A: This, to me, is the best time of year for tree and plant identification. By asking the same questions of more experienced gardeners, I finally became familiar with most spring-blooming trees in N. Georgia. Years ago, back when I was phone screener and assistant producer for Walter Reeves during his long-tenured Lawn and Garden Show, he tasked me with photographing plants as I saw them bloom in spring, then bringing those photos back to him to identify. I started a collection of my photos, and it now lives on my show’s Facebook page as “Highway Horticulture”. Find a shortcut here.

The first pink trees to bloom are generally cherry trees. Okame is quite common, and so is Autumnalis. A cherry tree with white blooms you’ll notice after Okame and Autumnalis is Yoshino. You may see white blooms on trees and shrubs that have yet to leaf out. Star magnolia is a deciduous shrub or small tree with white, papery looking flowers. Edgeworthia, a large shrub, sports yellowish-white, very fragrant blooms now too.

©2024 Cox Media Group