Trees with Pink and Purple Flowers: 16 Showstoppers for Every Zone

Pink and purple flowering trees are the ones that make people pull over and take photos. A street lined with cherry blossoms in April stops traffic. A jacaranda dropping purple petals on a sidewalk in June looks like something from a painting. These are the trees you plant for the show.

Most pink and purple flowering trees bloom in spring, but you can extend the color from March through September by choosing species with staggered bloom times. Here are 16 worth planting, organized by when they flower, with the practical details on size, soil, pruning, mess, and cost that nursery tags skip.

Early spring bloomers (March-April)

Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis)

The first splash of color in spring. Magenta-pink flowers appear directly on bare branches and even the trunk in early to mid-April. The effect is electric against a gray late-winter sky. Heart-shaped leaves follow, turning yellow in fall.

• Zones: 4-9
• Mature size: 20-30 feet tall and wide
• Bloom color: Magenta-pink
• Bloom time: Early to mid-April (2-3 weeks)
• Growth rate: Medium (12-18 inches/year)
• Soil: Adaptable. Handles clay, loam, or sandy soils as long as drainage is decent. Prefers slightly acidic to neutral pH (6.0-7.5).
• Drought tolerance: Moderate once established. Water deeply during the first two summers.
• Messiness: Low. Small seed pods drop in fall but break down quickly.
• Cost: $40-80 for a 5-gallon, $150-300 for a 1-inch caliper B&B specimen.

Best cultivars: ‘Forest Pansy’ has purple leaves all season. ‘Rising Sun’ has peach, gold, and green new growth. ‘Ruby Falls’ is a weeping form with purple leaves that stays under 10 feet, making it a great choice for small yards. The species is native across the eastern US and attracts early pollinators.

Prune right after flowers fade in late April or early May. Redbud blooms on old wood, so winter pruning removes next year’s show.

Redbud is one of the best ornamental trees for small to medium yards. Pair it with white-flowering dogwoods for a classic spring combination.

Saucer Magnolia (Magnolia x soulangeana)

Enormous pink-and-white tulip-shaped flowers, 5-10 inches across, on bare branches. When a saucer magnolia blooms, nothing else in the yard competes. The flowers appear before leaves in late March to early April.

• Zones: 4-9
• Mature size: 20-30 feet tall and wide
• Bloom color: Pink and white (bicolor)
• Bloom time: Late March to early April (2 weeks)
• Soil: Prefers rich, slightly acidic soil (pH 5.5-6.5) with good drainage. Heavy clay stunts growth.
• Drought tolerance: Low to moderate. Needs consistent moisture, especially in the first three years.
• Messiness: Moderate. Fallen petals are large and slippery on walkways. Cone-like seed clusters drop in fall.
• Cost: $60-120 for a 5-gallon, $200-400 for a 1.5-inch caliper specimen.
• Risk: Late frosts destroy the buds in some years. In zone 5, this happens every 2-3 years. Plant in a sheltered spot on the south side of a building.

Prune only to shape, and do it right after bloom. Magnolias heal slowly and heavy pruning invites decay.

Okame Cherry (Prunus x ‘Okame’)

One of the earliest cherries to bloom. Deep pink flowers appear in mid-March, weeks before Japanese cherries. A small, tidy tree that works in tight spaces. Often the first tree to signal spring in the neighborhood.

• Zones: 6-9
• Mature size: 20-30 feet tall, 15-25 feet wide
• Bloom color: Deep pink
• Bloom time: Mid-March (2 weeks)
• Fall color: Orange-red
• Soil: Average, well-drained. Tolerates clay better than most cherries.
• Drought tolerance: Moderate. Handles dry spells once the root system is established (year three onward).
• Messiness: Low. No edible fruit, minimal petal drop compared to Kwanzan or Yoshino.
• Cost: $50-100 for a 5-gallon, $180-350 for a 1.5-inch caliper.

Okame requires almost no pruning beyond removing dead or crossing branches. Its naturally rounded shape stays clean without intervention.

Mid-spring bloomers (April-May)

Kwanzan Cherry (Prunus serrulata ‘Kwanzan’)

Double pink flowers so full they look like pom-poms. Kwanzan is the showiest of the Japanese flowering cherries, with clusters of 30+ petals per flower. The blooms last 2-3 weeks in mid to late April. No fruit (the double flowers are sterile), which means no mess.

