6 / 10
Catalpa
Many people have seen large catalpa trees blooming in late spring. Once popular, these have fallen out of favor due to their size — they can grow 50 feet or taller — and the mess their large leaves and seed pods create. But in a big yard, they may be just the right flowering tree. In late spring, catalpas produce white flowers that, form a distance, resemble oversized popcorn.
There are two types. The northern catalpa is hardy in Zones 4 to 8, and the southern catalpa in Zones 5 through 9.
Both trees are native to parts of the U.S. and are occasionally attacked by the larva of the catalpa sphinx moth, commonly called catalpa worms. If you like to fish, pick off these worms and use them for bait.
7 / 10
Serviceberry
Also called shadberry, shadblow or juneberry, there are several types. All are flowering trees native to the U.S. These trees often have multiple trunks and may only grow from 10 to 25 feet tall, so they’re good for smaller yards.
Serviceberries are hardy in Zones 4 through 9. The white blooms come out early in the spring, followed by edible fruit, which birds quickly eat.
One of the most popular varieties is a hybrid, Amelanchier laevis, a cross between two other serviceberries.
8 / 10
Japanese Tree Lilac
The Japanese tree lilac is another good flowering tree choice for smaller yards if you’re looking for one that will bloom later in the spring. Most are grown as single-trunk trees, but you can occasionally find them with multiple trunks. Hardy in Zones 3 through 7, they prefer full sun.
The flowers are fragrant, just like lilacs, and attract many pollinators. The tree grows slowly and will eventually be 20 to 30 feet tall and wide. They’re rarely bothered by insect or disease problems. In my garden, the leaves come out early and are sometimes hit with a late frost, which causes minor damage the tree eventually outgrows.
This is not a native tree but isn’t known to be invasive.
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