Cherry trees are one of the first trees to bloom during the spring season in Knoxville, Tenn. That’s one of the reasons we love using them in our landscape designs.
There are two varieties that are common in East Tennessee: Yoshino Cherry and Kwanzan Cherry. Both are medium-sized deciduous trees and come in standard and weeping forms.
Kwanzan Cherry Tree in Knoxville, Tenn.
Yoshino Cherry Tree in Knoxville, Tenn.
This time of year, Yoshino Cherry trees are blooming with pinkish-white flowers while Kwanzan Cherry trees are bursting with magenta or purple blooms. But spring isn’t the only time of year when Cherry trees can add interest to your landscaping. Cherry trees are also known for their smooth bark that has horizontal banding, which adds a lot of winter interest to your yard.
Red Twig Dogwood
Ruby Slippers Oakleaf Hydrangea
We like to pair Cherry trees with shrubs and other plants that have a lot of texture such as Hydrangeas, Winter Jasmine, Red or Yellow Twig Dogwood shrubs or anything that has loose/large foliage. Smooth textured plants such as Boxwood or Holly don’t contrast as well with the bark of Cherry trees. To learn a bit more about Winter Jasmine, check out these two blog posts. Or to learn more about Red Twig Dogwoods, check out the blog post: “Plants We Love for Your Knoxville Landscaping: Red Twig Dogwood.”
Although the Cherry trees around Knoxville are giving us quite the show right now, be prepared for those blossoms to fall off soon. With the litter created by the falling blossoms, it’s best not to plant Cherry trees near anything you want to keep clean (including your pool!).
Cherry trees are not known for their fall color, which is generally a pale yellow and brown, and its leaves will fall off very early during the fall season. These trees are also prone to suckering and will do so near the base of the trunk. When you notice the extra growth, simply cut it off to avoid a messy looking tree.
Cherry trees do best with a lot of sunshine and will reward good placement by growing quite quickly.
For help choosing the right placement of a Cherry or other tree in your landscape design, you can fill out our contact form or call us 865-765-5550.
