Common Purple Trees In Michigan (8 Types To Know)
Have you ever wondered what those beautiful purple blooms or leaves that you saw on your last trip to Michigan’s forest?
The answer to your questions is presented here.
In this article, I’ll take you on a tour of the most common purple trees in Michigan. All of these trees have purple flowers, berries, or leaves at any stage of development.
So, let us begin.
1. Eastern Wahoo
- Common Name: Eastern Wahoo
- Scientific Name: Euonymus atropurpureus
- Mature Height: 20-25 feet
- Native/Non-Native: Native to Michigan
- Flowers/Cones: 4-parted pinkish-purple flowers,
- Uses: Provides a source of food for birds with its fleshy fruit and seeds
If you are looking for native purple flowering trees in Michigan, then Eastern Wahoo is the first choice. It is a tiny native tree that can reach 20-25 feet. It has one or more trunks and an uneven crown.
The leaves of Eastern Wahoo are dull green, simple, round, and oppositely connected, with pointy tips and finely serrated margins. The leaves are hairy beneath. It has smooth, greenish-gray bark with reddish-brown streaks.
The Eastern Wahoo tree has 4-parted purple flowers and 4-lobed capsules that mature from pink to scarlet. Each capsule contains four seeds with a fleshy coating that offers food for birds. The capsules remain on the tree all winter. Birds disperse the Eastern Wahoo.
This plant is native to Michigan, and it prefers damp soils. It is most commonly found near streams, rivers, and floodplains. The Eastern Wahoo is Michigan’s only native Euonymus tree species. Its twigs have unique corky ridges or wings. There are about 150 species of Euonymus worldwide, practically all of which are located in Asia. In North America, there are four shrub species, several of which are known as Burning-bush.
This is one of the most commonly seen purple trees in Michigan. In some regions, they are also known as spindle trees.
2. Pawpaw
- Common Name: Pawpaw
- Scientific Name: Asimina triloba
- Mature Height: 20-30 feet (6-9 meters)
- Native/Non-Native: Native
- Flowers/Cones: Triangular reddish-purple flowers with 6 petals
- Uses: Fruit is soft and edible with a fruity custard flavor
Pawpaw trees are the second most common native purple flowering trees in Michigan. However, these trees are better known for their fruits than for their flowers.
These trees bear fruit that resembles miniature bananas, which is why they are also known as Wild Bananas. The pawpaw tree is very common in Michigan and can be found in the southern quarter of the L.P. amid moist soils, floodplains, and shade.
Pawpaw trees have huge, simple, ovate leaves that are 7-10 inches (18-25 cm) long. The leaves are alternately connected and broadest near the tip. The upper side of the leaf is medium green, while the underside is paler, and it has a smooth toothed border. The leafstalk, also known as the petiole, is short. A pawpaw tree’s bark is smooth, thin, and brown, with tiny lumps.
With the leaves, flowers develop on the pawpaw tree. They are triangular flowers with six reddish-purple petals that are 1-2 inches (2.5-5 cm) wide and can be found singly or in tiny clusters.
When a pawpaw tree’s fruit is young, it is green, but when it ripens, it turns yellow, brown, or black. It has a delicious custard flavor and soft edible flesh. The fruit is round to slightly curved and 3-5 inches (7.5-12.5 cm) long, with multiple big seeds that are 12 inches (1 cm) wide.
The pawpaw tree, a natural tree that favors moist soils, floodplains, and shade, has been flourishing in the United States for 100-150 years. New shoots emerge from the roots, generating dense thickets or colonies. Early immigrants and American Indians both consumed the fruit, and it is still available in some stores today.
3. Jacaranda
- Common Name: Jacaranda
- Scientific Name: Jacaranda mimosifolia
- Mature Height: Up to 20 meters
- Flowers: Showy, tubular flowers in purple color
- Native/Non-Native: Non-Native
- Uses: Ornamental purposes
Jacaranda is a tree known for its beautiful purple flowers and distinctive leaves. The plant is native to South America, specifically Brazil and Argentina, and can grow to be up to 20 meters tall when mature. The tree has a broad canopy that provides plenty of shade and gray, smooth bark.