• Zones: 5-9
• Mature size: 25-35 feet tall, 25-35 feet wide
• Bloom color: Deep pink, double flowers
• Bloom time: Mid to late April (2-3 weeks)
• Lifespan: 15-25 years (shorter than most shade trees)
• Soil: Moist, well-drained, slightly acidic. Does not tolerate wet feet or compacted clay.
• Drought tolerance: Low. Needs regular watering during dry summers or the canopy thins.
• Messiness: Low. No fruit. Petal drop creates a brief pink carpet that blows away in a day.
• Cost: $80-150 for a 5-gallon, $250-500 for a 2-inch caliper specimen.

Kwanzan has a vase-shaped canopy that looks formal in front yard plantings. Know going in that this tree has a shorter lifespan than most. Plan a replacement planting around year 15.

Yoshino Cherry (Prunus x yedoensis)

The cherry of the Washington DC Tidal Basin. Soft pink to white flowers open in early to mid-April in massive clouds. Less showy per-flower than Kwanzan but the overall effect is stunning because the entire canopy blooms simultaneously.

• Zones: 5-8
• Mature size: 25-35 feet tall, 25-40 feet wide
• Bloom color: Pale pink fading to white
• Bloom time: Early to mid-April (1-2 weeks)
• Growth rate: Fast (2-3 feet/year)
• Soil: Adaptable but prefers moist, well-drained loam. Avoid heavy clay.
• Drought tolerance: Low. Water stress causes premature leaf drop and shortens the already-limited lifespan.
• Messiness: Moderate. Small dark fruit drops in summer and stains hardscaping.
• Cost: $60-120 for a 5-gallon, $200-450 for a 2-inch caliper.

Yoshino spreads wide, so give it 30 feet of clearance from structures. The horizontal branching looks outstanding when underlit at night.

Pink Dogwood (Cornus florida var. rubra)

Native flowering dogwood with pink to rose-colored bracts (the showy parts are actually modified leaves, not petals). Blooms in late April to May alongside the white-flowering species. Understory tree that thrives in partial shade.

• Zones: 5-8
• Mature size: 15-25 feet tall and wide
• Bloom color: Pink to rose
• Bloom time: Late April to May (2-3 weeks)
• Fall color: Red to purple
• Soil: Rich, acidic, well-drained (pH 5.5-6.5). Struggles in alkaline soil.
• Drought tolerance: Low. Native to moist woodland edges. Mulch heavily and water during droughts.
• Messiness: Low. Red berries attract birds before they hit the ground. Minimal leaf litter.
• Cost: $50-100 for a 5-gallon, $200-400 for a 1.5-inch caliper.
• Disease concern: Susceptible to dogwood anthracnose in the Northeast. Kousa dogwoods are more resistant. ‘Appalachian Spring’ is anthracnose immune.

Pink dogwood looks best planted at woodland edges or in dappled shade from taller trees. Full sun in hot climates scorches the leaves.

Flowering Crabapple (Malus cultivars)

Modern crabapple cultivars produce masses of pink to reddish-pink flowers with excellent disease resistance. Persistent fruit feeds winter birds. The best cultivars are nothing like the scab-prone, messy crabapples of 30 years ago.

• Zones: 4-8
• Mature size: 15-25 feet (varies by cultivar)
• Bloom color: Pink to deep pink (varies)
• Best pink cultivars: ‘Prairifire’ (deep pink, maroon fruit), ‘Robinson’ (deep pink), ‘Louisa’ (pink, weeping form)
• Soil: Adaptable to most soils. Prefers well-drained loam but handles clay.
• Drought tolerance: Moderate to good once established. Tough trees overall.
• Messiness: Varies wildly by cultivar. Persistent-fruit types like ‘Prairifire’ are cleaner because birds eat the small fruit. Large-fruited types drop messy apples that ferment on the ground.
• Cost: $40-90 for a 5-gallon, $150-300 for a 1.5-inch caliper.

For more on flowering trees and spring-flowering species, we have dedicated guides.

Late spring to early summer bloomers (May-June)

Royal Empress Tree (Paulownia tomentosa)

Clusters of fragrant lavender-purple trumpet flowers in May before leaves emerge. Each cluster holds 20-30 flowers. The fragrance carries for yards. Fast-growing and dramatic.

