California is a land blessed with natural beauty and abundance.
The sheer scale of the state and the topography of the land means that you’ll find mountains, coastal areas, and deserts all within this extensive landmass.
Needless to say, this means that the variety of tree species you can grow here are plentiful, regardless of whether you’re in Northern or Southern California, or in zone 5 or 11.
30 Flowering Trees to Plant in California
1. Jacaranda (Jacaranda mimosifolia) – Southern California
Jacaranda is a tree native to Central America, South America, and parts of the Caribbean. Jacarandas are adored in subtropical and warm temperate regions around the world for their clusters of fragrant, lavender-blue/purple trumpet-shaped flowers that appear on the canopy before the leaves emerge in spring.
A second, lesser flush of flowers sometimes appears later in the summer. Jacarandas do best in sunny spots in well-drained soil.
Other Common Names: Blue Jacaranda, Black Poui, Nupu, Fern Tree
Growing Zones: 9b-11
Average Size at Maturity: 30-45 ft tall and 30-45 ft wide
Flowering Season: Late April to Early June. In warmer years they may flower again in September
Available at: Fast-Growing-Trees
2. Silk Tree (Albizia julibrissin) – Southern California
The Silk Tree is native to South East Asia and is commonly planted around the world in suitable climates. When mature, the Silk Tree develops a remarkably flat canopy that offers dappled shade.
The color of the flower depends on the cultivar, but are often pink, white, or red encased in a soft and flowy pink petal.
The Silk Tree is a popular flowering tree for SoCal due to its delicate feathery foliage and delicate flowers and the light shade it offers soon after planting.
Other Common Names: Mimosa Tree
Growing Zones: 6-9
Average Size at Maturity: 20-40 ft tall and 20-50 ft wide
Flowering Season: Late spring to mid-summer
Available at: Fast-Growing-Trees & Nature Hills
3. Blue Elderberry (Sambucus nigra ssp. Caerulea) – Northern and Southern California
The Blue Elderberry is a drought-tolerant small tree or shrub native to California, so is both easy and rewarding to grow for new gardeners and those who don’t have the time to put into high maintenance species. Flowers burst forth in shades of creamy white or yellow in the early spring and can remain until the fall.
The flowers are followed by purple berries that provide an essential food source for local birds. The Blue Elderberry can handle a different variety of soil types and moisture levels, including permanently moist as well as fairly dry soils.
Planted in the latter it may become deciduous or semi-deciduous in summer or fall. It’ll tolerate part shade as well as full sun.
Other Common Names: Mexican Elderberry, Tapiro
Growing Zones: 4-9
Average Size at Maturity: 20-30 ft tall and 20-30 ft wide
Flowering Season: Spring and Summer
4. Marina Strawberry Tree (Arbutus marina) – Northern and Southern California
The Marina Strawberry Tree is an easy-to-grow tree with an elegant and tidy form, suited to smaller areas. Dark leaves are 3-4” long with softly toothed margins. Hanging clusters of pink/rose flowers are followed by reddish-orange strawberry-like fruit which matures in the fall.
It’s easy to see why the Marina Strawberry Tree has become popular with home growers in Coastal, inland, and valley areas of CA.
In SoCal, it grows best in warmer and drier areas with well-draining soil and regular moisture throughout the year. It’s suitable for yards, patios, or even container growing.
Other Common Names: Marina Strawberry Tree
Growing Zones: 7-10
Average Size at Maturity: 20-30 ft tall and 15-20 ft wide
Flowering Season: Spring and summer
Available at: Fast-Growing-Trees & Nature Hills
5. New Zealand Christmas Tree (Metrosideros excelsa) – Southern California
The New Zealand Christmas Tree is remarkable for its leathery foliage and attention-grabbing flowers. The New Zealand Christmas Tree is an evergreen with a wide-spreading crown and cluster of crimson flowers with needle-like stamens that adorn the end of the branch tips like Christmas decorations.
The flowers contrast strongly with the glossy dark green oblong to ovate leaves.
The New Zealand Christmas Tree is tolerant of wind, salt spray, and drought, making it suitable for coastal areas of CA. Many different birds species are attracted by the nectar-rich flowers.