Jacaranda leaves are compound, oppositely arranged, and fern-like, with many small leaflets. The Jacaranda blooms in the spring and summer, producing showy, tubular flowers in large clusters. The flowers are pale lavender to deep purple and have a slightly sweet fragrance. Because of their bright colors and shade, jacaranda trees are often put in gardens and along streets.
The jacaranda prefers a warm, tropical climate, but it can also thrive in milder climates with some winter frost. It prefers well-drained soil and full sun. Jacaranda trees are most common in Florida, California, Texas, and Arizona, but they can also be found in parts of Michigan.
Jacaranda trees can be found in botanical gardens and parks throughout Michigan. Jacaranda trees can be found in Ann Arbor, Michigan’s Matthaei Botanical Gardens, and Nichols Arboretum. Even though jacaranda is not very common in the state, they are the most beautiful among all purple trees in Michigan.
4. Nannyberry
- Common Name: Nannyberry
- Scientific Name: Viburnum lentago
- Mature Height: 10–20 feet (3–6 meters)
- Native/Non-Native: Native
- Flowers/Cones: White flowers in flat clusters
- Uses: Favorite food of wildlife, sweet and edible fruit
Nannyberry, a small to medium-sized tree that resembles a large shrub, has a multi-stemmed trunk, drooping branches, and a dense round crown.
The leaves of Nannyberry trees are simple, oval, shiny green, with a pointed tip and fine-toothed margin; the leaf stalk is flattened to U-shaped with many swellings (glands); and the bark is gray and smooth with many horizontal lines (lenticels), occasionally with small scales.
The green berry-like fruit of the tree matures to a dark purple color. The berry is sweet and edible, but the large seed makes eating it difficult. Nannyberry blooms with 14-inch-wide white flowers in flat clusters 3-5 inches wide. The leaves of the tree turn red to reddish-purple in the fall. Both the berries and leaves make them one of the purple trees in Michigan.
Nannyberry, also known as Blackhaw, Sweet Viburnum, or Wild Raisin, refers to the flavor and texture of ripe fruit in late summer. The tree is native to North America and is found all over the continent. It prefers a wide range of soil types, from wet to dry, and can be found along forest edges, stream banks, and hillsides.
5. White Mulberry
- Common Name: White Mulberry
- Scientific Name: Morus alba
- Mature Height: 10-30 feet
- Native/Non-Native: Non-native
- Berries: Pink, purple, or white berries
- Uses: Berries are sweet and edible
White Mulberry is a tiny tree with a single trunk that can be divided low to the ground. It can reach a height of 30 feet and has an open circular crown. The leaves are simple, oval to multi-lobed, and range in length from 2 to 5 inches. When torn, they ooze milky sap and are alternately attached with coarse-toothed borders. Each leaf has a bright green top and hairy tufts on the bottom.
This tree is one of the purple trees in Michigan due to the purple berries it produces. These berries are sweet and edible, measuring around 1 centimeter in diameter. The fruit is made up of many tiny one-seeded fruits that attract birds from a long distance away. When the fruit is ripe in July and August, the tree is alive with birds, squirrels, and other animals.
White Mulberry is a non-native plant that was brought over from Russia and China. It has been increasing in the United States for 50-75 years.
This tree thrives in full sun and dry soils, and is commonly seen in parks and yards, along roadsides, and on ancient homesteads. It is rarely found growing wild.
White Mulberry was introduced during colonial times to aid in the establishment of a silkworm industry. Large groves were planted in the United States eastern and southern states. Except when it has fruit on its branches, the tree looks so similar to the native Red Mulberry that it is difficult to tell them apart.
6. Hackberry
- Common Name: Hackberry
- Scientific Name: Celtis occidentalis
- Mature Height: 40-60 feet
- Native/Non-Native: Native
- Flowers/Cones: Tiny green flowers and berry-like fruit
- Uses: The fruit is sweet and edible when ripe.
Another commonly seen purple tree in Michigan due to berries, Hackberry is a type of tree that grows primarily in the L.P.’s southern part. It belongs to the Elm family and can reach heights of 60 feet. This tree has a single trunk and upward-pointing branches that droop at the tips. It also features a circular crown that spreads out.
