Hardy Deciduous Flowering Trees

A collection of Hardy Deciduous Flowering Trees listed here have the ability to survive adverse growing conditions. Flowering plants attract pollinators which is an important factor for food crop development. These plants can grow in full sun, require little water, are drought resistant (once established) and can sustain cold temperatures of minus 34 degrees Celsius (29.9 F) or lower. With FireSmart in mind, coniferous and evergreen deciduous plants are excluded because of their extreme flammability.

Aspen, Quaking or Trembling (Populus tremuloides) This is a native tree with a rounded crown with lateral roots that can extend over 120 feet lenght and vertical sinker roots of nearly 10 feet. Valued for its white bark and brilliant fall colour, the species been widely used in landscaping but is best away from structures that might be damaged by the aggressive roots. The trees provide good visual screening and noise abatement. Aspen stands are good firebreaks, dropping crown fires in conifer stands to the ground, extinguishing flames because of small amount of flammable accumulation. Growth Specs.: 90′ Height x 50′ Width at maturity. Hardiness Zone: 4-8
 Aspen, Upright European or Swedish (Populus tremula ‘Erecta’) A fast-growing broadleaf deciduous tree primarily valued in the landscape for its rigidly columnar form, used vertical accent or in a row as a very tall screen. It has forest green deciduous foliage. The serrated oval leaves turn yellow in fall. The furrowed gray bark adds an interesting dimension to the landscape. Specs.: 40′ Height x 10′ Width at maturity. Hardiness Zone: 3-8
Basswood, American (Tilia Americana ‘Redmond’) The American basswood tree is a fast growing, large tree with heart-shaped leaves and yellowish-white fragrant flowers in June. It especially attracts songbirds and blue jays with its seeds and its dense foliage for shelter. Also named American linden, the tree is a popular ornamental shade tree due to its dense foliage and spreading canopy. Growth Specs: 80′ Height x 60′ Width at maturity. Hardiness Zone: 3.
Coffee Tree, Kentucky (Gymnocladus dioica) The Kentucky Coffeetree is a slow to moderate-growing, large, deciduous, and native tree in the fabaceae or legume family that grows with an oval, open, to irregular habit. It has very large pinnately compound leaves that measure 3 feet long and 2 feet wide and have numerous leaflets. The leaves emerge in the late spring and appear pinkish-bronze and then mature to a bluish-green. Panicles of greenish-white flowers appear at the branch tips in late spring to early summer. In the fall, the leaves turn yellow and the female trees have clusters of large purplish-brown or reddish-brown seed pods. Growth Specs: 80′ Height x 55′ Width at maturity. Hardiness Zone: 4.
Filbert, Turkish (Corylus colurna) Turkish Hazel is a deciduous tree with a beautiful pyramidal shape and thick trunk supporting dense horizontal branches. Inconspicuous female flowers and two to three-inch-long, attractive male catkins are produced in early spring and are followed by the production of clustered fruits. Growth Specs: 50′ Height x 40′ Width at maturity. Hardiness Zone: 4.
Hackberry, Common (Celtis occidentalis) The hackberry tree is a medium to large sized deciduous tree with a trunk diameter ranging from 1 to 4 feet. Hackberry trees have a cylindrical ovoid crown. Bark is gray when mature and has corky ridges and a warty texture. Leaves are coarse-toothed, oblong-ovate with a rough in texture and are typically 2 to 5 in long. Hackberry produces small greenish-white, monoecious flowers in the spring – male flowers are clustered and female flowers are individual. The typical hackberry lifespan is between 150 to 200 years. Growth Specs: 60 – 100′ Height x 45′ Width at maturity. Hardiness Zone: 3.
Hawthorn, Crimson Cloud (Crataegus laevigata ‘Crimson Cloud’) Prolific red-and-white flowers, lovely fragrance, and glossy, bright red fruitmake this Hawthorn deliver year-round visual interest. Unlike most varieties, it is thornless and a safe choice for children or pets. Growth Specs: 25′ Height x 20′ Width at maturity. Hardiness Zone: 4.
