5 flowering trees to be on the lookout for this spring

Spring is sprung! With that comes lots of pollen and some gorgeous blooms to make up for it. Lace up your hiking boots and keep reading to learn more about five of the prettiest flowering trees native to Alabama right now.

About the database

Much of the information I used from the article comes from the Alabama Plant Atlas. Established by the Alabama Herbarium Consortium and the University of West Alabama to educate people on all the details about native Alabama plants.

In the Atlas, you can find the latin names for each plant, as well as a description of the plant and its varieties. The database also includes a “synonyms” section that shows close relatives to the tree.

Check it out.

1. Silverbells

With dainty white flowers drooping, silverbells are so pretty they will make you do a double take. They look almost demure with their petals turned down. Their scientific name is Halesia carolina, and they are native to the Southeast US, from Alabama to the Carolinas.

These trees are found mostly in Eastern Alabama, as well as the following South Alabama counties:

• Wilcox County
• Loundes County
• Bullock County
• Baldwin County
• Geneva County

2. Dogwoods

Dogwoods were the first flowering trees I was ever able to recognize, and that mostly stemmed (lol) from the story people tell about them around Easter. The Cornus florida are easily identifiable by their pinned petals and sparse looking branches.

Dogwoods are not like other trees (hair flip), because you can find these thorny-looking petals across the entire state of Alabama, from Jackson to Baldwin Counties.

3. Redbuds

These flowering trees are well known, and among the easiest of this list to identify, because they bloom a stunning fuchsia each spring. Cercis canadensis branches stretch out kind of long and wiry, like vibrant and fluffy octopus tentacles. Except instead of in dark places, you’ll find these Eastern redbuds lining driveways and popping up in forests.

These pretty plants have been found in every Alabama county except:

• Pickens County
• Washington County
• Hale County

4. Fringetree

Otherwise known as Chionanthus Virginicus or Grancy Grey Beard, the fringetree is named for its fringe-like flowers that spring up every spring. Native to Alabama (and the rest of the Eastern US), the fringetree is not quite as popular as the other trees on this list, but with its tassel-like blooms it is just as showstopping.

The fringetree has been found in every Alabama county except:

• Lauderdale County
• Lamar, Fayette, Walker and Pickens Counties
• Chambers County
• Houston County

5. Cherry Trees

The only tree on the list that isn’t native to Alabama, cherry trees are still all over the place here. Known for their lovely pink blossoms and sweet smell, Prunus buergeriana are increasingly popular throughout the state. In fact, several towns host annual cherry tree festivals each spring to celebrate the blooming trees.

• Japan-America Society of Alabama’s Cherry Blossom Festival at the Birmingham Botanical Garden
• Sakura Virtual Festival at the University of Alabama

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