Autumn Flowering Trees

Autumn typically means fabulous displays of colorful foliage, as most trees produce their flowers in the spring and summer. However, some trees actually bloom in the autumn. Plant a fall flowering tree in your yard or garden to provide some contrast between the typical yellow, orange and red fall leaves and your tree's colorful flowers.

Higan Cherry
While most cherry trees bloom in the spring, the Higan cherry tree blooms in the fall. This tree grows up to 40 feet tall and spreads between 15 and 30 feet. It is suited for growth in USDA zones 4 through 8. This tree produces blooms that begin in the fall and last well into the winter. The showy flowers are either single or double. They start off as a deep pink color and fade to light pink as they age before finally turning white. After the flowers arrive, the tree will produce half-inch black cherries. This tree grows best in full sun to partial shade, and in moist, well-drained soil.

Ben Franklin Tree
The Ben Franklin tree was named for the American founding father. It produces fragrant white flowers in August and keeps on flowering until the first hard frost. The flowers are showy and grow to almost 3 inches in diameter. Not only does a Ben Franklin tree produce flowers in the fall, it also produces beautiful fall foliage. The leaves are bright orange and red. Ben Franklin trees grow very slowly and eventually reach up to 20 feet tall. This tree is hardy in USDA zones 6 through 9.

Witch Hazel
Witch hazel can be grown as a large shrub or a small tree, depending on the variety you choose. It has multiple branches, but you can prune lower branches to make your witch hazel tree look more like a tree. This tree is one of the most recognizable fall and winter blooming trees. It produces very fragrant flowers with blooms in colors such as red, orange or yellow, depending on the variety. Since it is easy to grow, it is the perfect choice for a gardener without much experience. Witch hazel can handle many different growing conditions, from full sun to partial shade. The tree prefers acidic, well-drained soil, but can handle poor soils as long as you fertilize regularly. Witch hazel trees thrive in USDA zones 4 through 8.

Source: http://www.ehow.com/list_7338064_autumn-flowering-trees.html