Plant this long-living species in full sun or partial shade in dry to medium, slightly acidic to neutral soil
Other Common Names: New Zealand Fire Tree, Pohutukawa
Growing Zones: 10-11
Average Size at Maturity: 30-35 ft tall and 30-35 ft wide
Flowering Season: Late spring to early summer
6. Tipu (Tipuana tipu) – Southern California
The Tipu is a commonly planted shade tree in warmer climates around the world. It’s a medium-sized flowering leguminous tree that fixes nitrogen in the soil, making it not only visually spectacular but also functional and ecologically useful.
The Tipu is usually a single-trunked tree with a wide-spreading canopy. The summer months see the canopy covered in yellow/apricot pea-shaped flowers followed by large brown seed pods. The Tipu is a fast-growing shade tree suited to warmer regions of CA.
Plant in full sun or partial shade away from any infrastructure as Tipu roots are known to be disruptive. They’ll tolerate moist or dry clay, sand, or loamy soils. Whilst they prefer acidic soils they’ll also tolerate alkaline environments.
Other Common Names: Yellow Jacaranda, Rosewood, Pride of Bolivia
Growing Zones: 9-11
Average Size at Maturity: 25-50 ft tall and 40-65 ft wide
Flowering Season: Summer
7. Catalina Cherry (Prunus ilicifolia ssp. lyonii) – Southern California
The Catalina is a native tree that grows in southern and Central CA, mostly in the Channel Islands and in some limited areas of coastal Southern California. The Catalina Cherry is a fast-growing species with an upright form and actively grows throughout the spring, summer, and fall.
The flowers on the Catalina Cherry are white and the foliage is a medium shade of shiny green and remains on the tree throughout the year. Whilst the fruit is edible, it is usually left for the birds who rely on it as a food source.
The Catalina cherry will tolerate full sun or partial shade and will grow in a variety of soil types.
Other Common Names: Hollyleaf Cherry, Island Cherry
Growing Zones: 8-9
Average Size at Maturity: 30-40 ft tall and 6-20 ft wide
Flowering Season: Late Spring
Available at: Nature Hills
8. Museum Palo Verde (Cercidium x ‘Desert Museum’) – Southern California
The Museum Palo Verde is a desert dweller that provides a show of large bright yellow flowers. Whilst deciduous, when the leaves drop they reveal an intriguing bright green trunk meaning the Palo Verde provides visual interest throughout the year.
Unlike other Palo Verdes, the Desert Museum is a thornless variety that produces fewer seedpods. They function well as shade trees, as they provide a light-dappled respite from the harsh sun.
Other Common Names: Palo Verde
Growing Zones: 8-11
Average Size at Maturity: 20-30 ft tall and 20-25 ft wide
Flowering Season: Spring
9. Orchid Tree (Bauhinia variegata) – Southern California
The Orchid Tree is native to China and India and is an eye-catching tree, due both to its leaf shape and flowers. The leaves are two-lobed and butterfly-shaped whilst the flowers resemble purple orchids and are mildly fragrant.
The Orchid Tree is a small to medium-sized tree that has a rounded and spreading habit. It’s a drought-tolerant tree that grows well in moist, well-drained acidic loams or sandy soils, in full sun or partial shade.
Other Common Names: Purple Orchid Tree, Mountain Ebony, Butterfly Tree
Growing Zones: 9-11
Average Size at Maturity: 20-30 ft tall and 20-35 ft wide
Flowering Season: Late summer/early fall
10. Evergreen Pear (Pyrus kawakamii) – Northern and Southern California
The Evergreen pear is a highly sought-after flowering tree in warmer climates due to its glossy mostly evergreen foliage. However, it can lose its leaves in the coldest winters. It works well espaliered against walls. Left in its natural form, the Evergreen pear forms a small tree with a rounded crown.
The glossy leaves are 3” in length and are broadly oval with a point, and put on an extravagant show of white blossom in the winter months. It’s usually one of the first trees to bloom, and the unmissable flowers emit an irresistible aroma for local birds and pollinators.
The flowers are followed by pea-sized inedible bronze fruit. The Evergreen Pear adds immeasurable interest to the Desert Southwest landscape.
