Think about the year-round interest that your chosen trees will provide when selecting them for your yard. Four-season trees are essential landscape elements because they are visually pleasing throughout the entire year.
Every tree provides interest for at least two seasons: the show of leaves changing from golden to red in the fall, the spectacle of blossoms from spring flowering trees, the winter beauty of berries or interesting bark, or fruit trees loaded with delicious treats in the summer.
But in order to design a four-season garden, you must select trees that are visually striking throughout the year.
Including one of these adaptable varieties is especially crucial if your yard is small, as it will allow you to enjoy a showpiece tree all year round.
YEAR-ROUND INTEREST: THE BEST FOUR-SEASON TREES
There are options for gardeners in most parts of the country in this carefully chosen assortment of four-season trees. But not every circumstance calls for the same kind of tree.
Make sure trees are appropriate for your USDA planting zone, soil type, site conditions, and available space before you plant them. To make sure a tree will be a suitable size for your garden in the long run, always measure the mature size of any trees you plant.
Your new tree needs to be well-suited to the growing environment in order to flourish if you want it to last for many years, possibly even generations.
1. HAWTHORN
According to Teo Spengler, a gardening writer and docent at the San Francisco Botanical Garden, “the native green hawthorn (Crataegus viridis) is a medium-sized tree that has it all – from fragrant white spring flowers to lovely lobed leaves that turn purple in fall.”
The crimson-hued fruits remain atop the tree all winter long. The bark exfoliation is very beautiful.
Hawthorn trees only need minor pruning, making them low-maintenance trees. It grows best in full sun and dry to medium-well-drained soil.
Hawthorn can be grown in zones 3 through 9, and its canopy size should be comparable as it grows to a height of 25 to 35 feet (8 to 9 meters).
Grown in zones 4 to 8, the Washington hawthorn (Crataegus phaenopyrum) is another somewhat more compact variety of hawthorn tree.
Its foliage changes to shades of orange, scarlet, or purple in the fall, starting in the spring as reddish-purple and ending in dark green.
2. SON FLOWER SEVEN
“Heptacodium micinoides, or seven son flower, is a fantastic four-season tree that has just recently started to gain popularity in the US,” says Ali McEnhill, proprietor of The Old Dairy Nursery & Gardens, a sustainable nursery located in New York.
One of the few trees with a fountain-like shape that blooms from late summer to early fall attracts a lot of pollinators.
Masses of beautiful reddish-pink seeds that resemble flowers follow the large clusters of white flowers.
“The colorful seed structures and peeling, shaggy bark more than make up for its lack of noticeable fall foliage color.”
Although seven son flower grows incredibly easily in most situations and is tolerant of drought, it thrives in full sun and moist soil.
“It can be grown as a large shrub, but I think it looks best pruned as a multi-stemmed tree,” continues Ali.
In hardiness zones 5 through 9, seven son flowers can be grown. It is 15 to 20 feet (4.5 to 6 meters) high and 8 to 10 feet (2 to 3 meters) wide.
3. GARDEN CHERRY
According to Teo Spengler, “Sargent cherries (Prunus sargentii) froth over with pink spring flowers that turn into dark cherries in summer, but cherry trees aren’t usually thought of as interesting year-round.”
“In the fall, the foliage turns from green to scarlet, and in the winter, the stunning, highly polished mahogany bark steals the show.”
In moist but well-drained soils, full sun is ideal for argent cherry growth. It reaches a mature height of 20 to 30 feet (6 to 7 meters) with a canopy spread. It grows in zones 4 through 8.
4. DOGWOOD FLOWERS
Dogwoods that bloom are gorgeous, hardy, four-season trees that require little maintenance.
According to Fern Berg, the creator of the resource portal Tree Vitalize, “flowering dogwood will be covered in masses of flowers with their beautiful petal-like bracts in the spring.”
“The green foliage offers much-needed shade in the summer and then turns into vivid fall colors and eventually sheds, exposing the dogwood’s unique branching pattern and adding interest in the winter months.”
In late summer, flowering dogwoods produce an abundance of bright red or orange-red berries that can last into winter, adding to their appeal and giving birds and other wildlife a valuable source of food.
