Flowering Trees For Summer - Summertime Flowering Trees

Summer would not be summer without abundant blossoms, and that display should include summertime flowering trees. While spring is the time for many trees to flower, there are more than a few tree species that bloom in summer.

If you are wondering what trees bloom in the summer, read on. We’ll give you our picks for the best summer flowering trees.

Trees That Flower in Summer

What trees bloom in the summer? There are so many varieties! Let’s talk purple flowers first. The jacaranda (Jacaranda mimosifolia) offers ferny foliage all year long, but in summer, this is set off by gorgeous blooms of breathtaking purple flowers. Its layered canopy makes the jacaranda a great shade tree that will bloom and grow during the heat of summer. 

With twisting trunks and a large, layered canopy, the chaste tree (Vitex agnus-castus) is among the most popular flowering trees for summer. Known for its stunning displays of long spikes of purple blooms, the chaste tree delights with its bright, flowering canopy during the late spring into summer. The tree attracts hummingbirds as well as insect pollinators and takes very little maintenance. 

Summertime Flowering Trees

Yet another species of summertime flowering trees produces purple summer flowers: the crape myrtle (Lythraceae indica). In fact, a mature tree in bloom resembles a giant bouquet, with many slender stems topped by an explosion of flowers in purple, red, pink or white. 

Beloved for their long and constant bloom cycle, crape myrtle also offers showy fall foliage. This enchanting tree, frequently planted in the south, tolerates heat, humidity and drought.

Best Summer Flowering Trees

Of all the trees that flower in summer, none offer more unique blooms than members of the Cotinus genus. Smokebush (Cotinus atropurpurea) and smoketree (Cotinus obovatus) both offer subtle, delicate flowers that look like little puffs of smoke when blooming in May through June. Smoketree’s foliage is green while smokebush has burgundy leaves. 

Ready for a few more flowering trees for summer? Althea (Hibiscus syriacus) is a small tree or large shrub that grows to 12 feet (4 meters) tall and half that wide. It produces classic hibiscus flowers in a wealth of colors in a long blooming season that starts in May and just keeps right on going through summer.