• Zones: 5-9
• Mature size: 30-50 feet tall and wide
• Bloom color: Lavender-purple
• Bloom time: May (2-3 weeks)
• Growth rate: Very fast (5+ feet/year)
• Soil: Grows in almost anything, including poor, rocky soil. That adaptability is part of the invasive problem.
• Drought tolerance: Good once established.
• Messiness: High. Massive leaves, large seed pods, and brittle branches that snap in storms.
• Cost: $30-60 for a 5-gallon. Cheap because it grows fast from seed.
• Warning: Invasive in the southeastern US. Check your state’s invasive species list. Banned or restricted in some areas. Beautiful but problematic in the wrong location.

Purple Robe Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia ‘Purple Robe’)

Hanging clusters of deep pink to purple fragrant flowers in late May. An improved black locust cultivar with showier flowers and fewer thorns. Tough, drought-tolerant, and fast-growing. Fixes nitrogen in the soil.

• Zones: 4-8
• Mature size: 30-50 feet tall, 25-35 feet wide
• Bloom color: Deep pink to purple
• Bloom time: Late May (2 weeks)
• Soil: Thrives in poor, sandy, or gravelly soil. Nitrogen-fixing roots actually improve the soil over time.
• Drought tolerance: Excellent. One of the toughest flowering trees for dry sites.
• Messiness: High. Brittle branches drop in every windstorm, and the suckering habit means you’ll be pulling sprouts from 20 feet away.
• Cost: $40-80 for a 5-gallon.
• Pros: Drought tolerant, fixes nitrogen, fast growth
• Cons: Brittle wood, suckering can be aggressive, messy seed pods

Desert Willow (Chilopsis linearis)

Orchid-like flowers in pink, purple, or burgundy from May through September. One of the longest bloom periods of any flowering tree. Native to desert washes of the Southwest. Extremely drought-tolerant.

• Zones: 7-11
• Mature size: 15-25 feet tall, 10-15 feet wide
• Bloom color: Pink, purple, burgundy, white (varies by cultivar)
• Bloom time: May through September (months of bloom!)
• Water needs: Very low once established
• Soil: Sandy, well-drained. Native to desert washes, so it actually resents rich garden soil. No fertilizer needed.
• Drought tolerance: Outstanding. Survives on rainfall alone in zones 8-11 once established.
• Messiness: Moderate. Long seed pods hang through winter, which some people find messy and others find interesting.
• Cost: $30-70 for a 5-gallon.

‘Bubba’ has deep burgundy flowers. ‘Lois Adams’ has large pink-and-white bicolor blooms. ‘Lucretia Hamilton’ is deep purple. All attract hummingbirds like magnets.

Summer bloomers (June-September)

Jacaranda (Jacaranda mimosifolia)

The iconic purple-flowering tree of Southern California, Florida, and other warm climates. Massive clusters of lavender-blue to purple trumpet flowers in May through June. The fallen petals carpet the ground in purple. One of the most photographed trees in the world.

• Zones: 9-11
• Mature size: 25-50 feet tall, 30-50 feet wide
• Bloom color: Lavender-blue to purple
• Bloom time: May to June (4-6 weeks)
• Growth rate: Fast
• Soil: Prefers sandy, well-drained soil. Tolerates alkaline conditions.
• Drought tolerance: Good once established. Overwatering actually reduces bloom intensity.
• Messiness: High. The petal carpet looks gorgeous for two days, then turns to brown mush. Sticky fallen flowers can damage car paint. Seed pods drop through winter.
• Cost: $50-120 for a 5-gallon, $200-500 for a 2-inch caliper specimen.
• Caveat: Only for frost-free climates. Temperatures below 25F will kill young trees.

Jacaranda needs full sun for the best flower production. Trees planted in partial shade bloom sparsely. Avoid pruning large branches because the wood compartmentalizes decay poorly.

Crape Myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica)

The summer workhorse. Blooms continuously from June through September in pink, magenta, red, purple, or white. Exfoliating bark for winter interest. The most reliable summer-flowering tree for zones 7-9, with newer hardy cultivars pushing into zone 6.

• Zones: 7-9 (some cultivars to zone 6)
• Mature size: 10-25 feet (varies by cultivar)
• Bloom color: Every shade of pink, plus purple, red, and white
• Bloom time: June through September (3+ months)
• Best pink cultivars: ‘Muskogee’ (lavender-pink, large), ‘Sioux’ (hot pink, medium), ‘Tuscarora’ (coral-pink, large)
• Best purple: ‘Catawba’ (true purple, medium), ‘Purple Magic’ (deep purple)
• Soil: Adaptable. Handles clay, loam, sand, and even slightly alkaline conditions. Wet feet cause root rot.
• Drought tolerance: Good to excellent once established. Perfect for Sacramento and the Central Valley.
• Messiness: Low to moderate. Spent flower clusters drop, but the mess is minor compared to most flowering trees.
• Cost: $25-60 for a 5-gallon, $100-250 for a 1.5-inch caliper. One of the best values in flowering trees.