Other Common Names: Evergreen Pear
Growing Zones: 8-10
Average Size at Maturity: 15-30 ft tall and 15-30 ft wide
Flowering Season: Winter
11. California Buckeye (Aesculus californica) – Northern and Southern California
The California Buckeye is found over large areas of the state and is the only native buckeye. It’s a small tree or shrub whose gray bark is often covered in lichen or moss. The crown of the California Buckeye is typically as broad as it is high.
The dark green leaves usually have 5-7 leaflets with a finely toothed margin. The leaves are tender and easily suffer from spring frosts, snows, and extreme heat and drop readily.
Once established, the California Buckeye is drought tolerant but will look fuller with supplemental irrigation. The upright white flowers are a real standout in the landscape and are sure to catch onlookers’ attention.
Other Common Names: California Horse Chestnut
Growing Zones: 7-8
Average Size at Maturity: 13-40 ft tall and 30-40 ft wide
Flowering Season: Summer and spring
12. Australian Tea Tree (Leptospermum laevigatum)
The Australian Tea Tree is a tree that graces the landscape with beautiful blooms throughout the year. Its common name comes from the practice of early settlers seeping its leaves (and those of related species) in water to make a tea substitute.
It’ll grow best in CA in coastal environments away from the extremes of the deserts or harsh inland climates. It’s well adapted to salt spray, wind, and seasonal drought.
The leaves of the Australian Tea Tree are egg-shaped, whilst the bark is thin and rough on old stems. The white flowers are relatively large and are followed by a flat-topped fruit that is shed shortly after maturity.
The flowers are borne on side shoots and are usually in pairs of different ages. The Australian Tea Tree will grow best in well-drained clay that’s slightly acidic.
Other Common Names: Coast Tea Tree, Australian Myrtle
Growing Zones: 9-10
Average Size at Maturity: 15-25 ft tall and 15-25 ft wide
Flowering Season: Spring
13. Coral Tree (Erythrina spp.) – Southern California
Coral Trees are members of the Genus Erythrina and are primarily found in tropical regions of the world, as well as in South Africa. The Coral Tree is also the official tree of the city of Los Angeles.
There are about 112 different members of the Erythrina genus, and about 12 of them thrive in San Diego’s semi-arid climate. Coral trees love heat and should be planted in full sun.
Coral Trees flowers are what give this tree its character; they have a finger-like appearance and are a fiery red/orange that vies for your attention with its exotic allure.
Overwatering can cause growth spurts that the tree can’t support, resulting in weak limbs and causing branches to snap in strong winds.
Other Common Names: Coraltree
Growing Zones: 9-11
Average Size at Maturity: 20-40 ft tall and 40-60 ft tall
Varieties Suitable for California: Erythrina x bidwillii, Erythrina acanthocarpa, Erythrina abyssinica, Erythrina coralloides ‘Bicolor, Erythrina flabelliformis, Erythrina crista-galli, Erythrina humeana, Erythrina falcata, Erythrina speciosa
Flowering Season: Late winter/early spring
14. California Ash (Fraxinus dipetala) – Northern and Southern California
The California Ash is a small tree native to low elevations throughout the mountain ranges of CA. The white blooms look like lilac blossoms and hang in clusters off the tender branches and emit a sweet fragrance that attracts a host of butterflies, birds, and other pollinators.
The California Ash does best planted on a slope in full sun or partial shade in well-drained soil. Be sure not to overwater. It’s drought tolerant once established but will respond happily to summer irrigation. The California Ash will tolerate heavy soils.
Other Common Names: Red Ash, Swamp Ash, Water Ash, Two-Petal Ash, Single-leaf Ash
Growing Zones: 7-9
Average Size at Maturity: 7-25 ft tall and 10-15 ft wide
Flowering Season: Spring
15. Gold Medallion Tree (Cassia leptophylla) – Southern California
The Gold Medallion Tree is planted around San Diego and can be distinguished from other trees due to the profusion of yellow pom-pom flowers that appear in the summer months. The flower clusters appear at the end of the branches and are roughly the size of a basketball.
The Gold Medallion Tree is fast-growing and its foliage is composed of compound, large leaves. It’ll do best planted in full sun and will appreciate supplemental irrigation until well established. Once established it’ll require less water and will deal well with drought conditions.
The Gold Medallion Tree is leguminous, so the flowers are followed by brown seed pods in the fall.
