Ten Spring Blooming Trees
A Seasonal Guide
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Spring brings a vibrant succession of flowering trees, each with its own unique charm and timing. Here’s a curated selection of the best trees that bloom from March through June in Central Illinois!
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March: The Earliest Bloomers
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1. Spring Flowering Witch Hazel (Hamamelis vernalis or H. x intermedia)
Witch hazel caps off both ends of the growing season, with exceptionally early flowers in the spring witch hazels, and exceptionally late flowers in the fall blooming varieties. H. vernalis and the fall-blooming H. virginiana are natives. Ideal for zones 4–8, it thrives in partial shade and can reach 15’x15’ at maturity, depending on the variety.
2. Early Magnolias (Magnolia sp.)
With their big, showy blooms, magnolias are a staple of the spring season. The earliest types produce flowers before the leaves appear, covering themselves in pink or white in late March. Look for varieties like Royal Star, Saucer, and Ann. You've probably spotted them around town lately!
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3. Serviceberry (Amelanchier spp.)
An excellent native alternative to invasive ornamental pear trees. Delicate white flowers emerge before the foliage, followed by sweet, edible berries in many varieties. These adaptable trees or shrubs shine in autumn with vibrant red, orange, or yellow foliage, offering season-long interest.
4. Flowering Cherry (Prunus spp., pictured above)
An integral part of spring celebrations in Japan, with picnics held beneath the flowering trees to celebrate the season. these ornamental trees range from upright to weeping forms, adorned with pink or white blossoms. Many varieties dazzle with fiery fall foliage, while compact cultivars thrive in smaller spaces. For those who want fruit along with their flowers, edible cherry cultivars are also available.
5. Native Redbud (Cercis canadensis)
This understory gem erupts in hot pink blooms along bare branches in mid-spring. Cultivars like Rising Sun and Flame Thrower feature stunning leaf color, while Ruby Falls offers dwarf, weeping form that's interesting year round. Often planted as living memorials, due to their heart-shaped leaves.
6. Crabapple (Malus spp.)
Every year the redbuds show color before the crabapples, but then the crabapples catch up suddenly, bursting into bloom just before the redbuds flower. These are easy care, adaptable trees, with good fall color and showy fruits. Although the fruit has a reputation for causing a mess, modern ornamental cultivars have solved this issue with small, dry fruits that largely wither away or are eaten by birds before the end of winter.
7. Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida)
A classic native understory tree boasting pink or white spring blooms. Will thrive best in a spot with afternoon shade, regular water, rich, acidic soil and mulch. Bright red clustered fruit matures in fall and hangs on late into the year— a favorite of birds. The autumn leaf color is red, which together with the fruit, makes for a spectacular display.
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May: Late Spring Showstoppers
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8. Buckeyes & Horsechestnuts (Aesculus spp., pictured above)
A stately choice for well-watered landscapes, with large, five-lobed leaves that look almost tropical, despite these trees native heritage. Dramatic sprays of flowers appear in late spring, attracting ruby-throated hummingbirds and insect pollinators. Many cultivars bear few or none of the horsechestnuts/buckeyes that give the trees their name.
9. Kousa Dogwood (Cornus kousa)
A resilient star for sun-drenched spaces where other dogwoods struggle. This tree dazzles year-round with snowy white spring "flowers" (actually long-lasting bracts), summer’s raspberry-like ornamental fruits, fiery red-orange fall foliage, and striking exfoliating bark that peels to reveal a mosaic of tan and gray in winter. Thrives with occasional deep watering during dry spells and an acid fertilizer like Hollytone in alkaline soil.
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10. Japanese Lilac (Syringa reticulata)
Compact, handsome trees with frothy panicles of sweetly scented, early summer flowers. Thrives in full sun.
Bonus: Sweetbay Magnolia (Magnolia virginiana)
Though we mentioned magnolias already, the sweetbay magnolias are in a class by themselves. Lemon-scented creamy-white flowers appear just as other magnolias fade. Glossy green leaves provide food for three different swallowtail butterfly species, and were historically used as a bay leaf substitute in cooking (hence the name "sweetbay.") This compact tree thrives in wet soils, making it ideal for swampy areas, rain gardens, pond edges, or heavy clay. Prefers full sun to partial shade, and tolerates occasional flooding.
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Flowering trees each offer their own distinct charm and seasonal rhythm, often finishing with a vibrant display of autumn foliage. Whether you aim to add a splash of spring color or create a serene, shaded haven in your garden, these ten spring-flowering trees are sure to enchant and inspire. Stop by this spring, and let our team of experts help you choose the perfect tree to grace your landscape.
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Our Hardy Bucks program offers you a rewarding way to save on gardening purchases while enjoying the unique benefits of shopping at a locally owned garden center. Here's how the program works:
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Earning Period (April 1 - June 30)
• Receive $1 in Hardy Bucks for every $20 spent on retail purchases.
• Includes purchases at both the garden center and Stone Market
• Hardy Bucks never expire, so you can accumulate them year after year
Redemption Period (July 15 - August 15)
• Redeem your Hardy Bucks like cash during this window
• Can be used for up to 50% of your total purchase
• Combine Bucks from current and previous years
With Hardy Bucks, your passion for plants pays off. This spring, let’s grow something beautiful together!
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Join us for Hardy Hoerr's Easter Egg Hunt!
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Hardy Hare needs help to find his easter eggs! Join Hoerr Nursery for a festive Easter Egg Hunt with Hardy Hoerr on Saturday, April 12th. The event will begin at 11 AM in the garden center—rain or shine. Families are invited to bring their baskets for fun and sweet surprises.
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Weed-free soil?
Mulch delivers!
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Spring is here, and it’s time to give your garden a little TLC. Mulch not only enhances the beauty of your landscape but also locks in soil moisture, smothers weeds, and protects plant roots. From March 17th to April 19th, Hoerr Nursery is offering FREE local delivery on orders of 1–3 tons of hardwood or dyed mulch. For larger or non-local orders, enjoy a $75 discount! Call 309-689-2513 today to schedule your delivery and revitalize your yard.
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We have the perfect mulch for every need:
- Shredded Hardwood Bark Mulch: A professional-grade mulch with naturally deep color that retains moisture and insulates plants.
- Virgin Dyed Mulch: Safe for people and pets! This vibrant, non-toxic dyed mulch available in brown, red, and black—perfect for adding color contrast. Unlike much of the dyed mulch on the market, it is free of pallet wood, making it free of potential toxins like chromated copper arsenate and methyl bromide.
- Kiddie Cushion: An Engineered Wood Fiber (EWF) product, Kiddie Cushion is made from a combination of virgin wood chips and 10-20% wood fines, which provides the ideal amount of compaction for a safe play surface. If you have a playground area in need of an update, or you simply prefer a lighter shade of wood mulch, Kiddie Cushion is the mulch for you.
- Pine Bark Fines: Ideal as a soil amendment, or acidifier—great for blueberries and other acid-loving plants. Pine bark fines are an eco-friendly byproduct of the lumber industry.
Order now!
This limited-time offer ends April 19th. Call Hoerr Nursery at 309-689-2513 today to schedule your delivery. Whether you need 1 ton or 10, we’ll bring it straight to your door. Make your garden amazing this spring!
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