Don’t commit the cardinal sin of “crape murder” (topping the tree into ugly stubs). Proper pruning technique is in our crape myrtle trimming guide. Deadhead spent flower clusters in midsummer to encourage a second flush of blooms.

Chaste Tree (Vitex agnus-castus)

Spikes of violet-blue to lavender flowers from June through August on a small, multi-stemmed tree. Fragrant foliage. Heat and drought tolerant. A great substitute for lilac in hot climates where lilacs won’t grow.

• Zones: 6-9
• Mature size: 10-20 feet tall and wide
• Bloom color: Violet-blue to lavender
• Bloom time: June through August
• Best feature: Blooms on new wood, so even if winter kills it back, it flowers the same year
• Soil: Well-drained. Performs best in lean, gravelly soil. Rich soil promotes leggy growth at the expense of flowers.
• Drought tolerance: Excellent. Thrives in the same hot, dry conditions that kill lilacs.
• Messiness: Low. Small seed clusters are not much of a nuisance.
• Cost: $25-50 for a 5-gallon. Inexpensive and fast-growing.

Prune hard in late winter (February to early March) to promote vigorous new growth and maximum flower production. Cut back to 12-18 inches if the plant looks rangy. It recovers fast.

Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus)

Large, tropical-looking flowers in pink, purple, blue, or white from July through September. Technically a large shrub or small tree. Handles heat, humidity, and poor soil. ‘Aphrodite’ (deep pink) and ‘Minerva’ (lavender-pink) are popular cultivars.

• Zones: 5-9
• Mature size: 8-12 feet tall, 6-10 feet wide
• Bloom color: Pink, purple, blue, white
• Bloom time: July through September
• Soil: Nearly anything. One of the most adaptable flowering plants you can buy.
• Drought tolerance: Moderate. Handles dry spells but flowers better with occasional deep watering.
• Messiness: Low unless you plant a seeding variety. Then the seedlings are everywhere.
• Cost: $15-40 for a 5-gallon. Very affordable.
• Caveat: Self-seeds aggressively. Choose seedless cultivars like ‘Diana’ or ‘Sugar Tip’ to avoid weed problems.

Pink Trumpet Tree (Handroanthus impetiginosus)

Spectacular clusters of bright pink trumpet flowers in spring on bare branches. The show lasts only 1-2 weeks but it’s stop-in-your-tracks gorgeous. Limited to frost-free zones but widely planted in Florida, Southern California, and Hawaii.

• Zones: 10-11
• Mature size: 25-35 feet tall
• Bloom color: Bright pink
• Bloom time: March to April (1-2 weeks)
• Soil: Well-drained. Tolerates poor, rocky soil.
• Drought tolerance: Good once established.
• Messiness: Low. Brief petal drop during bloom, then clean for the rest of the year.
• Cost: $60-150 for a 5-gallon. Less commonly available than other flowering trees, so you may need to order from a specialty nursery.

Pruning for maximum bloom

The single biggest mistake homeowners make is pruning at the wrong time and cutting off next year’s flower buds.

Spring bloomers (redbud, magnolia, cherry, dogwood, crabapple) form flower buds on last year’s wood. Prune within 2-3 weeks after flowers fade. If you prune in fall or winter, you’re cutting off the buds that would have opened in spring.

Summer bloomers (crape myrtle, chaste tree, Rose of Sharon, desert willow) form buds on the current season’s new growth. Prune in late winter before growth starts, usually February in zones 8-9 and March in zones 5-7.

Deadheading makes a real difference on crape myrtle and chaste tree. Snip off spent flower clusters before they set seed, and the plant redirects energy into a second or third flush of blooms. On crape myrtle, this can extend the flowering season by 4-6 weeks.

Companion planting under pink and purple trees

The ground beneath a flowering tree is prime real estate. The right underplanting makes the bloom display pop and fills gaps when the tree isn’t flowering.

