Transform your yard by planting one of these flowering trees

Spring has passed and summer is here, but you may have noticed trees that bloomed before their foliage emerges. I enjoy spring because driving past a golden trumpet tree in full bloom, with its bright yellow flowers, is so pretty after winter.

If you enjoy colorful flowers and summertime shade, here are some flowering trees to consider adding to your landscape. Brief descriptions of each tree are provided to assist you in selecting the right tree for your yard.

The first five trees listed are native to Florida.

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Zoe Boritzki as “Alexis,” Steve Kraft as “Snugly” and Suzee Carson-Branch as “Peli” in the fairy tale with a twist, “Snow White Fractured,” on stage at Surfside Playhouse in Cocoa Beach through June 28, 2026. Visit surfsideplayhouse.com. (Provided by Brenda Boritzki Photography)

Fringetree (Chionanthus virginicus): deciduous, 12-20′ tall, 10-15′ wide; white flowers are produced in the spring, followed by berries that attract birds. This tree can be planted in full sun to shade, and it is also cold-tolerant.

Coral bean (Erythrina herbacea) is a deciduous tree, 8-15′ tall and 8-10′ wide, that produces spikes of red tubular flowers in the spring. It grows in full sun to partial shade, is salt-tolerant, attracts hummingbirds, and tolerates a wide range of pH, cold, and drought. The tree can withstand freezing temperatures, but the flowers cannot.

Sweet Acacia (Vachellia farnesiana) is semi-evergreen, 15-20′ tall and wide, with small fragrant yellow pom-pom flowers produced throughout the year. Small thorns are produced on the trunk; it has high drought and salt tolerance, and it attracts birds.

Geiger tree (Cordia sebestena) is evergreen, 25-30′ tall, and 20-25′ wide, and produces orange tubular flowers in the spring and summer. The tree grows in full sun to partial shade, attracts hummingbirds, and is highly salt and drought-tolerant.

Southern magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora) is evergreen, 60-80′ tall with a 30-40′ spread. It produces large, fragrant white flowers from spring through summer and is extremely cold-hardy because there was a gorgeous tree growing on the Iowa State University campus when I was in college.

Non-native trees: Which ones work well in Florida?

The following trees are not native to Florida.

Golden trumpet tree (Handroanthus chrysotrichus) is deciduous with a height and spread of 25-35′, bright yellow flowers are produced before the foliage appears in the spring, and it grows in full sun to partial shade.

The Florida native geiger tree produces orange tubular flowers in the spring and summer.

Purple trumpet tree (Handroanthus impetiginosus) is deciduous, 12-20′ tall with a 10-15′ spread, and produces rose-pink flowers that bloom in the spring before the foliage appears. Grow it in a sunny location and enjoy the high drought tolerance.

White Geiger tree or Wild Olive (Cordia boissieri) is evergreen, 15-20′ tall, 10-15′ wide, and produces white flowers with yellow throats year-round. It can be grown in full sun to partial shade and is drought and salt-tolerant, plus cold-hardy!

Peregrina (Jatropha integerrima) is evergreen, only grows 5 -15′ tall and wide, produces red flowers throughout the year, grows in full sun to full shade, and is a nectar source for butterflies. All parts of the plant are poisonous for humans and pets if ingested, as is the smoke. Many of these trees were hit hard (and some were killed) by the winter freeze. Keep an eye out for seedlings and remove them to keep them from escaping into natural areas.

Crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica) is deciduous, with numerous cultivars that range in size and flower color, including lavender, pink, purple, red, or white. It blooms from spring through summer, prefers full sun, and is extremely cold-tolerant.

Silver trumpet tree (Tabebuia aurea) is semi-evergreen, 15-25′ tall, 10-55′ wide, and produces funnel-shaped yellow flowers in the spring. It grows in sunny locations and is drought-tolerant. This tree is best planted along the beaches because it can’t tolerate freezing temperatures.

Jacaranda (Jacaranda mimosifolia) is deciduous, 25-40′ tall, 45-60′ wide, and produces fragrant lavender flowers that bloom in the spring; it flowers best in sunny locations and has a high drought and cold tolerance.

Golden shower (Cassia fistula) is deciduous, 30-40′ tall and wide, produces fragrant yellow blooms in summer, and has moderate salt and drought tolerance. This is another tender plant that could be killed by a freeze.

Yellow Poinciana (Peltophorum pterocarpum) is a semi-evergreen, 40-50′ tall, 35-50′ wide, with fragrant yellow flowers produced in the summer, and grows best in sunny, warm locations.

This time of year’s great for putting down roots

Floss silk tree (Ceiba speciosa) is deciduous, 40-55′ tall and wide, with pink and white flowers produced in the fall and winter. It is cold-tolerant and has a unique look with large “thorns” produced on a green trunk. Plant this tree at least 15′ from sidewalks, driveways, and foundations.

Royal poinciana (Delonix regia) is a tropical tree that produces red flowers and is a common tree throughout South Florida. It will also grow well over on the beaches and mid to southern Merritt Island, but if you plant it on the “mainland” here in Brevard County, a winter freeze could kill it. This tree forms an umbrella-shaped canopy that can reach 35-40′ in height and 40-60′ in spread, so it is not suitable for a small yard. Our large tree in the Brevard Discovery Garden has produced small sprouts in a few places on some main branches, but I’m not convinced it will be able to produce the large canopy it had before the freeze.

If any of these trees sound like a great addition to your yard, now is a wonderful time to plant a new tree. To help your trees grow their best, inoculate them with mycorrhizae. If you would like more information on improving soil health, email the UF/IFAS Extension Brevard County Master Gardeners at brevard-mg1@ifas.ufl.edu. Just think, when you can get flowers and shade, that just makes everything prettier and cooler!

Sally Scalera is an urban horticulture agent and master gardener coordinator for the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agriculture Science.

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Want a shady spot in your yard? Now’s a great time to plant trees