Everyone can appreciate a lovely, ornamental tree covered in springtime blossoms. In April, the pears, plums, cherries, and magnolias don a canopy of delicate white and pink flowers, ushering in the new spring. These charming little trees look absolutely stunning at this time of year. But only after a few short days, the blossoms begin to wither, turn a mushy brown, and give way to new leaves. With their showy flowers gone, these trees quickly fade into the nondescript, surrounding landscape.
If you’re a person like me, who wants more from your garden than two weeks of flowers followed by BLAH, let me recommend two rather unusual ornamental trees – Paperbark Maple (Acer griseum) and Japanese Stewartia (Stewartia pseudocamellia). These two trees are what you would call four-season plants, which are hard to come by. Both Paperbark Maple and Japanese Stewartia add remarkable beauty to the landscape in every season, even winter.
Paperbark Maple is a small, ornamental maple tree that grows up to 20-30 feet tall. Originally from China, it grows slowly and is hardy in zone 5 to 7, sometimes 8. Like its name suggests, Paperbark Maple has unique bark that exfoliates like the bark of a Paper Birch, in long, curling strips. The bark begins exfoliating at a young age. But the color of the bark is even more remarkable. No other tree that I know of has such vibrant, deep, rust-colored bark. Paperbark Maple is especially head-turning in winter when the orange-spice bark prominently stands out against white snow.
Photo: Paperbark Maple (Acer griseum) at Planting Fields Arboretum, Oyster Bay
Paperbark Maple is adaptable to many different soil types and soil pH, although it performs best in well-drained, moist soil. Paperbark Maple can be grown in partial shade or full sun. This maple makes an excellent specimen tree and is a beautiful and stately addition to any home landscape.
Japanese Stewartia is also a small, ornamental tree that grows up to 20-40 feet tall. If you absolutely must have a tree that flowers, Japanese Stewartia is a great choice.
Photo: Summer flowers of Japanese Stewartia (Stewartia pseudocamellia)
Long after all the other trees have finished flowering, the 2-3 inch wide creamy white flowers of Japanese Stewartia open in the middle of the summer in July. A couple months later, beautiful fall foliage displays scarlet, yellow, and wine-colored hues. In the winter, plated exfoliating bark is its main attribute. Hushed gray, brown, and pale orange bring interest to the winter landscape. Japanese Stewartia is hardy in zone 5, sometimes 4, to 7. This spectacular tree is best grown in moist, fertile, acidic soils in full sun.
Photo: Exfoliating bark of Japanese Stewartia (Stewartia pseudocamellia) at Bayard Cutting Arboretum, Great River
Not surprisingly, Paperbark Maple and Japanese Stewartia are both Long Island Gold Medal Plant winners. You may have to visit a few more nurseries to find these two trees, and you probably will have to pay more for them than the run-of-the-mill flowering pears, plums, and cherries, but they will certainly be worth the extra effort, especially in winter.
