies’ magnolia (Magnolia ‘Butterflies’, Zones 5–9)

Japanese snowbell  (Styrax japonicus, Zones 5–9)

Fragrant snowbell  (Styrax obassia, Zones 5–8 )

Styrax obassia
Fragrant snowbell (Styrax obassia). Photo: courtesy of Matt Lobdell
Styrax Japonicus 'Pink Chimes'
Japanese snowbell, ‘Pink Chimes’. Photo: courtesy of Matt Lobdell
Styrax Japonicus 'Field'
Japanese snowbell, ‘Field’. Photo: courtesy of Matt Lobdell
Malus Louisa
‘Louisa’ crabapple. Photo: courtesy of Morton Arboretum
Magnolia Butterflies
Magnolia ‘Butterflies’. Photo: courtesy of Morton Arboretum

 

 

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