OHHHHH y’all! Spring is in the air here in Atlanta. The cherry trees and two kinds of magnolias are really showing out right now so I am going to take a minute and share some tree love.
Let’s start with the magnolia stellata, or star magnolia. It, like so many of my favorite plants, came to us from Japan in 1862. There are cultivars ranging from white to a pretty pink. They are large shrubs/ small trees that are super tough and easy to fit in most gardens.
Magnolia × soulangeana, or saucer magnolia. “Sugar magnolia” by The Dead Plays in my head every time I see these trees… not sure why!…”sunshine, daydream”. It is a small tree that tops out at about 25′ tall. There are cultivars that range from light pink to maroon. They’re super easy to care for and smallish for the urban garden.
AHHHH the Ornamental Cherry Tree. It is such a celebrated tree for this stunning flower. As an Arborist, though… they are not my favorite. Most cultivars are short-lived with a decline starting at about 20 years of age. The leaves turn yellow and fall in August most years, earning me a ton of calls of concern. DON’T BE CONCERNED! It is what cherry trees do… It never seems to harm the tree. They bloom first, why can’t they be the first to go to bed in the Fall? Some of my Arborist friends treat for this “Cherry leaf spot”. I do not. In trees, as in people, we just accept some flaws because all the other parts are so nice.
The next trees with pretty blooms will be the Eastern Red Bud and a Dogwood.
Feel free to post photos on Speaking for Trees Facebook for IDing!
NOW, go hug a tree!