Uncommon Landscape Trees

Trees are necessary in the landscape.  Even if you only have a small lot, a small tree will make a large statement.  If you are tired of seeing the same old trees that all landscapers seem to plant, here are some uncommon landscape trees that may give you inspiration for your site.

Remember to check the hardiness zones of any tree you are considering to make sure it is suitable for your area. Even if a tree is drought tolerant after it is established, it will need supplemental watering in the first year as it builds roots. With some of the rarer and more unusual trees, it is better for the tree (and your wallet) to start with a small tree.

Katsura (Cercidiphyllum japonicum) is delightful in many ways. It has rounded to heart-shaped leaves, often tinged with red in spring, especially in the cultivar "Red Fox." There is a weeping variety known as "Pendula." Katsura trees have deep yellow to orange-red foliage in autumn. When the foliage begins to change in the fall, the leaves emit a pleasant caramel smell. Katsura makes an excellent shade tree, hardy to Zone 5.

American Yellowwood (Cladrastis lutea) is a native tree that deserves more attention. It has compound leaves of oval, ribbed leaflets and gows to become a rounded, medium-sized tree. The Yellowwood has clusters of fragrant, white dangling flowers in spring that turn into flat brown pods in fall. The fall color is a brilliant yellow set against the tree's attractive, pale gray bark. There is also a pink-flowered variety known as "Perkins Pink." Yellowwood is hardy from zones 4 to 8 and will tolerate partial shade

You probably know all about Box Elders (Acer negundo), a member of the maple family, if you live in the East. They are fast growing but often considered to be undesirable landscape trees. A variegated variety, "Flamingo," may change your mind. It's leaves are shot with pink streaks in spring that gradually lighten to white as summer progresses. Box Elders are hardy to Zone 3.

An American native that is no longer found in the wild is the Franklin Tree (Franklinia alatamaha). The trees had a very limited natural range in Georgia and were extinct in the wild by the early 1800s. The Franklin Tree is rarely more than 20 feet high and is hardy to Zone 6. It has long, oval leaves. In late summer the Franklin Tree produces large, fragrant white flowers, similar to camellias, that persist until the leaves turn a deep orange-red in the fall. The seed capsules that then develop may take more than a year to ripen. The tree is a little tricky to establish and needs to be watered during dry spells. Once it gets established it can live for more than 100 years if undisturbed.

An unusual pine for landscapes is Pinus albicaulis, or White Bark Pine. It is a small pine native to the American Northwest, with satiny-white peeling bark similar to a birch. It often contorts and twists into interesting forms as it grows. It has short dense tufts of needles and is hardy to Zone 4.

Another native evergreen to consider is Port Orford Cedar (Chamaecyparis lawsoniana).  It has feathery, blue-green flat needles on drooping branches and the characteristic aromatic cedar wood. While there are many dwarf cedars offered on the market, this variety will grow to become a large tree. It likes moist soil and will tolerate shade. It's hardy to Zone 5.

Lindens are known for their fragrant flowers, but Tilia americana "Macrophylla," or Big Leaf Linden, has interesting leaves to complement it's fragrant clusters of white flowers in the spring. The leaves are huge, commonly 10 by 10 inches, and heart shaped. It has a nice yellow color in fall.

The Pacific Madrone (Arbutus manziesii) was once widespread along the Pacific coast but is starting to decline in many areas. It is a gorgeous tree classified as an evergreen, although the leaves brown in the winter. The leaves are thick, oval shaped and shiny green, somewhat similar to rhododendron leaves. Madrone has lovely, peeling red bark that highlights the silvery wood beneath, showy white flowers and red berries loved by birds. The berries have a little barb that sticks to the fur of passing animals. Madrone thrives in dry areas, but it is hard to transplant, so small seedlings are the best way to begin with this tree. It does not like to be disturbed once it begins growing, and too much water or fertilizer will make it prone to disease. They are hardy to Zone 7.

For something really different, try an American Persimmon (Diospyros virginiana). It is a small tree that's attractive in the landscape, with a yellow fall color. You'll need a male and a female tree if you want to get the orange persimmon fruits that ripen to honey sweetness. The ripe fruit can be used used in a variety of way, including pies and puddings. Unlike the oriental varieties, American Persimmons should not be eaten raw unless they're very ripe or serious stomach upset can occur. They should also be kept away from horses, which like the fruit but become ill from it. American Persimmons are quite cold hardy, but their fruit rarely has enough time to ripen above Zone 6.

Western Soapberry (Sapindus drummondii), while a common native tree in the Southwest, will also thrive as far north as Zone 5, resists wind damage and will tolerate drought or poor soil. It is an attractive small to medium tree. The leaves are compound, composed of 8 to 20 long oval leaflets, glossy green above and lighter below. Fall color is golden yellow. In the late spring it has clusters of small white flowers that are attractive to butterflies. The flowers turn into yellow fruits, like a leathery cherry, which will persist on the tree through winter as birds don't like them. The fruits and the hard seed inside are poisonous, but Native Americans used the fruit as a soap substitute.