Compact trees, flowering dogwoods can reach heights of up to 30 feet (9 meters) depending on the variety. USDA zones 5 through 9 are ideal for growing them, though zone 2 through 4 and zone 10 have some options.
The trees grow best in full to partial sun and in well-draining, moist, neutral to acid soil. Flowering dogwood will initially require frequent watering, but once established, it will require little care.
5. STEPHENIE JAPANESE
According to Ali McEnhill, “one of the best landscape trees on the market is Japanese Stewartia (Stewartia pseudocamellia).”
It grows easily in most situations and looks lovely in all four seasons. Large, white flowers that resemble camelias appear in the summer after the light green foliage appears in the spring.
“Bold red and orange foliage is a feature of fall.” When the leaves finally fall, the mature growth’s exfoliating bark is visible; the new growth glows a stunning deep red throughout the winter.
USDA zones 5 to 8 are suitable for cultivating Japanese Stewartia. It is a good mid-sized option with a mature height of 20 to 40 feet (6 to 12 meters) and a spread of 15 to 30 feet (4.5 to 9 meters).
6. BIRCH RIVER
According to Teo Spengler, “the river birch (Betula nigra), which is easy to grow, produces lovely foliage in the spring and summer and the leaves turn bright yellow in the fall.”
But many believe that winter is the most beautiful season. Its stunning bark exfoliates in an amazing variety of colors, including brown, salmon, peach, orange, and lavender.
The native river birch tree grows quickly and is incredibly resilient, thriving in both wet and dry soils.
Mature height ranges from 40 to 70 feet (12 to 21 meters), with a canopy spread of 40 to 60 feet (12 to 18 meters). River birch should be successfully grown in zones 4 through 9.
7. GINGER CHERRY
According to Ali McEnhill, “one of the most stunning four-season trees” is the cornelian cherry (Cornus mas). “It is frequently the first dogwood to bloom—because it is a dogwood, not a cherry.”
“The early spring landscape is illuminated by the countless tiny yellow flowers that are borne in such abundance. When the flowers have faded, new leaves appear.
Large red fruits appear in midsummer. Although these can be eaten, I would rather give them to the birds.
As fall draws near, the deep green leaves turn purple. When the leaves fall, the amazing exfoliating bark becomes visible.
The resilient cornelian cherry tree can be grown in practically any yard, although it does best in soil that is moist and rich in organic matter.
It is very adaptable and can be grown as a hedge, a large shrub, or a specimen tree. It has few pests and diseases and is resistant to deer,” continues Ali.
The height and spread of a cornelian cherry are 15 to 25 feet (4.5 to 8 meters) and 15 to 20 feet (4.5 to 6 meters). It grows in zones 4 through 8.
8. CORAL BARK MAPLE JAPANESE
Teo suggests the coral bark Japanese maple (Acer palmatum ‘Sango-kaku’), which has palm-shaped foliage and unusual brilliant pink or red bark, if you’re only going to have one Japanese maple tree in your garden.
“This adds interest for the winter, but not before the fall foliage turns flaming.”
The tree’s palmate leaves open in a vivid lime green or chartreuse hue in the spring. These leaves change to a deeper green as spring gives way to summer.
The more sunlight that the coral bark gets, the deeper its winter color will be. But in the afternoon, Japanese maples prefer dappled shade, especially in warmer climates. Because of this, they are ideal for planting beneath the overstory of larger trees.
Mature trees reach heights of 20 to 25 feet (6 to 8 meters) and spreads of 15 to 20 feet (5 to 6 meters).
In zones 5 through 8, Japanese maples with coral bark can be grown.
9. SERVICEBERRY
“Amelanchier lamarckii, a small tree or shrub, delights with their clusters of fragrant white flowers in spring, followed by dark green leaves,” Teo states.
The slowly maturing edible blueberry-like fruits turn a deep reddish-purple color. Autumn brings with it hues of yellow, orange, and red on the leaves, which then fall to reveal smooth bark that gleams in the winter sun.
Although full sun will yield better fruit, serviceberries should be planted in lighter soil that is moist but not excessively so. They should also be planted in light shade to light shade.
Trees grow to a medium height of 15 to 25 feet (4.5 to 8 meters), with a canopy width that is comparable. In zones 2 through 9, serviceberries can be planted.
