Whether you’re designing a garden oasis or preserving a historic estate, trees and shrubs are the backbone of timeless landscapes. Davey Tree Expert Company, the oldest tree-care firm in North America, has been helping homeowners and communities nurture these living treasures since 1880. Below are ten standout trees and shrubs — their beauty, care needs, how professional arborists maintain them, and ideas for how to place them in your garden design.
{Sponsored Post}

1. Silver Weeping Pear (Pyrus salicifolia ‘Pendula’)

Height/Width: 15–25 ft tall, 20 ft wide.
Form: Graceful weeping branches with silvery-gray foliage and white spring blossoms.
Care: Requires well-drained soil, full sun, and annual pruning to maintain its elegant silhouette. Arborists thin crowded branches to improve airflow and reduce disease risk.
Best time to plant: Early spring or fall.
Where to buy: Specialty nurseries and mail-order suppliers.
Pruning & Placement: Prune in late winter or early spring, carefully removing crossing branches while keeping the natural weep intact. Avoid harsh cuts that spoil the form. Pair with clipped evergreens or yew hedging for contrast, and place as a focal point on a lawn or at the end of a path.

2. Variegated Aralia (Polyscias balfouriana ‘Marginata’)

Height/Width: 6–12 ft tall, 4–6 ft wide (larger in tropical climates).
Form: Glossy green-and-white foliage; upright, shrubby habit.
Care: Needs bright light, part sun, and frost protection. Best in sheltered patios or containers in the U.S.
Best time to plant: Late spring, after frost.
Where to buy: Tropical and specialty nurseries.
Pruning & Placement: Pinch or prune lightly through spring and summer to keep bushy. Avoid overwatering and frost exposure. Pair with bold-leaf companions like hosta or colocasia, and site in a patio grouping or tropical-style border.

3. Purple Smoke Bush (Cotinus coggygria ‘Royal Purple’)

Height/Width: 10–15 ft tall and wide.
Form: Large shrub with deep purple foliage and cloudlike “smoke” blooms.
Care: Full sun, well-drained soil. Responds well to rejuvenation pruning.
Best time to plant: Early spring or fall.
Where to buy: Common at U.S. garden centers.
Pruning & Placement: Prune in late winter — lightly for blooms, or hard for bold foliage. Don’t prune too late, or flowers are lost. Pair with ornamental grasses or golden perennials for contrast. Ideal as a bold backdrop in borders or as a standalone specimen.

4. Flowering Cherry (Prunus spp.)

Height/Width: 20–40 ft tall, 15–25 ft wide depending on cultivar.
Form: Vase-shaped, spectacular spring bloom.
Care: Needs sun, good drainage, and yearly monitoring for pests. Arborists prune after bloom.
Best time to plant: Early spring or fall.
Where to buy: Widely available in the U.S.
Pruning & Placement: Prune after flowering to thin branches and preserve the natural vase shape. Avoid topping or heavy cuts, which stress the tree. Pair with spring bulbs and site by patios, driveways, or lawns where the bloom show can be enjoyed.

5. Purple Beech (Fagus sylvatica ‘Purpurea’)

Height/Width: 40–60 ft tall, 30–40 ft wide.
Form: Grand, broad tree with deep purple foliage.
Care: Prefers moist, well-drained soil and plenty of space.
Best time to plant: Spring or fall.
Where to buy: Specimen growers and specialty nurseries.
Pruning & Placement: Prune in mid-summer to avoid sap bleeding, removing only what’s necessary. Don’t cut too hard into old wood. Pairs beautifully with light-flowering shrubs or ornamental conifers, and belongs as a statement tree in a lawn or park-like setting.

6. Crepe Myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica hybrids)

Height/Width: 10–30 ft tall depending on cultivar.
Form: Multi-stemmed, showy bark and flowers.
Care: Needs full sun, moderate water, and careful shaping.
Best time to plant: Spring.
Where to buy: Readily available across the U.S.
Pruning & Placement: Prune in late winter to shape the vase form and remove suckers. Avoid “Crepe Murder” topping, which ruins structure. Pair with salvias, lavender, or ornamental grasses, and plant in sunny courtyards, patios, or drives where blooms and bark can shine.

7. Yoshino Cherry (Prunus × yedoensis)

Height/Width: 25–40 ft tall, 25–35 ft wide.
Form: Broad, iconic cherry with soft white-pink spring blooms.
Care: Plant in sun, good soil. Arborists prune lightly after bloom.
Best time to plant: Spring or fall.
Where to buy: Nationwide nurseries.
Pruning & Placement: Prune after flowering, thinning branches for airflow. Don’t prune in wet weather (risk of fungal spread). Pair with magnolias or azaleas for layered seasonal interest, and plant near paths, lawns, or entries for dramatic spring displays.

8. Yew Hedge (Taxus baccata cultivars)

Height/Width: 6–20 ft tall, 3–6 ft wide depending on pruning.
Form: Dense evergreen hedge.
Care: Very tolerant of pruning, thrives in part shade to sun.
Best time to plant: Spring or fall.
Where to buy: Hedge growers, nurseries.
Pruning & Placement: Clip in late spring/early summer, with optional fall tidy-up. Avoid leaving hedge tops wider than the base — keep tapered to allow light to the lower foliage. Excellent paired with mixed borders or as a formal garden boundary.

9. Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum cultivars)

Height/Width: 10–25 ft tall, 10–20 ft wide.
Form: Delicate, elegant branching with seasonal color.
Care: Moist, well-drained soil; protect from harsh sun and wind.
Best time to plant: Spring or fall.
Where to buy: Nurseries and specialty growers.
Pruning & Placement: Prune in late summer or winter to highlight branch architecture. Avoid pruning in spring when sap runs. Pair with conifers, ferns, or woodland perennials, and site near patios, ponds, or shaded garden corners where fine detail can be appreciated.

10. Red Fox Hornbeam (Carpinus betulus ‘Rotfuchs’)

Height/Width: 30–40 ft tall, 10–15 ft wide.
Form: Upright, columnar tree with red-purple spring foliage.
Care: Hardy, adaptable, and low-maintenance.
Best time to plant: Spring or fall.
Where to buy: Specialty nurseries.
Pruning & Placement: Prune in late summer or winter to maintain form. Avoid topping — instead thin lightly to preserve its natural columnar habit. Pairs well with ornamental grasses or lighter green trees, and is ideal for narrow urban lots, screens, or as a formal vertical accent.

🌳 Why Work with Davey Tree?

Founded in 1880 by John Davey, the “Father of Tree Surgery,” Davey Tree is the oldest tree-care company in North America. For nearly 150 years, Davey’s certified arborists have been planting, pruning, and preserving trees across the U.S., protecting landscapes and honoring the living legacy of trees.

John Davey believed that trees are precious, irreplaceable parts of our communities — and his philosophy is just as true today. With professional care, the trees in your landscape can thrive for generations, enriching neighborhoods with shade, beauty, and history.

💚 Partner with Davey Tree — because our trees deserve the very best.

🌳 Caring for Iconic Landscape Trees with Davey Tree

SHANELLE

🌳 Caring for Iconic Landscape Trees with Davey Tree

🌾 10 Grasses to Ditch the Lawn, Baby! 🌾

SHANELLE