Other Common Names: Golden Medallion Tree
Growing Zones: 9B-11
Average Size at Maturity: 20-25 ft tall and 20-30 ft wide
Flowering Season: Summer
16. California Flannelbush (Fremontodedron californicum)
The California Flannelbush is a small flowering tree or shrub native to California. It loves being in the sand and can’t take summer irrigation. Instead, it needs access to water via its deep roots. The yellow flowers draw the eye in and make the tree a standout in any landscape.
The leaves are fuzzy and flannel-like, and large yellow blossoms appear in the spring. Its native range extends from the Central Valley, the hills of the Central Coast, the San Francisco Bay Area, and the Transverse and Peninsular Mountain Ranges.
It can be found in sandy washes near creeks and on chalky, well-drained mountainsides.
Other Common Names: Flannel Bush, California Fremontia
Growing Zones: 8-10
Average Size at Maturity: 6-20 ft tall and 6-20 ft wide
Flowering Season: Spring and summer
Available at: Nature Hills
17. Desert Willow (Chilopsis linearis) – Southern California
The Desert Willow is a small tree native to the Southwestern US and parts of Mexico. Its common name comes from the resemblance of its leaves to Willows, but it’s actually a member of the Bignoniaceae family.
It can be found growing in washes and along riverbanks at elevations below 1500 ft in the Colorado and Mojave Deserts.
The flowers are pink and fragrant and are favored by hummingbirds. The Desert Willow is winter deciduous, but still makes an outstanding addition to dry inland gardens due to its attractive floral display.
Other Common Names: Desert-willow
Growing Zones: 5-9
Average Size at Maturity: 18-30 ft tall and 15-20 wide
Flowering Season: Spring and summer
Available at: Fast-Growing-Trees & Nature Hills
18. Chinese Fringe Tree (Chionanthus retusus) – Northern and Southern California
The Chinese Fringe Tree is a native of China, Korea, and Japan, and is a multi-stemmed small tree or shrub with a spreading, rounded habit.
It offers a proliferation of mildly fragrant, pure white flowers with fringe-like petals, hence the common name. Pollinated female flowers give way to bunches of olive-like dark purple/black fruits.
The foliage are dark green, leathery, ovate, or elliptic. The Fringe tree will grow best in full sun or partial shade, in well-drained, slightly acidic, moderately fertile soil.
Other Common Names: Chinese Fringetree
Growing Zones: 5-9
Average Size at Maturity: 15-25 ft tall and 30-40 ft wide
Flowering Season: Spring to early summer
Available at: Fast-Growing-Trees
19. Creek Dogwood (Cornus sericea) – Northern and Southern California
The Creek Dogwood is a small tree that’s native to CA and is also present throughout much of North America. It grows best in wet soils and wetlands and is a fast grower in the proper environment.
Spring sees the Creek Dogwood produce small white flowers. Purple and red foliage follow in the fall and the red bark stands out in the landscape throughout the winter, meaning you have full seasonal interest.
Many different cultivars of dogwoods are available, with a range of different leaf shapes, sizes, and bloom colors.
Other Common Names: Red Twig Dogwood, Red Osier Dogwood
Growing Zones: 3-8
Average Size at Maturity: 6-15 ft tall and 5-15 ft wide
Flowering Season: Spring
Available at: Fast-Growing-Trees & Nature Hills
20. Desert Ironwood (Olneya tesota) – Southern California
The Desert Ironwood is an integral part of the desert landscape. Spring sees the appearance of dizzying purple flowers that resemble those of sweetpea, and are highly desirable to butterflies and other local pollinators in dry inland areas.
The Desert Ironwood provides local wildlife with food and shelter including quail, doves, and small rodents. The oval leaves are small, grey-green, and are covered in small hairs and develop into an attractive spreading canopy upon maturity.
The bark is smooth and gray on young trees and develops wrinkles with age.
The flowers emerge in arches at the branch tips in early spring and range in color from pale rose to pink to white. Edible brown seed pods follow the seed pods and are enjoyed by native wildlife.
In its natural habitat, the Desert Ironwood sheds its leaves to conserve moisture but can remain evergreen when given supplemental irrigation.
