Common Flowering Trees and Shrubs in Seattle

The beginning of spring and summer brings about the promise of new life and vibrant growth. Washington’s vibrant wildflowers coat the hills and mountain sides in swaths of purple, orange, red and pink, and sunny days draw hikers and climbers out further into the wilds of the Cascades as temperatures slowly climb.

But bright blooms and spring flowers are not confined to the parks and national forests around Seattle. Right here in the city, thousands of urban trees and shrubs are bursting with color and fragrance all through the spring and summer.

From public parks to tree-lined suburban streets to decorative shrubs downtown, Seattle is home to a wide variety of flowering trees and shrubs that give the city vibrant pops of color during its warmer months. Here are some common flowering shrubs and trees that you might come across while meandering through town!

Urban flowers in the Seattle area

Eddie’s White Wonder dogwood

Cornus x

Bloom time: April–June

Bloom color: white

You’re likely to see plenty of dogwoods flowering around Seattle through the spring and early summer, especially since the Pacific dogwood tree is native to the Pacific Northwest. The Eddie’s White Wonder is a hybrid between the native species and an east coast species, resulting in a particularly disease-resistant variety that’s becoming popular in many streets around Seattle. 

Nearly all dogwoods have wide, flat flowers with four to five petals surrounding a cluster of red/orange fruits. The flowers don’t give off a particularly pleasant scent, but they are certainly beautiful to look at. 

Japanese snowbell

Styrax japonicus

Bloom time: May–June

Bloom color: white

The Japanese snowbell produces clusters of dainty, bell-shaped white flowers that hang gently from a cluster of light green leaves. The flowers smell fresh and are best viewed from directly under the tree. 

Evergreen magnolia

Magnolia grandiflora

Bloom time: June–August

Bloom color: white

Though native to the southern United States, the Evergreen magnolia is a popular urban tree all over the country because of its deep green leaves and large, elegant flowers. 

Magnolias thrive in the heat and humidity, so species planted here in Seattle will usually only bloom once the weather has gotten appropriately warm. When they do bloom, though, the effect is instantly impressive: the large, waxy evergreen leaves provide excellent contrast to the bursts of sweet-scented white blossoms that curl up and around its stamen. 

Flowering currant

Ribes sanguinium

Bloom time: February– April

Bloom color: pink/red/white

This late-winter bloomer is the perfect sign for approaching spring, as its delicate petal clusters emerge right as winter draws to a close and spring starts to perk up.  

Native to the woodlands and forests all along the West Coast, the flowering currant has been brought to cultivation and is popular in gardens and parks all over Seattle. The rose-colored flower clusters attract bees and hummingbirds throughout spring, and once the flowers produce berries, they provide food for birds and small animals alike.  

Early stachyurus

Stachyurus praecox

Bloom time: March–April

Bloom color: yellow

This flowering shrub is easily spotted by its long chains of miniscule flowers hanging from the ends of its long, graceful branches. The flowers on early stachyurus shrubs bloom before the leaves do, in fact, so early spring brings about shrubs full of drooping yellow pearl-like chains.

Buttercup winterhazel 

Corylopsis pauciflora

Bloom time: March–April

Bloom color: yellow

Late winter and early spring brings about an explosion of color from this early-flowering shrub!

The Buttercup winterhazel’s flowers bloom before its leaves do, covering the shrub’s long, woody branches with pairs of delicate, bright yellow flowers that attract hordes of hummingbirds, bees and butterflies. They smell slightly lemony, so the overall effect is one of the more beautiful marks of the end of winter!

Pacific mock orange

Philadelphus lewisii

Bloom time: May–June

Bloom color: White

Named for its sweet, citrusy fragrance, the Pacific mock orange is a popular shrub for urban areas and gardens. The smooth, delicate petals are bright and attractive, and its distinct flowery scent carries on the air with even the slightest breeze. The flowers are excellent pollinators for bees and insects, and in its native mountain habitat it's a popular choice snack for deer and elk! 

So there you have it! These flowering bushes and trees bring new life to Seattle in the spring and keep it bright all summer long, so next time you’re out and about in the neighborhoods around your luxury Seattle apartments, keep an eye open for this gorgeous foliage!

Enjoy!

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Featured photo courtesy Pixabay/manfredrichter