Using Flowering Fruit Trees in Landscape Situation

9 years ago

I'm in Zone 22 (SoCal). I'm looking for an Okame Cherry to no avail. Visiting local garden centers, Lowes & Home Depot's I have only found trees used to produce fruit. Many of the ones offered will not produce fruit in my area. Not enough chill-time. For example, I can buy a BlackTartarian Cherry, but also various Apricot, Nectarine & Apple varieties. Many will not receive pollination, but I'm not necessarily looking for fruit. I'd like Spring flowering & Fall color. A small 25' > with a spreading habit. Can I use these available fruit trees in my front yard lawns? W/O pollination, will they flower well year after year. If so, can you give me some good choices for what I am looking for?

I'll answer any additional Qs you may have, in order to help.

Thank you.

Featured Answer

gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)

9 years ago

Fruiting trees generally do not produce the same sort of showy flowering display as do their ornamental cousins. With the exception of the Japanese apricot (Prunus mume - an ornamental variety) and many of the flowering plums, the cut-off point for virtually anything in the Prunus genus (flowering and fruiting cherries) is Sunset zone 20. But if you just a want a reasonable spring flowering but without the coloring or heavy flower display of the ornamental varieties, just pick any fruit that is listed as growing well in your zone.

btw, flowering plums bloom very early and do produce a pretty nice flower display.

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Comments (9)

Kevin Reilly
9 years ago
No, not enough chill means little flowers. Best to find low chill fruit to set flowers. But if they set flowers, they will then fruit!
gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
9 years ago
You are not in a good climate for an ornamental fruit tree (like the Okame cherry) and are also restricted to the type of fruiting tree you will be able to grow. Unfortunately, that is just a fact of your location and winter climate.......not all trees can be grown successfully in all climate zones. But if you look at if differently, YOU are able to grow trees that will not survive in colder winter areas!!

Fall color is not the easiest thing to achieve in SoCal :-) I'd look at Chinese pistache or ginkgo - both will color reliably in your area, as will Japanese maples IF you can provide proper growing conditions for them. I'd also consider Japanese persimmon.

For spring flowers, look at Pyrus kawakamii, evergreen pear - gorgeous, white spring flowers and should also develop decent fall color (red).
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Pecci
Original Author
9 years ago
According to the Western Garden Book, there are a number of apple, apricot, peach, nectarine, etc. etc. varieties that do well in Zone 22. Remember, I'm after the flowers, not the fruit.
Kevin Reilly
9 years ago
Peaches are very ornamental IMO, here is my 3 in 1 peach
rphcfb14
9 years ago
You need to know what variety of peaches have showy flowers. Peach flowers are divided into two types, showy like the Melikeplants showed above and the non showy. This type has small flowers, not an eye catching kind.

Peaches are self fertile. You don't need another peach variety to help it set fruit. If you plant the low chill peach variety, you will get fruit. Diseases and insects could cause damage on your fruit and make a mess.
Pecci
Original Author
9 years ago
I remember, even as a small kid that the peach tree we had in our yard (Zone 22) looked very nice in Spring and had a very intense orange Fall color.

I have no idea what variety it was. Do you know of any specific var. that flower well?
Kevin Reilly
9 years ago
I think most peaches are showy. Those are "pride series" but I have some nectarines that make double flower which people consider showy (double delight). I like apricot blossoms too and plums the least.
Pecci thanked Kevin Reilly
rphcfb14
9 years ago
I would not say that. I have seen as many showy as non-showy.

The OP needs to look up low chill peaches. Check Dave Wilson nursery is a good start.
Pecci thanked rphcfb14