Colorful Flowering Trees for the Deep South
Question from James:
Do you know of any colorful trees that can withstand South Carolina heat?
Answer from Pat:
I’m with you! If you’re going to plant a tree, why not have a colorful one? But the limiting factor is not the heat of South Carolina in summer, it’s the cold you might get in winter. You want to choose trees with proven hardiness in winter that can survive down to about ten degrees and yet live in fine health to give you a great show when they bloom in spring or summer.
I racked my brain and jumped in the shower, and the first things that popped into my mind were the best and most colorful choices: First is Crape Myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica). There are many stunning colors to choose from in pink, white, red, magenta, and purple. Choose a color you like or several. Next thought was Empress tree (Paulownia tomentosa). It doesn’t always bloom here because some spots don’t give it enough winter chill, but when it does it bowls me over, it’s so spectacular. If you plant that tree people will be coming up to you and asking you what it is. It needs a bit of winter chill so it is great in South Carolina. Then came more obvious things like magnolias (Magnolia grandiflora, M. virginiana, and M. soulangeana.) The latter is saucer magnolia and don’t forget M. siebodii which is more unusual with red centered white blooms in summer.) Kwanzan cherry is another stunner as are several flowering cherries, such as weeping cherry and Yoshino cherry, all popular for spring bloom. (Think of Washington D.C. in spring!) Then there’s, scarlet red maple for fall color, and Catalpa for stunning white blossoms in summer and big leaves for dense shade, and locust (Robinia)—the latter is a bit messy but good for outlying areas—easy to grow, and lovely in white or purple. Then dogwood (Cornus florida)—I love the pink one—, and eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis) all common trees, and finally golden rain tree (Koelreuteria paniculata). It’s a good tree but some of the others I’ve mentioned are far more spectacular.
So there you have a basic list but I bet if you went to a botanical garden you might see some more unusual trees that people just haven’t thought of growing before. For example, I’m sure you could grow Chinese fringe tree (Chionanthus retusus), and Persian silk tree (Albiizia julibrissin) is another one that should grow fine in South Carolina.
Glad to be with you in the shower and have had the same thoughts as well as planted those same seeds. I have the craple myrtle, magnolia, catalpa( seems to very slow growing) and even a fast growing empress that did not do well ( think it gets too much sun). Might try the golden rain tree. Thank you for your suggestions and quick response.
Thanks for funny reply. Glad you have magnolias, crape myrtles, and catalpa. Maybe your best bet is to begin with something bigger than a seed. Try planting a small tree, perhaps even a grafted one. Some flowering trees are available on improved root stocks. Some are variable from seeds. Best colors are special grafted selections that won’t come true from seed.
Catalpa trees are not slow growing. Most calalpas are fast-growing trees, but if you grow them from seeds, you can find some seedlings that are slow growing. That may be your problem. Other possible problems can be lack of good soil, lack of nitrogen and inadequate irrigation. Catalpa will grow in any soil but prefers rich, deep soil. If your tree is not growing fast enough, fertilize it with organic, nitrogen fertilizer. Treat the soil with an organic penetrant, mulch the tree with organic mulch, and water deeply. Try an application of John and Bob’s Soil Optimizer to give the tree a shot in the arm.
You are correct that the big leaves of Empress can scorch in hottest sun. That’s a shame when it happens, but also the tree does best in deep sandy loam. Hard, rocky, or heavy clay soil is not the best for it and will cause many surface roots. Also, I do know for a fact, however, that it can survive in South Carolina. So what might be the explanation? Maybe because there is more than one species: Empress tree (Paulownia tomentosa) is the common one, Dragon tree (Pawlownia kamakamii), is said to have smaller leaves when mature and where conditions are right it is even grown as a street tree. P. fargessii, which for sure has smaller leaves and P. fortuneii, and maybe others have various other characteristics. Hybrids probably occur. Could it be that some grow well in the south and some don’t in your area? Whatever the reason, this tree has naturalized in parts of the USA from the palisades of the Hudson in New York south into Georgia.
Thanks again. I was looking on the net and found a Stewertia flowering tree that seems to be what I want. I will take your advise and get a better bed of soil to plant in. Although I usually plant deep and wide my plantings seem to come profusely at first but don,t seem to have any stamina. It probably as you say that it’s the native red clay that is at fault. However the top soil here isn’t much better so I think I will try a compost from a local nursery hopefully with better results. Maybe my plants will last to my satisfaction.
It’s interesting that you thought of Stewartia because while taking a walk this afternoon on the beach front and thinking of curling waves and surfers—not of trees—, Franklinia popped into my mind as another colorful tree for you to consider planting. (And, yes, it can be grown from seed. I’m not sure if you can do that with stewartia.)
When you said in your latest comment to me that stewartia “seems to be what I want” does that mean that you had a mental a picture in your mind of a specific tree you once saw and wanted to have? (Perhaps at the Biltmore estate in North Carolina?) If so, perhaps it was another tree with white camellia-like blossoms and yellow centers and that is Franklinia. (They have one at the Biltmore, and it’s very colorful in fall since flowers often continue into fall when the leaves go bright red. It occurs to me you might have seen it there.) Thus, I am wondering, could it be that Franklinia is really the tree you are looking for and not stewartia? Franklinia is an American tree. One stewartia species is American, which is the mountain stewartia (S. ovata) but the others are from the Orient.
Franklinia alatamaha (also called Gordonia alatamaha) is a native of Georgia but apparently has been extinct in the wild for 200 years. It looks good with a woodland as a backdrop. Franklinia grows best in partial shade, is good with azaleas and camellias, but unlike stewartia it can grow tall if trained on a single trunk. (Maybe north of your house or north of another tree would be a good position.) It needs acid soil and good drainage. I has larger leaves that turn orange and red in fall. The blossoms are fragrant, they bloom in late summer and look like camellias. The bark is attractive gray with faint white vertical stripes on it.
Stewartia is slow growing, multi-trunked, often just a shrub, and like Franklinia it grows best in acid, organically-rich soil, like a rhododendron. Stewartia can grow in sun or shade but if sun is so hot where you live maybe partial shade would be better. Both these trees are beautiful and a handsome choices for a woodland garden. Stewartia flowers have orange stamens in their centers and also look like camellias. If choosing stewartia be sure to ask for the specific species you want by botanical name. These are: Koreana Group (Stewartia koreana), Tall stewartia (S. monadelpha), Mountain stewartia (S. ovata), or Japanese stewartia (S. pseudocamellia) the one most commonly grown. Japanese stewartia has bark which flakes off in multi-color patches in winter.
Stewartia might be easier to grow, and seems to be having current popularity, but wouldn’t it be great to plant both these trees? What a talking point in your garden to be able to compare them. Soil preparation seems to be the essence here. I wish you success building up a good organic soil. Have you thought of trying a raised bed filled with acid soil amendment?