Oregon’s diverse climate, ranging from the moist coastal regions to the drier eastern plateaus, creates a unique canvas for landscaping. While many trees burst with color in spring, there’s something particularly magical about those that flower on bare branches, signaling the end of winter with an early show of life. These backward-flowering trees provide a crucial nectar source for emerging pollinators and create a stunning visual contrast against the often-gray late-winter skies.
Selecting the right tree for your specific Oregon garden zone and conditions is key to a thriving landscape. This roundup features a curated selection of trees known for their beautiful, backward-blooming habits, from classic Pacific Northwest natives to ornamental specimens that will add structure and four-season interest to your outdoor space. Whether you’re looking for a stately focal point or a charming understory tree, you’re sure to find inspiration.
Our Top Picks for Oregon’s Backward Bloomers
- KVITER 10 White Flowering Dogwood Tree Seeds
- Beautiful Flowering Dogwood Tree Healthy Live Plant (Pink)
- 6FT Tall Bougainvillea Artificial Tree for Outdoors or Indoors
- White Flowering Dogwood Tree – 10-16″ Tall Live Plant
- Pink Flowering Almond Shrub (Flowering Plum Bush)
- Big Pack – (500) Eastern Redbud Tree Seeds
- Weeping Cherry Tree (Prunus subhirtella ‘Pendula’)
- Cascade Snow Weeping Cherry Tree (Prunus x ‘Snow Fountains’)
KVITER 10 White Flowering Dogwood Tree Seeds
For the patient gardener who enjoys the full lifecycle of a tree, these White Flowering Dogwood seeds offer a rewarding project. With a high germination rate of up to 90%, they are well-suited for Oregon’s USDA Zones 5–9. The process of soaking and cold stratifying the seeds mimics natural winter conditions, preparing them for successful growth.
Once established, the Cornus Florida becomes a magnificent ornamental tree, reaching about 30 feet tall. Its dazzling white blossoms appear in April and May, often on branches before the leaves fully emerge, creating that sought-after backward flowering effect. This tree serves as an ideal privacy screen or a beautiful focal point for a patio garden.
Beautiful Flowering Dogwood Tree Healthy Live Plant (Pink)
Skip the wait and add instant color to your landscape with this healthy pink flowering dogwood live plant. This option provides a head start compared to growing from seed, allowing you to enjoy its ornamental benefits much sooner. The pink blossoms offer a soft, romantic hue that stands out in the early spring garden.
As a live plant, it is ready to be acclimated to your Oregon garden. Flowering dogwoods are excellent understory trees that thrive in the dappled sunlight found in many Pacific Northwest landscapes. Their vibrant pink flowers create a stunning display against the bare branches, perfectly capturing the essence of a backward-flowering tree.
View This Live Plant on Amazon
6FT Tall Bougainvillea Artificial Tree for Outdoors or Indoors
For those who desire the look of vibrant flowers without any maintenance, this artificial Bougainvillea tree is a practical solution. Crafted from high-quality materials, it features a realistic wooden trunk and vibrant, glued fabric flowers that resist fading and deformation. Its lifelike appearance adds a touch of green vitality to any setting.
This tree is perfect for covered patios, front porches, or even indoors where real plants might struggle. You get the constant beauty of colorful bracts and greenery without the need for watering, pruning, or worrying about Oregon’s variable weather. It provides year-round color with absolutely zero effort.
White Flowering Dogwood Tree – 10-16″ Tall Live Plant
This potted White Dogwood seedling offers a perfect balance—a live plant that is young enough to establish well but has already passed the delicate germination stage. Shipped in a quart pot at 10-16 inches tall, it is a manageable size for planting. It’s important to note that orders from October to April will arrive dormant, without leaves, which is a natural part of its cycle.
This tree will reward you with a breathtaking display of white, dogwood-shaped flowers in early spring. These blossoms typically appear before the foliage, making it a classic example of a backward-flowering tree. It’s an excellent choice for gardeners who want a established native tree that supports local ecosystems.
Pink Flowering Almond Shrub (Flowering Plum Bush)
The Pink Flowering Almond is a charming ornamental shrub that delivers a profusion of fragrant, double-pink blossoms in early spring. This plant, Prunus triloba, is a fantastic smaller-scale option for Oregon gardens, typically growing 6-12 inches upon arrival and eventually reaching a manageable size for borders or foundation plantings.
Its blossoms emerge directly on the woody stems before the leaves appear, creating a dense cloud of pink color. Like other plants on this list, it may arrive dormant during the fall and winter months, which is perfectly normal. This dormancy period is essential for its vigorous spring flowering performance.
Big Pack – (500) Eastern Redbud Tree Seeds
For large-scale planting projects or for the serious gardening enthusiast, this big pack of 500 Eastern Redbud seeds is an incredible value. Cercis canadensis is renowned for its stunning purplish-pink blossoms that cling tightly to its branches in early spring, often before the heart-shaped leaves unfurl.
This native tree is very cold hardy, thriving in Oregon zones 4-9, and it adapts well to a variety of soil conditions. Growing Redbuds from seed allows you to cultivate a small grove or hedge, creating a massive impact during the flowering season. It’s a project that requires patience but offers immense satisfaction and beauty.