Hawthorn, Paul’s Scarlet (Crataegus oxyacantha ‘Paul’s Scarlet’) A dense oval tree with small, green, deeply lobed foliage. Another thornless variety with shiny green foliage and stunning 2 inch double, dark pink flowers. Glossy red berries that turn bronze to red in fall. Growth Specs: 30′ height x 25′ Width at maturity. Hardiness Zone: 4.
Hawthorn, Snowbird (Crataegus mordenensis ‘Snowbird’) One hardiest ornamental hawthorns sith a low canopy and a medium growth rate that bears sparse red berries in the fall and has sharp thorns. This tree features tunning clusters of white flowers which are held atop the branches in mid-Spring. Small forest green leaves are serrated and lobed but don’t develop any appreciable fall colour. Growth Specs: 18′ Height x 12′ Width at maturity. Hardiness Zone: 3.
Hawthorn, Toba (Crataegus mordenensis ‘Toba’) A small, sometimes thorny tree known for its year-round beauty. It bears white to deep pink five-petaled flowers in dense clusters. Flowers are followed by showy fruit resembling tiny apples in summer and fall, and often into winter. Growth Specs: 20′ Height x 16′ Width at maturity. Hardiness Zone: 3.
Honeylocust, Thornless (Gleditsia tricanthos var. inermis) A fast growing widely used shade tree that grows in a round or slightly oval shape and produces fragrant flowers. Thornless honeylocust trees are tolerant to various stressors like pollution, salt, and drought. Growth Specs: 60-80′ Height x 60′ Width at maturity. Hardiness Zone: 4.
Hornbeam, American (Carpinus caroliniana) Commonly called American hornbeam, it’s a slow-growing, deciduous, small to medium-sized understory tree with an attractive globular form. Flowers appear in spring in separate male and female catkins, with the female catkins giving way to distinctive clusters of winged nutlets. Growth Specs.: 35′ Height x 35′ Width at maturity. Hardiness Zone: 4
Linden, Corinthian (Tilia cordata ‘Greenspire’) A magnificent shade tree with a strong, spire-like shape and fragrant yellow flowers with tan bracts hanging below the branches in early summer. Heart-shaped, dark green leaves turn gold in fall. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 70 years or more. Growth Specs: 50′ Height x 30′ Width at maturity. Hardiness Zone: 3.
Maple, Tatarian (Acer tataricum) Commonly called Tatarian maple, typically grows as a small, upright spreading tree with a dense, rounded crown or as a large multi-stemmed shrub. Greenish-white flowers in erect, long-peduncled panicles bloom in spring. One inch long flowers are followed by winged samaras that turn a showy red in summer/fall as they mature. Growth Specs.: 20′ Height x 20′ Width at maturity. Hardiness Zone: 4-8
Mountain-ash, Greene (Sorbus scopulina) A deciduous shrub or small tree with pinnately compound leaves and white flowers, is native to the western United States. It has glossy orange-red fruits that attract birds and mammals.Growth Specs.: 15′ Height x 10′ Width at maturity. Hardiness Zone: 4-9
Poplar, White (Populus alba) A fast-growing deciduous tree with an irregular to broad-rounded crown that is distinguished from other poplars by its 3-5 lobed silvery leaves that are reminiscent of some maples. The leaves tremble in the slightest breeze, showcasing the attractive foliage. The bark on young trees is smooth and greenish-gray, but matures to dark gray-black with ridges and furrows. White poplars are dioecious, with tiny reddish male and greenish female flowers appearing in separate catkins on separate male and female trees in spring (April) before the foliage emerges. The fast growth rate makes this an interesting windbreak or screen for property lines. Considered inappropriate for streets because shallow roots may buckle sidewalks and damage sewers. Growth Specs: 75′ Height x 75′ Width at maturity. Hardiness Zone: 3-8.