Other Common Names: Palo Fierro
Growing Zones: 8-10
Average Size at Maturity: 20-33 ft tall and 15-33 ft wide
Flowering Season: Early spring
21. Norfolk Island Hibiscus (Lagunaria patersonii) – Northern and Southern California
The Norfolk Island Hibiscus is a fast-growing slender evergreen pyramidal tree native to Norfolk Island, Lord Howe Island, and parts of Coastal Queensland, Australia. It’s cultivated as a street and park tree in CA, mostly in coastal areas.
The leaves of the Norfolk Island Hibiscus are leathery, oval, and are olive-green above and grey-green underneath.
As the name suggests, the flowers resemble hibiscus, and are pink to white, with petals encircling the projecting stamens and golden anthers.
Fuzzy brown capsules follow the flowers and encase the kidney-shaped seeds which are covered in a carbon-fiber-like hair that can cause skin irritation.
Other Common Names: Primrose Tree, Cow Itch Tree
Growing Zones: 9-11
Average Size at Maturity: 20-30 ft tall and 10-20 ft wide
Flowering Season: Summer to fall
22. Chitalpa (Chitalpa x tashkentensis)
The Chitalpa is a smaller-sized flowering tree that does well in California. The Chitalpa is notable for its grey-white bark and showy white or light pink flowers which appear in abundance throughout the spring, summer, and fall.
It has a rounded, umbrella, or vase-shaped canopy and narrowly pointed medium green leaves.
The flowers are trumpet-shaped and pink to white 1” across and appear on the branch tips. Chitalpa x tashkentensis is a sterile cross between Chitalpa bignonioides and Chilopsis linearis so doesn’t produce any messy seed pods.
Plant in deep, moderately fertile well-draining soil in full sun or partial shade. Whilst drought tolerant, it’ll do best with regular irrigation.
Other Common Names: Chitalpa
Growing Zones: 6-11
Average Size at Maturity: 20-35 ft tall and 20-35 ft wide
Flowering Season: Spring to fall
23. Floss Silk Tree (Ceiba speciosa) – Southern California
The Floss Silk Tree is a thick and thorny trunked flowering tree native to tropical and subtropical forests of South America. The tropical-looking foliage and hibiscus-like flowers make the Floss Silk Tree a favorite ornamental in mild winter areas of CA.
The palmate leaves have 5” long leaflets and the trees are known for their large seed pods which contain the silk-like fiber used in upholstery.
The Floss Silk Tree does best in warm dry areas of SoCal and is sure to catch onlookers’ attention year-round with its thick trunk covered in thorns. The bark on the young tree is green and matures to grey.
In the fall (or midsummer in hotter areas) a profusion of pink flowers 5-6” wide adorn the tree.
Silk Floss Trees prefer a well-draining soil in full sun.
Other Common Names: Floss-Silk Tree
Growing Zones: 9-11
Average Size at Maturity: 30-50 ft tall and 30-50 ft wide
Flowering Season: Midsummer/fall
Available at: Fast-Growing-Trees
24. Western Redbud (Cercis occidentalis) – Northern and Southern California
The Western Redbud is native to California, Arizona, and Utah and is a small compact deciduous tree. In CA, it’s mainly found the foothills and mountains. It features heart-shaped leaves that change to shades of gold and red in the fall.
Magenta/purple/pink flowers appear in clusters along the branches and the trunk and are edible. These give way to brown hanging leguminous seed pods.
The branches of the Western Redbud are brown and thin and bear shiny heart-shaped leaves which are bright in the early season and darken with age. The Western Redbud grows best in well-drained soil in full sun to partial shade.
It’ll grow just about anywhere in NorCal where temperatures remain above 15 F. In Southern California, plant near seasonal streams, springs, or in irrigated areas.
Other Common Names: Western Redbud
Growing Zones: 6-9
Average Size at Maturity: 10-20 ft tall and 10-15 ft wide
Flowering Season: Late winter/spring
Available at: Nature Hills
25. Yoshino Cherry (Prunus x yedoensis)
The Yoshino is regarded as one of the most spectacular flowering trees around, due to the profusion of almond-scented pink blossoms that appear simultaneously, before quickly being shed.
The buds are light pink and 1.5 ” across with 5 petals and open pale pink, before maturing to a creamy white. The Yoshino Cherry blooms for about 2-3 weeks before giving way to small and shiny black fruit which are swiftly enjoyed by birds.
