Bring Color to the Winter Landscape with 5 Trees with Ornamental Bark

You might think that the only trees that look good in the winter garden are evergreens with lots of green that remains throughout the winter months. Deciduous trees, after all, drop their leaves and then stand there looking bleak and dreary until spring. There are several species of trees, however -- both evergreen and deciduous -- that have quite decorative bark, which are often at their best during the winter months. Many can even bring some color into your landscape during this time of year. Following are five such trees that I think are particularly attractive. (For photos of each of these trees, see my slideshow.)

Paperbark Maple (Acer griseum): This species of maple is hardy in Zones 5-7. It can grow to be 20-40 feet tall and 15-25 feet wide. It can tolerate clay soil; however, it prefers a humus-rich soil that drains well and which has a pH of 5 to 7. This tree also likes a lot of moisture, which means that you should remember to water it during the hot summer months. In the winter, you will really appreciate the rich cinnamon-colored trunk with bark that peels in large paper-like curls.

Amur Choke Cherry (Prunus maackii): This member of the family of ornamental cherry trees is excellent for cold regions. It grows to be 30 feet tall and may have single or multiple trunks. This tree also offers year-round interest, producing clusters of dangling white flowers in the spring and black fruit in the summer. In the winter, the peeling gray-green bark exposes a cinnamon-colored trunk with lighter bands. Plant this tree in average, well-drained soil in an area where it will get noticed.

Birch Bark Cherry (Prunus serrulata): Also sometimes called an oriental cherry, this is another tree that is good for all seasons. About mid-spring, this 25-foot tree produces clusters of white or pink flowers that can be either single or double. The leaves then turn a red or scarlet in the fall. The bark is a rich glossy reddish-brown with lighter bands that are almost a salmon-color, definitely adding some outstanding color to the winter landscape.

Lace-Bark Pine (Pinus bungeana): This tree belongs to a family of white pines sometimes known as "three-needled pines" and tends to be a bit hardier than other white pines. The lace-bark pine is a slow-growing tree, eventually reaching a height of 30-50 feet. It develops multiple trunks with a mottled patchwork of bark in colors of green, pink, and cream. Plant in average, well-drained soil in full sun. (The bark really stands out when the sun hits it.)

White-Barked Himalayan Birch (Betula jaquemontii): Birch trees are known for their lovely peeling bark, and the white-barked Himalayan birch is no exception. Plant balled-and-burlapped trees in the spring or fall. Trim the lower limbs to expose the multiple trunks. Pruning should be done in the fall or winter; otherwise, the tree will bleed and will also be susceptible to borers. The chalky-white peeling bark has an almost ethereal appearance in the winter.

Reference:

Roth, Susan. New Complete Guide to Gardening. Des Moines, IA: Meredith Books, 1997.