Improving Your Home's Exterior Look: Top 5 Trees for Spectacular Curb Attraction
When it comes to enhancing the curb appeal of your front yard, a well-chosen tree can make all the difference. Here's a guide to help you select the best front yard tree based on climate, site conditions, and maintenance.
Popular Choices for Front Lawns
Flowering Crabapple (Malus spp.)
This compact tree is a favourite for front lawns due to its easy care, fragrant spring blossoms, and a mature size of 20 feet (6.5 m). Hardy in USDA zones 4-8, it's a great choice for cooler climates.
Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida)
The flowering dogwood is another popular native tree, topping out at 30 feet (10m) tall. It's the perfect size to be great front yard trees and thrives in USDA zones 5 - 9, preferring shade and cooler temperatures.
Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum)
Japanese maples offer a vast variety with exceptional leaves and can grow between 3 feet (1m) to 24 feet (8m) tall. With delicately lobed leaves that turn brilliant shades in autumn, they are hardy in USDA zones 5-9.
Ginkgo Tree (Ginkgo biloba)
Ginkgo trees are easily recognizable because of their unique, fan-shaped leaves that turn a striking bright gold color in the fall. They grow slowly to between 35 and 50 feet (5.5 - 16.5 m) tall in USDA zones 4 - 9. To avoid the smelly ginkgo fruit the females bear, opt for male Ginkgo trees.
Quaking Aspen (Populus tremuloides)
Quaking aspen is a beautiful native tree, known for its leaves that tremble with every breeze. It thrives in cooler climates, down to USDA zone 1, and is a tree to consider for larger front yards.
Consider Your Local Climate and Hardiness Zone
To ensure the tree is suitable for your climate, start by considering your local hardiness zone. Match tree species to your USDA hardiness zone or equivalent climate zone to increase chances of successful growth and reduced care requirements.
Site Conditions
Assess your site conditions such as available space, sunlight exposure, soil drainage, and proximity to structures. For smaller spaces or to avoid infrastructure damage, choose trees with non-invasive roots and manageable mature size like Amur maple or serviceberry, which are adaptable to many landscapes and have slow-growing roots.
Shade Trees
If you want shade, opt for species known for broad canopies such as oak varieties, but ensure you have sufficient space for their mature spread.
Watering and Maintenance
Regarding maintenance, examine the tree’s water needs and growth rate: newly planted trees require more frequent watering (every 2-3 days for container trees, weekly for balled trees), especially in the first few years, while established trees need less frequent watering and general pruning to maintain shape and health. Plan for watering early or late in the day to reduce evaporation and disease risk.
Examples of Front Yard Trees
Examples of front yard trees suited by climate and low invasiveness include Serviceberry, Amur Maple, Crabapple, and Japanese Maple for cooler zones, while for warmer zones citrus trees are suitable small trees. Selecting the right tree with matching site conditions will optimize beauty, functionality, and long-term satisfaction with low maintenance.
A well-chosen tree for your home-and-garden can enhance not only the curb appeal of your front yard, but also your lifestyle, by providing a touch of beauty and serenity. For example, the Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida) is a popular native tree that is perfect for home-and-garden enthusiasts who prefer a low-maintenance gardening approach, as it thrives in USDA zones 5 - 9 and grows to a mature size of 30 feet (10m). Additionally, the Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum), with its unique exceptionally lobed leaves that turn brilliant shades in autumn, is a great choice for those who appreciate a variety in their home-and-garden, as it is hardy in USDA zones 5-9 and grows between 3 feet (1m) to 24 feet (8m) tall.