The Yoshino Cherry has an upright habit with a spreading, vase-shaped crown and ascending branches. It’ll tolerate a wide range of soils, as well as heat and humidity, but not drought.
Other Common Names: Yoshino Cherry Tree, Japanese Flowering Cherry, Potomac Cherry, Tokyo Cherry
Growing Zones: 5-8
Average Size at Maturity: 25-35 ft tall and 25-40 ft wide
Flowering Season: Spring
Available at: Fast-Growing-Trees & Nature Hills
26. Desert Peach (Prunus andersonii) – Northern and Southern California
The Desert Peach is a small tree in the rose family that grows in eastern California in scrublands in deserts and at the bases of mountains. The Desert Peach produces 5 petaled pink flowers which appear at the same time as the leaves, providing a memorable spring treat.
The Desert Peach is popular in bird and butterfly gardens and is resistant to deer. Being a desert dweller, this tree prefers sandy, well-draining soil and needs little moisture to thrive.
Other Common Names: Desert Almond
Growing Zones: 5-9
Average Size at Maturity: 3.5-8 ft tall and 5-8 ft wide
Flowering Season: Spring
27. Desert Range Almond (Prunus fasciculata) – Southern California
The Desert Range Almond is an important flowering tree in the deserts of CA as it attracts pollinators and such as bees which are vital for the landscape.
It’s a small tree reaching only about 6 ft, and its branches are covered in thorns. Small, white, sweetly perfumed flowers appear from March to May.
The bark is smooth and grey and the leaves are 5-10mm long. The Desert Range Almond prefers dry rocky soil, on dry slopes, close to washes.
Other Common Names: Desert Peach
Growing Zones: 6-9
Average Size at Maturity: 3.5-7 ft tall and 3.5-7 ft wide
Flowering Season: March to May
28. Golden Rain Tree (Koelreuteria paniculata) – Northern and Southern California
The Golden Rain Tree is a medium-sized deciduous tree with a rounded crown and open branches.
Long clusters of yellow flowers adorn the tree amidst feathery pinnate leaves that emerge purplish/pink before becoming bright green upon maturity and finally turning golden yellow in the fall. The pannicles of fragrant flowers are followed by papery, lantern-like seed pods.
Plant in full sun in well-drained, dry to medium soils.
Other Common Names: Pride of India, China Tree, Varnish Tree
Growing Zones: 6-9
Average Size at Maturity: 30-40 ft tall and 30-35 ft wide
Flowering Season: Late summer
Available at: Fast-Growing-Trees & Nature Hills
29. Goodding’s Black Willow (Salix gooddingii) – Northern And Southern California
Goodding Black Willow can be found in wetlands in California and plays a vital role for the local wildlife in this area. It can be found from the south coast to the central valley, and perennial streams in desert areas.
The small green flowers bloom early in the season. It serves as a good accent tree in bee, bird, and wildlife gardens. Being hardy down to 10 F, it’s suitable for almost all parts of the state of California.
This tree needs full sun and soil that retains moisture.
Other Common Names: Gooddings Willow
Growing Zones: 8-10
Average Size at Maturity: 20-60 ft tall and 20-40 ft wide
Flowering Season: March to April
30. Honey Mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa) – Southern California
The Honey Mesquite is native to California so in the right place will require little care or maintenance. Provide it with well-drained soil, little moisture, and full sun and it’ll thrive.
If you want to create a desert garden, then the Honey Mesquite will provide a medium-height accent. Being a native, the Honey Mesquite provides vital habitat for native creatures such as birds and rabbits.
The Honey Mesquite produces bottle-brush, cylindrical white or yellow flowers which develop into a nutritious seedpod that is enjoyed by local wildlife.
Other Common Names: Honey Mesquite
Growing Zones: 7-9
Average Size at Maturity: 20-30 ft tall and 25-30 ft wide
Flowering Season: Spring
Califlora
The landmass of California is so extensive, both spatially and topographically that the homeowner is spoiled when it comes to deciding what flowering trees to plant.
Regardless of whether you’re in Northern or Southern California, planting zone 5 or 11, in the high mountains, near the coast, or in the desert, there are numerous types of flowering trees you can plant to beautify your land and benefit the local wildlife.
