Are you looking for a flowering tree that does double-duty? Consider selecting one of the trees on this list to have planted in your yard!
Yes, their flowers are attractive and fragrant— a noteworthy feature, but these trees are more than just pretty spring flowers. They'll bring you a sense of tranquil relaxation, and some of the trees will provide substantial shade, others privacy, beauty, and most will offer all of it throughout all seasons.
Our list of the BEST flowering trees that give you more bang for your buck is right here! The good news is the #Chicagoland trees on this list are all locally grown by our family partner nursery and are on our website for you to check out. Just click the image for each tree, and you will find more tree specs.
The trees that give you more for your money are tough enough to withstand our cold Illinois winters and hot summer droughts, yet soft, welcoming, and add beauty, texture, and fragrance to your landscape.
Some of the trees on this list grow to be large shade trees, and others remain small to medium in size.
Be sure to consider tree placement and the mature size of the tree. You don't want to end up with a tree that soon overgrows the location it's been planted.
So take a look through our list of THE BEST flowering trees that give you more bang for your buck and see if one of them checks all of the boxes for you.
From the top →
Autumn Brilliance Serviceberry
Serviceberry has it ALL! Beauties like these will put on quite the show in spring! You won't be able to miss the fragrant, white star-shaped flowers that appear in spring. Their tiny flowers give way to a summer fruit that is edible and enjoyed by wildlife and humans alike! Come fall, it will BURST with a bright red-orange color. Though, bare in the winter, the branching will act as a fantastic visual block. BONUS! Its branches are a welcome landing spot for birds. Serviceberry trees are grown in the single trunk and multi-stem clump form. If you're looking for screening & privacy, consider planting the multi-stem clump form.
Ornamental, shade, and privacy— all wrapped up in a perfect, pretty package! Hawthorn's dark to medium green, serrated leaves are contrasted by bright white flowers in the springtime. Because of their dense branching structure, they function as a screen for privacy. Hawthorn trees have a bright red fruit that will attract birds such as cardinals. The fruit holds tightly to branches throughout fall and winter. Birds will eat up the fruit before it becomes a mess. Plant these trees for their native feel, for their beauty, or for screening.
Catalpa trees are double-duty trees! Catalpa trees are known for their heat and drought tolerance, yet they'll do well in wet areas. The thing that stands out the most about Catalpa trees is their HUGE heart-shaped leaves that offer incredibly dense shade. In late summer, fragrant, large panicles of white flowers dot the tree. This native tree is a sure bet for tricky locations where you need a touch of beauty.
Tulip trees offer a touch of whimsy to the landscape. This native tree stands tall, and like the Catalpa trees, its uniquely shaped leaves cast a dense shade below. In late spring, branches get painted with bright yellow and orange tulip-like flowers. Due to the mature height of this tree, you'll have to look up to see these delightful blooms, but it's worth it! Its medium green leaves will turn a stunning golden yellow in the fall.
This tree appears shrub-like in the multi-stem clump form (more than one trunk coming out of the ground). To that point, one of our favorite things about Pagoda Dogwood is its horizontal branching. Not only does its wide-spreading branching structure give it a zen quality in the landscape, but it is the PERFECT non-evergreen privacy & screening tree. Pagoda Dogwood has small, creamy white clusters of fragrant flowers, followed by a red-blue/black fruit that birds and wildlife love to eat as a sweet treat! In fall, it will stand out with warm red-orange fall color.
Whoowheee Japanese Lilac tree is pretty and smells amazing too! This tree carries a sense of sophistication that you can't match. Beauty, fragrance, screening, shade— they offer it all! Come late spring, huge panicles of fluffy, creamy-white flowers accentuate the tree. The aromatic scent is incomparable! Homeowners love to plant this tree where they can see it from the inside and the outside. Its branching is tight enough to offer sufficient screening where you need privacy near a patio or deck. This tree is grown in both the multi-stem clump form and single trunk. For planting along parkways or in open areas of the yard, consider planting the single trunk form of this tree. It will be the specimen of your yard and neighborhood!
I don't know if we're allowed to have a favorite, BUT this one may just be it! Canada Red Chokecherry tree is as tough as nails withstanding our harsh IL winters. Watch this tree come to life in the spring! First, you'll see its medium green leaves gently unfurl. Then it will burst all over with small panicles of white flowers. The flower fragrance is similar to a sweet jasmine scent, and it's welcoming and subtle enough not to overwhelm the senses. Mid-summer, Canada Red Chokecherry will seem like it's playing a trick on your eyes. It's not! What you see is happening! Canada Red Chokecherry leaves don't just change in the fall but in the summer too! They'll transform from green to a dark purple, and in the autumn, its leaves show off once again when they turn a reddish-bronze.
The trees on this list will provide shade, privacy, and beauty through all seasons. They'll bring you that sense of enjoyment you've longed for and will fill in wonderfully over time, settling comfortably in their new home.