In early spring, tiny green blossoms emerge from the bases of young leaves and mature into small, green berry-like fruit. The fruit matures to a deep purple color and is sweet and tasty. This tree has beautiful yellow fall foliage. Hackberry trees have been around for a long time, with some trees dating back 100-150 years. This tree can grow in a variety of soil types and is commonly found in floodplain forests, but it can also thrive in arid environments.
The Hackberry tree’s gray-colored bark is coated with narrow corky ridges, making it simple to identify. This tree’s leaves are simple, lance-shaped, and feature evenly spaced sharp teeth. Hairs can be found on the veins, and the leaves are dark green on top but whiter on the bottom.
Hackberry is occasionally affected by non-fatal witch’s broom, which causes dense clusters of small, short twigs at branch tips. Additionally, it has mite insects that produce dimple-like galls on its leaves. Northern Hackberry, Sugarberry, and Hack-tree are all names for this tree.
7. Norway Maple
- Common Name: Norway Maple
- Scientific Name: Acer platanoides
- Mature Height: 40-60 feet
- Native/Non-Native: Non-Native
- Flowers/Cones: Large green flowers
- Uses: Planted along streets and in parks
If you are looking for trees with purple leaves, then Norway Maple is the first choice to look at. It is a tree that is not native to the United States and was brought here from Europe somewhere between 100 and 125 years ago. Despite its newness, it is doing well in many areas around the country and is already considered to be naturalized in Michigan.
The first step in identifying this tree should be to inspect the leaves. They have a spherical, glossy, dark green top and a light green bottom. They have a wavy edge due to their 5-7 lobes and notches. When a leaf, twig, or bloom is severed, a milky sap is released.
The Norway Maple produces enormous green blossoms that are about half to three-quarters of an inch wide in the spring. In the fall, these blossoms develop into winged seeds known as a samara. The seeds are 1-2 inches large and can travel a long distance away from the tree.
Some Norway Maple types feature red or purple leaves instead of the usual green. The name “Norway” makes it sound like it came from Norway, but it came from Europe. Even though it is not indigenous to the United States, it has become a recognizable tree to many people.
8. White Ash
- Common Name: White Ash
- Scientific Name: Fraxinus americana
- Mature Height: 40-60 feet
- Native/Non-Native: Native
- Point Of Interest: Purple leaves in fall
- Uses: Used to make tennis racquets, baseball bats, snowshoes, and hockey sticks.
Similar to Norway maples, white ash trees are also listed under purple trees in Michigan due to their fall leaf color. The White Ash, also known as Fraxinus americana, is a medium-sized tree that can grow to be 40 to 60 feet tall. It adds a lovely touch to any landscape with its single straight trunk and narrow, open circular crown.
It has compound leaves that are oppositely connected and composed of 7-9 oval leaflets ranging in length from 3-5 inches. The dark green tint on top of the leaflets contrasts dramatically with the striking white tone underneath. The bark of the White Ash is greenish-gray and has an interlacing diamond-shaped ridge pattern.
The White Ash grows best in sunny, dry, well-drained upland areas. The tree produces green-winged seeds (samara), which ripen to brown and measure 1-2 inches long. Its leaves turn a lovely bronze-purple in the fall.
It is one of the purple trees in Michigan with the longest lifespan, lasting between 150 and 200 years. White Ash wood is straight-grained and thin. For many years, it has been used to make sports equipment such as tennis racquets, baseball bats, snowshoes, and hockey sticks.
Furthermore, the White Ash can reach a height of 10 feet (3 meters) in less than five years and produces seeds every year, as well as extraordinarily massive quantities of seeds every two to five years.
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Purple Trees In Michigan – Sources
The Regional Gardening team makes sure that the information in our articles is accurate by only using sources that are known to be trustworthy. Some of these sources are peer-reviewed journals from government agencies, well-known universities, and scientific research organizations.
- Book – Michigan Trees A Guide to the Trees of the Great Lakes Region
- Book – Field Manual of Michigan Flora
- Book – Trees Of Michigan Field Guide
- Michigan’s Forests, Department of Natural Resources
- Michigan Botanical Society
- LSA Herbarium, University Of Michigan
- Department Of Forestry, Michigan State University
- Michigan Nature Association
