When it comes to summer color in the yard, gardeners usually think of annuals and perennials to liven the landscape. Annuals offer season-long color, and perennials each have their moment to shine during the growing season. Most gardeners don’t look to trees to splash color in the landscape; but they should, according to Jerry Goodspeed, Utah State University Extension horticulturist.

“By now, most trees have finished blooming and are settling in for a long, hot, uneventful summer,” he said. “Crabapples, flowering cherries and plums, magnolias and yellowwoods put on a wonderful show each spring, but the rest of the year, they are plain. There are, however, a handful of trees with flowers that last through the summer months. These trees are either blooming now or will flower shortly. Most are fairly adaptable to our location and present few pest problems.”

The northern catalpa is currently in bloom. When this upright-shaped tree is covered with large white blossoms, it looks like a large ice cream cone, he said. The northern catalpa grows quite tall and can reach a height of more than 50 feet, with about a 20-foot spread. These trees have large, heart-shaped leaves and long pod fruit, which can cause a mess in the fall. The wood tends to be somewhat brittle.

Another tree that has completed booming by mid-June is the Japanese tree lilac. This tree has been described as a common lilac with an attitude, said Goodspeed. Unlike the smaller, common lilacs, the Japanese tree lilac grows to 25 feet tall and has a single trunk with a vase-shaped growing habit. This tree blooms later than the common lilac, and its white flowers are not as fragrant.

The goldenrain tree is probably the most notable summer-flowering tree, he said. It produces 10 to 15-inch long clusters of yellow flowers. Its common name is derived from the shape of the flowers and the seed pods that form later in the season. It will start blooming in late June and normally has blossoms through the middle of July. The goldenrain tree grows to about 25 feet tall with a slightly smaller spread. Its seed pods are shaped like small pyramids, which are quite attractive as they hang on the tree throughout the fall. The pods do not create much of a mess, and a good wind will likely blow them into the neighbor’s yard in early winter.

“Many feel the common smoke tree makes a better shrub than a tree,” said Goodspeed. “I would have to agree because of its shape and size, but its name implies that it should be listed among the small trees. Its unique flower reminds me of a comb-over hair-do on a windy day – a little thin. This gives it the somewhat smoky appearance.”

There are several varieties of smoke tree. Some have red to purple leaves, while others are a dark-green. They are a very tough tree, but they also can get leggy looking as they age. It helps to cut them back to the ground every two to three years. This promotes new growth and retains the compact shape.