Under spring bloomers (redbud, magnolia, cherry): Plant drifts of blue or white flowers to contrast with the pink canopy. Grape hyacinths, Virginia bluebells, and creeping phlox all bloom at the same time and thrive in the dappled shade these trees provide.

Under summer bloomers (crape myrtle, chaste tree): Low-growing sun lovers work best because summer-blooming trees tend to have lighter canopies. Catmint, lavender, and salvias echo the purple tones. Black-eyed Susans and coneflowers add contrast.

Ground covers that work under almost any flowering tree: Ajuga (purple foliage ties in with purple-flowering trees), creeping thyme, and liriope.

Avoid planting anything that needs frequent watering directly against the trunk. Keep mulch and plantings 6-8 inches away from the bark to prevent rot.

Planning a year-round pink and purple display

Bloom period	Species
March	Okame cherry, saucer magnolia
April	Kwanzan cherry, Yoshino cherry, redbud
Late April-May	Pink dogwood, crabapple, Royal Empress
May-June	Jacaranda, desert willow, Purple Robe locust
June-September	Crape myrtle, chaste tree
July-September	Rose of Sharon

Plant three or four species with staggered bloom times and you’ll have pink or purple flowers in view from March through September. For a small yard, my pick would be an Okame cherry (March), an Eastern redbud (April), and a crape myrtle (June through September). That covers six months with three trees that all stay under 30 feet.

Bloom timing by region

Bloom dates shift depending on where you live. A redbud that opens in early April in Nashville won’t bloom until late April in Chicago, and it flowers in mid-March in Sacramento.

Southeast (zones 7-8): Bloom times listed above are typical. The long, warm spring means extended bloom periods.

Northeast and Midwest (zones 5-6): Shift everything later by 2-3 weeks. Late frosts are a bigger risk for early bloomers like magnolia and Okame cherry. Choose sheltered planting sites.

Pacific Northwest (zones 8-9): Cool springs extend bloom periods. Cherries and magnolias last longer than in hot climates. Summer bloomers like crape myrtle need the hottest microclimate you can find.

Northern California / Central Valley (zones 9-10): Early and long. Redbuds bloom in March. Crape myrtles start in June and go until October in warm years. Desert willow is outstanding here.

Southwest desert (zones 9-11): Desert willow is the star performer. Jacaranda does well in Phoenix and Tucson with supplemental irrigation. Crape myrtle handles the heat but needs regular water.

Choosing by zone

Cold climates (Zones 4-5): Eastern redbud, saucer magnolia, crabapple, Purple Robe locust, Rose of Sharon

Moderate climates (Zones 6-7): All of the above plus crape myrtle, chaste tree, Kwanzan cherry

Warm climates (Zones 8-9): Crape myrtle, desert willow, chaste tree, redbud, cherry varieties

Frost-free (Zones 10-11): Jacaranda, pink trumpet tree, desert willow, Royal Poinciana

Frequently asked questions

Which pink or purple flowering tree is best for a small yard? Eastern redbud ‘Ruby Falls’ (weeping, under 10 feet), Rose of Sharon (8-12 feet), and chaste tree (10-20 feet) all fit yards under 5,000 square feet. Okame cherry works too if you have room for a 20-foot spread. For more options, see our guide to trees for small yards.

Which of these trees are the least messy? Okame cherry, Eastern redbud, and chaste tree produce minimal litter. Crape myrtle is fairly clean if you choose non-fruiting cultivars. Avoid jacaranda and Royal Empress if you hate yard cleanup.

Do pink and purple flowering trees attract pollinators? Absolutely. Redbud is one of the first spring nectar sources for emerging bees. Desert willow and chaste tree are hummingbird magnets. Crape myrtle attracts butterflies and bees all summer. The only poor pollinator tree on this list is Kwanzan cherry, because the double flowers have no accessible pollen.

How much should I expect to spend? Budget $40-100 for a 5-gallon container tree from a local nursery. Larger balled-and-burlapped specimens (1.5-2 inch caliper) run $150-500 depending on species. Crape myrtle and Rose of Sharon are the cheapest. Jacaranda and Kwanzan cherry cost the most.

For the full picture of what’s available in flowering trees beyond pink and purple, see our complete flowering trees guide and spring flowering trees overview. If you’re gardening in Texas, our guide to flowering trees for Texas covers proven performers for heat, alkaline soil, and summer drought. And for tips on showcasing your flowering trees in the front yard, check mklibrary.com’s curb appeal guide.