They may not reach towering heights, but small trees can still pack a big punch in your landscape.
The following list includes varieties that offer beautiful flowers, attractive fall foliage, and even colorful fruit.
Even small landscaping trees shouldn’t beplanted too close to your house.
Credit: Bill Stites
Crabapple
Add spectacular seasonal flair to your landscape withcrabapples(Malusspp.).
Many also offer attractive orange, gold, red, or burgundy fruit.
‘Prairifire’ is a standout variety that has dark pink flowers, reddish-purple foliage, and great disease resistance.
Credit: Denny Schrock
‘Forest Pansy’ is a standout variety that has purple foliage which fades to dark green in late summer.
Also look for ‘Silver Cloud,’ which has white-splashed leaves.
For the best garden success, plant one that’s ideal foryour hardiness zone.
Credit: Jerry Pavia
Crape Myrtle
A common sight in Southern gardens,crape myrtle(Lagerstroemiaspp.
This smallflowering treekeeps performing once spring ends.
It bears red fruits in late summer and wonderful reddish-purple autumn foliage.
Credit: Gordon Beall
It’s typically more disease-resistant than its North American cousin, flowering dogwood.
Zones:5-8
Kousa dogwood isinvasive in certain areas, so be sure to check before planting it.
Its showstopping nature makes it a perfect small front yard tree.
Credit: Allen Rokach
The fruits aresure to attract birds.
Its flowers give way to seedpods that ripen in the fall.
The tree’s green, clover-like foliage is attractive, too.
Credit: David A Land
Then in fall, itsfoliage turns bright yellow.
In late summer and fall,it attracts birdswith its small red fruits.
The orange-red autumn color adds another layer of appeal.
Credit: David Speer
Or make use of the thorny branches as a barrier plant.
Japanese Maple
One of the most versatile small trees isJapanese maple.
(Acer palmatum).
Credit: Susan A. Roth
‘Bloodgood’ is a common selection with fine-texture burgundy foliage that turns red in autumn.
Serviceberry
The ultimate small tree for four-season beauty,serviceberry(Amelanchierspp.
)bears slightly fragrant, white flowers in drooping clusters before the leaves emerge in early spring.
Credit: Susan A. Roth
Outstanding orangey red fall color and striking silvery gray bark in winter round out the seasons.
It bears whitecamellia-like flowersin mid-summer when few other trees are blooming.
Then it puts on a terrific fall show as the leaves turn orange and red.
Credit: Peter Krumhardt
Itsmildly fragrant blossomsbecome blue-gray fruits in fall when the leaves turn shades of reddish-yellow.
The early-summer flowersattract bees and other pollinators, too.
Like other dogwoods, this tree develops wonderful fall color and tolerates shade.
Credit: Adam Albright
This small tree has clusters of fragrant creamy-white flowers in early summer, after all theother lilacshave finished blooming.
Though its fall color isn’t particularly showy, the shiny copper-color bark stands out in winter.
It’s a heat-loving, drought-resistant variety good for the warmest areas of California, Texas, and Florida.
Credit: Marty Baldwin
It also boasts gorgeous red-brown, papery bark that peels back to reveal a lighter, smooth surface.
Paperback maples grow slowly, making them ideal for small to medium yards.
Choose a container that is at least twice the width and depth of the trees root ball.
Credit: Stephen Cridland
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Credit: Stephen Cridland
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