A single ornamental tree does more for a front yard than almost any other planting. It brings spring flowers or fall color to eye level, frames the entry, and adds height without shading out the whole house the way a large shade tree eventually will. In southeast Michigan it also has to survive a zone 6 winter, the heavy clay found across much of Oakland County, and salt spray along the drive. These five work, with a few caveats for each.
1. Dogwood
Flowering dogwood is native to southern Michigan, with white or pink blooms in spring and red fall color. It usually reaches 15 to 30 feet with a similar spread. It prefers part shade, moist but well drained and slightly acidic soil, and shelter from hot afternoon sun. It struggles in heavy wet clay and can suffer from dogwood anthracnose, a fungal disease.
Kousa dogwood is the tougher alternative. It flowers a few weeks later, in early summer, takes more sun and is far more resistant to anthracnose. For many front yards in Farmington Hills it is the safer choice.
2. Japanese Maple
Japanese maples are grown for leaf shape and color: many varieties are red or purple all season, and most turn brilliant red, orange or gold in fall. Sizes range from dwarf forms under 6 feet to upright trees around 15 to 25 feet, so there is one for almost any spot near the entry.
In Michigan, choose a variety with a good record for cold hardiness, plant it out of strong winter wind and harsh afternoon sun, and avoid low spots where water sits. Japanese maples dislike wet roots, so on clay soil plant slightly high in a well drained bed.
3. Magnolia
The big evergreen southern magnolia is not reliably hardy here. The magnolias that do well in southeast Michigan are deciduous: star magnolia, saucer magnolia and hybrids such as the Little Girl series. They bloom on bare branches in early spring in white, pink or purple, and most stay in the 15 to 25 foot range.
The risk is timing. Magnolias bloom early, and a hard frost after a warm spell in April can brown the flowers overnight. The later blooming Little Girl hybrids dodge most of those frosts, and a spot on the cooler north or east side of the house slows bud break a little.
4. Eastern Redbud
Eastern redbud flowers pink to purple straight along bare branches in spring, followed by heart shaped leaves that turn yellow in fall. It reaches roughly 20 to 30 feet with a wide, spreading crown and is hardy throughout southern Michigan. It handles a wider range of soils than dogwood but still wants decent drainage, and it tends to be shorter lived than a maple or oak.
5. Flowering Cherry
Ornamental cherries such as Kwanzan and weeping Higan cherry give the short, heavy spring show most people picture when they think of cherry blossoms. They want full sun and well drained soil and do poorly in wet clay. Expect a shorter lifespan than most shade trees and some pest and disease pressure. The trade is a spectacular two weeks every spring.
Japanese Maple vs Dogwood for a Front Yard
- Size: most Japanese maples stay smaller and grow slower, which suits a tight space near the house. Dogwoods grow wider.
- Season of interest: dogwood peaks with its spring bloom and again in fall. Japanese maple is about foliage all season, then fall color.
- Site: both like shelter from hot afternoon sun. Dogwood needs better drained, more acidic soil; Japanese maple needs protection from winter wind.
- Upkeep: both need watering in dry spells for the first few years. Flowering dogwood needs watching for disease; Kousa much less so.
For a partly shaded spot near the entry where you want color every month, a Japanese maple is hard to beat. For a spring show and a native tree, choose a Kousa or flowering dogwood.
Planting It Right
- Check the mature size before you buy, and give the tree room to reach it without hitting the house, the roof or overhead wires.
- Plant with the root flare at or slightly above grade. Planting too deep is one of the most common reasons new trees decline.
- Mulch 2 to 3 inches deep in a wide ring, kept off the trunk. Skip the mulch volcano.
- Water deeply through the first two growing seasons, including dry spells in fall.
- Plant in spring or early fall so roots have time to settle before summer heat or winter.
- Call MISS DIG 811 first. Michigan law requires notice at least three business days before you dig, even for a single tree.
For help choosing and placing trees as part of a larger plan, see landscape design. If an old tree has to come out to make room, see tree removal. Or request a quote.
