Flowering trees are everywhere – on the sidewalk, in your backyard, in parks, and deep in the forest! Flowering trees are types of angiosperms, a group of plants characterized by bearing flowers and fruit. These traits are not shared by gymnosperms, which include conifer trees like pines, firs, and spruces.
Angiosperms comprise nearly 80% of all known plant species, and they grow in nearly every habitat on earth. The beauty and diversity of flowering trees have made them a staple in the world of ornamental plants. Here’s how to identify 7 beautiful flowering trees.
Magnolia trees are beloved for their fragrant, showy blooms and glossy green foliage. Their striking form and spectacular flowers have made magnolias a gardening staple. However, these beauties can be difficult to grow in colder climates or smaller spaces. Thankfully, there are several lookalike trees that make solid magnolia alternatives Keep reading to learn about 7 trees that look like magnolia trees and how to identify them.
1. Tulip Tree
The tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera) is often mistaken for a magnolia thanks to its large, tulip-shaped blooms. The flowers boast orange bands on sunny yellow petals, giving them a delightful two-tone look. The leaves are also similar – glossy and oval like magnolia leaves. However, tulip tree leaves have 4 distinct lobes rather than a simple oval shape.
Tulip trees make excellent magnolia alternatives, growing 40-70 feet tall at maturity. Their ravishing blooms light up backyards and gardens in late spring Tulip trees thrive in zones 4-9.
2. Saucer Magnolia
While technically a magnolia variety, saucer magnolia (Magnolia x soulangeana) has significant differences from the classic southern magnolia. Saucer magnolias are multi-stemmed, spreading shrubs that produce abundant cup-shaped blooms in shades of pink, purple and white.
Their smaller size – 10-20 feet tall – makes them ideal for small spaces where a full-size magnolia would overwhelm. Saucer magnolias bloom early, often flowering before their leaves emerge. They grow best in zones 5-9.
3. Kousa Dogwood
A flowering standout, kousa dogwood (Cornus kousa) charms gardens with its unique blooms. The flowers have four creamy white bracts surrounding a central cluster of tiny yellow flowers. They put on a striking display in early summer.
From a distance, the abundant blooms can resemble those of certain magnolia varieties. However, the distinct flower shape gives it away as dogwood. Kousa dogwoods also produce red fruits beloved by birds. Their multi-season appeal makes them a favorite landscaping tree. They thrive in zones 5-8.
4. American Fringetree
Also called old man’s beard, American fringetree (Chionanthus virginicus) generates clouds of delicate white blooms along its branches each spring. Its airy flowers can evoke magnolias from afar. However, close inspection reveals a totally different leaf shape and growth habit.
Fringetrees are multi-stemmed, growing 10-30 feet tall. The simple, oval leaves look nothing like a magnolia’s wide, glossy foliage. Still, its flowering spectacle makes fringetree a backyard showstopper. It grows well in zones 4-9.
5. Loquat
With its large, leathery leaves, the loquat tree (Eriobotrya japonica) shares some magnolia similarities. Its early spring bloom of sweetly fragrant white flowers can also seem vaguely magnolia-like from a distance.
However, the small, five-petaled flowers are quite distinct from magnolia blooms on closer inspection. And the large, tropical-looking leaves set it far apart. Loquats top out around 20 feet tall and prefer a warm, sheltered site. They thrive in zones 8-10.
6. Flowering Almond
Flowering almond (Prunus triloba) is a spring darling, erupting into drifts of pretty pink blooms before its leaves emerge. From afar, a flowering almond can resemble a pink magnolia. However, the abundant five-petaled blossoms give away its true identity.
These compact trees reach just 8-12 feet tall at maturity, making them an option for small spaces. The bright green, oval leaves provide nice color after the blooms fade. Flowering almond grows well in zones 4-7.
7. Star Magnolia
Though technically a magnolia variety, star magnolia (Magnolia stellata) stands apart from the classics with its multi-stemmed form and cold hardiness. It bursts into bloom early each spring, with abundant white star-shaped flowers coating its bare branches.
The smaller size – 10-15 feet tall – and cold tolerance to zone 4 set it apart from southern and saucer magnolias. For northern gardeners seeking a magnolia lookalike, star magnolia is a prime option. Its enchanting floral display lights up the late winter landscape.
When choosing magnolia lookalikes, consider bloom time, size, hardiness and overall form. For the fullest spring flower spectacle, opt for trees like saucer magnolia, tulip tree and kousa dogwood that bloom abundantly for weeks on end. For more compact spaces, flowering almond and star magnolia are perfect petite picks.
With so many lookalike options, you can enjoy gorgeous “magnolia” blooms even in colder climates or smaller gardens. Any of these dazzling trees make excellent alternatives for creating a gorgeous spring flowering display. With a little research, you’re sure to find a beautiful magnolia lookalike that’s just right for your landscape.
Cherry Trees – Prunus spp.
Cherry trees grow throughout temperate regions of the world. They are highly regarded for their delicate, pink flowers that erupt in bloom during springtime. Their ephemeral flowers make them important trees in many cultures.
Prunus species that can be seen lining roadsides and adorning parks. Most cultivated varieties have been breed to be fruitless, saving many a sidewalk from being covered in cherry juice and the soles of many shoes from being stained.
There are loads of species and varieties of cherry trees, making species identification of the genus challenging. So, we’ll only worry about how to identify the large genus of Prunus. Leaves are simple and alternate, usually have fine teeth on the margin, and are pointed at the tip.
Cherry trees have bark that is covered in lenticels, which are little horizontal marks that almost look like cuts. Lenticels help the tree exchange gas with the surrounding air – trees need to breathe, too!
The flowers are what make cherry trees famous. In the spring, the flowers erupt and cover the tree completely in white or pink. The small flowers are clustered together in large groups and have no fragrance.
Flamboyant – Delonix regia
The only legume on our list is called a flamboyant. Also known as a flame tree, or peacock flower, the tree gets its name due to its extravagant, brilliant orange-red blooms. Flamboyant is native to Madagascar but is now an ultra common tree grown in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide.
An interesting ecological note is that this is one of the few legumes that doesn’t associate with nitrogen-fixing bacteria.
Flamboyant has big, compound, alternate leaves that resemble a fern. The leaflets are tiny and there can be hundreds on a single leaf.
The large, bright red blooms are clustered along the branches and bloom for weeks. This makes identification of this tree easy for a large part of the year. The fruits of flamboyant are typical legume fruit pods. They are big, long, and black when ripe.
[ by martin_hetto via Pixabay]
Top 5 Best Magnolias for Cold Climates | NatureHills.com
FAQ
What looks like magnolia?
Southern magnolia and sweetbay are sometimes confused due to similiarities in foliage and flowers, but are easily distinguished at any time of year by foliage, flowers, or fruit. Although similar, southern magnolia has thicker, tougher foliage that is darker green above; sweetbay leaves are pale underneath.
What to replace a magnolia tree with?
Magnolias are known and beloved for their large volume of blooms, so if you’re looking for a similarly prolific bloomer, crepe myrtles (Lagerstroemia indica) may be your best choice. “A good runner-up as far as the number of blooms per tree is the Crepe Myrtle,” says Lisa Tadewaldt, owner of Urban Forest Pro.
What trees are in the magnolia family?
The Magnoliaceae /mæɡˌnoʊliˈeɪsiː/ are a flowering plant family, the magnolia family, in the order Magnoliales. It consists of two subfamilies: Magnolioideae, of which Magnolia is the most well-known genus, and Liriodendroidae, a monogeneric subfamily, of which Liriodendron (tulip trees) is the only genus.