Weeping Cherry Tree (Prunus subhirtella ‘Pendula’)
The Weeping Cherry is a quintessential ornamental tree known for its graceful, cascading form and prolific spring bloom. The Prunus subhirtella ‘Pendula’ variety produces a cloud of delicate pink or white flowers that adorn its bare, pendulous branches in early spring, creating a breathtaking, backward-flowering spectacle.
This tree serves as an exceptional focal point in any landscape. Its elegant structure provides interest even after the petals have fallen, with attractive bark and a flowing habit. It is well-suited for Oregon gardens and is sure to become a conversation piece in your yard during its flowering period.
Cascade Snow Weeping Cherry Tree (Prunus x ‘Snow Fountains’)
For a truly dramatic display of white flowers, the Cascade Snow Weeping Cherry, also known as ‘Snow Fountains’, is an outstanding choice. This cultivar is celebrated for its pure white blossoms that completely cover its weeping branches in early spring, resembling a frozen waterfall of snow.
Its compact and strongly weeping habit makes it ideal for smaller spaces or for planting near patios and walkways where its beauty can be appreciated up close. The contrast of the bright white flowers against the dark, bare branches is a striking sight that heralds the beginning of the growing season in Oregon.
Buying Guide: What to Look For in Your Oregon Backward Flowering Trees
When I started looking for the perfect trees for my own Oregon garden, I quickly realized that not every beautiful tree is suited for our unique climate. Choosing the right backward flowering trees for Oregon landscapes is all about matching the tree’s needs with our regional conditions. The first thing I always check is the hardiness zone. Most of Oregon’s populated areas fall within USDA zones 7b to 9a. You need a tree that can handle our generally mild, wet winters and dry summers. A tree rated for zone 5 might survive, but it won’t necessarily thrive like a zone 7 or 8 tree would.
Next, I consider the soil. Our soil can be heavy with clay, especially in the Willamette Valley. Good drainage is non-negotiable for most trees. If you have heavy soil, you might need to amend the planting hole generously with compost or even consider building a raised mound to plant on. Sunlight is another big one. How much sun does your chosen spot get? Many flowering trees want full sun, which means at least six hours of direct light a day. If you have a shadier spot, you’ll need to narrow your search to trees that can handle partial shade.
Think about the tree’s ultimate size. This seems obvious, but it’s the most common mistake I see. That cute little sapling from the nursery can turn into a giant that crowds your house, blocks a view, or tangles with power lines in a decade. Always, and I mean always, check the mature height and spread. Also, consider the shape—do you want a wide, spreading canopy for shade, or a more columnar form for a tighter space?
Finally, I look at the multi-season interest. A tree that only looks good for two weeks in spring is a harder sell. I prefer trees that offer something more. Maybe it has fantastic fall color, interesting bark that shows off in the winter, or persistent seed pods that add texture. This way, your garden has visual appeal from the same tree throughout the year. By focusing on these factors—hardiness, soil, sun, size, and seasonal appeal—you’re setting yourself up for a successful and stunning addition to your garden that will bring you joy for years to come.
Frequently Asked Questions
What exactly is a “backward flowering” tree?
This is a great starting question. When we talk about backward flowering trees, we’re generally referring to trees that have a unique or less common flowering habit. This could mean they bloom on old wood from the previous season, their flowers appear before the leaves do (giving them a stark, beautiful look), or they might even flower late in the season when most other trees are done. It’s not a strict botanical term, but a useful way to group trees that offer a different kind of floral display than, say, a standard crepe myrtle that blooms on new growth in high summer.
Are these trees difficult to grow in Western Oregon’s rainy climate?
Not at all! Many of the best backward flowering trees for Oregon landscapes actually do very well here. The key, as with any planting in Western Oregon, is drainage. Our winter rains can waterlog some species. Choosing a well-draining site or amending the soil with compost to improve its structure is the most important step. Once established, many of these trees are quite drought-tolerant for our dry summers, which is a huge bonus.
When is the best time to plant one of these trees in Oregon?
I’ve had the most success planting in the fall. This gives the tree a chance to establish its root system during the cooler, wetter months before the stress of its first summer. Spring planting is also perfectly fine, but you’ll need to be more diligent about watering through the first dry season. Avoid planting during the heat of mid-summer, as the transplant shock combined with high temperatures can be tough on a young tree.
How much maintenance and pruning do they require?
It really depends on the specific tree. The general rule for flowering trees is to understand when they bloom. Trees that flower on old wood (last year’s growth) should be pruned immediately after they finish flowering. If you prune these in late winter, you’ll be cutting off the flower buds. Trees that flower on new growth (the current season’s growth) can be pruned in late winter or early spring. Beyond that, most just need basic maintenance like removing dead, damaged, or crossing branches.
Can I grow any of these trees in a container on my patio?
Yes, some of the smaller, slower-growing varieties can be fantastic container plants for many years. The key is to select a dwarf or naturally small cultivar. You’ll need a large, sturdy pot with excellent drainage holes and a high-quality potting mix. Remember that container plants need more frequent watering and feeding than those in the ground, as their root system is confined. Eventually, even a dwarf tree may outgrow its container, but you can enjoy it for a good long while.