This one is a fragrant white bloomer in February and March in Zones 4 to 7, and December to May in Zones 8 to 9.  Sounds rather mysterious to me.

FRINGE TREE (Chionanthus virgirginicus)

It is impossible to resist caressing the wispy, tassle-like flowers of fringe trees which hang among the bare branches.  You’ll be able to reach them:  Fringe trees are typically only 10 to 20 feet tall. Their common name is Wintersweet.  They have an outsanding spicy fragrance. They are graceful planted in groves, which increases the chances of having both male and female trees: Males are said to flower more robustly; females produce small fruits attractive to birds. Fringe trees are old fashioned trees that deserve to be planted more often.  Give them a chance! Maybe you will attract some new bird varieties.   Need some winter cold.  Grow in sun or part shade.  Hardy in Zones 4 to 9.

So far, I have given you two white flowering trees and two yellow ones.  Since there is a wider color choice with this one, I suggest red.  This one is great to bring bees to your yard!

FLOWERING CRABAPPLE  (Malus)

There are more than 700 named varieties of crabapples-all prodigious bloomers that cover themselves in white, pink, or red flowers in spring.  When they bloom, bees and other pollinators make the trees fairly buzz with life. They are excellent wildlife trees.   The best crabapples for birds, are small-fruited cultivars that hold their fruit into winter such as ‘Bob White’, ‘Donald Wyman’ or ‘Red Jade’. They are beautiful small trees and most grow between 15 and 25 feet.  They do best in sunny gardens, and they are hardy and reliable.  Crabapples have stately, even dramatic structure.  They do benefit from occasional pruning.  Look for cultivars that resist blight and apple scab.  Hardy in Zones 4 to 7.

Dogwood Blosoms

Here is a small tree that fits well under larger trees, giving your yard a mature, balanced appearance.  It is especially appealing to thrushes in the fall.  Because my yard is small and I already have several trees, and I dearly love the song of the Swainson’s Thrush.  This one is on my wish list for 2010!

FLOWERING DOGWOOD (Cornus florida)

Snow white dogwood blossoms transform the landscape, blooming after the Sassafras in spring.  Woodland edges positively spring to life when they bloom.  Flowering dogwood is a “super-attractive bird tree.”  Birds find shelter and nesting sites in its branches, and you can time the fall migration by watching the berries mature; bright red berries ripen at the peak of migration for thrushes.  The biggest challenge with dogwoods can be in deciding where to plant them—they are an understory tree which means they can be grown below taller trees.   They range from 10 to 20 feet.  They have characteristic horizontal branching if they are in high shade, but they develop a full, rounded crown if in the sun.  Good drainage and air circulation are important as healthy trees resist dogwood anthracnose.  Hardy in Zones 5 to 9.  To assure hardiness, northern gardeners are advised to buy trees propagated from northern stock.

Dogwood Trees

Cornelian Cherry Tree

The next six flowering trees that attract birds, bees or butterflies, are listed according to their bloom time.  You will find many features that will excite you.

Cornelian cherry  (Cornus mas)

The Cornelian cherry is one of the earliest blooming woody plants.  It makes a deciduous shrub or small tree, with a graceful rounded form, 15 to 20 feet tall.  In early spring, the naked branches are dotted with clusters of fluffy yellow flowers , which are followed in late summer by bright red edible fruits.  The “cherries” are relished by songbirds and other wildlife. While too tart to eat raw by humans, the cherries make

Cornelian Cherry Berry

delicious preserves.  In the fall, the dark green foliage turns a rich burgundy purple, and the beautifully mottled exfoliating bark of mature specimens contributes o its four seasons of garden interest.  Cornelian cherry grows in sun or shade, is tolerant of most conditions, and is untroubled by pests or disease.  It is easy care in full sun to moist shade.  It is particularly effective when trained as a multitrunked small tree and underplanted with hellebores, primroses, early bulb and other early spring border beauties, such as daffodils.  C. mas  “Variegata” has white-margined foliage; “Aurea” is strongly yellow; and with gold-margined leaves, the cultivar “Elegantissima” is a stunning addition to the garden.  Hardy to Zone 4 to 7.

Cornelian Cherry In Bloom

Time to tell you about my favorite tree.

I want a tree that is not too big, not too small, can grow in sun or shade, tolerates wet and drought, not too fussy about soil type, its evergreen or nearly so, it has gorgeous blooms that are fragrant, it blooms when many others have finished and keeps blooming most of the summer, and has two or more season interests.   Just one last wish, I want it to be cherished by the birds as much as I cherish it.  That is a big order to fill!

And the winner is——-

Sweetbay Magnolia  (Magnolia virginiana and M. virgniana var. australis)

Gardeners love and appreciate the sweetbay magnolia’s small, cream-colored goblet-shaped flowers in early summer. When the tight seedpods mature in late summer, the bright red seeds are eagerly consumed by birds. This tree is surprisingly hardy.  The southern form (M. virginiana var. australis), is usually evergreen and can grow up to 20 feet.  The northern from (M. virginiana) often has several trunks; it is deciduous or semi-evergreen.  Sweetbay magnolia grows in sun or part shade and tolerates moist soils and drought, prefers an acid soil.  The glossy leaves have silvery undersides, and the whole tree shimmers in a breeze.  Plant them by a path where you can appreciate the sweet fragrance of the flowers as you come and go.  Height range is from 10 to 20 feet.  Hardy in Zones 5 to 9.

I purchased mine three years ago at a local farmers market. Not much growth the first year and I thought I had a failure on my hands.  I gave it more fertilizer and it is doing much better the past two years.  It is supposed to bloom in the 8 to 10 year.  Oh, how can I wait that long!

Sweetbay Magnolia