13 White Flowering Trees In Michigan (Photos & Care Tips)

White flowering trees are undeniably beautiful and add a serene and elegant touch to any landscape, right?

And, if you live in Michigan and want to add some trees with white flowers to your garden, this is the article to read.

I’ll go over 13 of the most common white flowering trees in Michigan, as well as their characteristics, growth habits, and unique details. Ten of the thirteen trees are native to the state, while three are non-native naturalized species.

So, let us begin.

1. American Plum

• Common Name: American Plum
• Scientific Name: Prunus americana
• Mature Height: 10-15 feet (3-4.5 meters)
• Native/Non-Native: Native
• Flowers: Showy white flowers
• Uses: Edible fruit, wildlife habitat, ornamental

The American Plum trees are the most common and useful white flowering trees in Michigan. It is a small but lovely tree found in the southern United States. It can grow to be 10-15 feet tall and has a single trunk no wider than 6 inches in diameter. 

The leaves of the American Plum are simple, oblong to oval, and 2-5 inches long. They are dark green and have a vein network and a double-toothed border. The leaves are alternately connected and have a pointed tip.

This tree has beautiful white flowers that are one inch in diameter and grow in groups three to five inches wide. Pollinators like bees are drawn to the fragrant blossoms. The resulting fruit is a massive fleshy red plum with one 1-inch-wide seed. The plums are delicious and prized by humans and wildlife alike. You can eat them raw or cook them into jellies and jams.

The American Plum prefers moist soils in open areas or near forest edges. It is a shade-intolerant tree that grows best in open, sunny areas. The tree is adorned with massive, sharp thorns that are modified branches. These thorns were used for mending garments and other tasks back in the day.

2. Black Cherry

• Common Name: Black Cherry
• Scientific Name: Prunus serotina Rose
• Mature Height: 50-75 feet (15-23 meters)
• Native/Non-Native: Native
• Flowers: White flowers in elongated clusters
• Uses: Food for birds, wood for cough medicines.

The Black Cherry tree is the tallest member of the cherry tree family, reaching heights of 50-75 feet. It has an open circular crown and a trunk that is uniformly thick and frequently inclined or bowed. 

The leaves are simple and lance-shaped, with an inwardly curved tip that resembles the beak of a bird. They can grow to be 2-6 inches long, with a fine-toothed border and a row of fine brown hairs running along the midrib, and are dark green on top and whiter on the underside. 

The Black Cherry tree produces white blooms half an inch in diameter in the spring, with six to twelve of them forming an elongated cluster four to six inches long. 

Following these flowers are clusters of tiny green cherries that turn crimson and then dark blue or black as they mature. The cherries are delicious and an important source of food for birds and wildlife.

The deep brown wood of the Black Cherry tree has long been prized. Its bark and roots contain hydrocyanic acid, which has been used in cough remedies and as a flavoring agent. 

However, Black Cherry trees are susceptible to disease, the most common of which is a black knot, a fungus that kills infected limbs.

3. Canada Plum

• Common Name: Canada Plum
• Scientific Name: Prunus nigra
• Mature Height: 15-20 feet (4.5-6 meters)
• Native/Non-Native: Native
• Flowers: White flowers, red-to-orange plums
• Uses: Edible fruit, ornamental tree, wildlife food source

Despite the name, the Canada Plum is among the native white flowering trees in Michigan. It is a small tree that can grow to be 20 feet tall. It has an irregular crown due to its short, crooked trunk that divides a few feet up from the base. 

The leaves of the Canada Plum are simple, oval-shaped, and have a pointed tip. They are dark green with narrow sharp teeth and have two small red swellings on the leafstalk.  

In the spring, the Canada Plum tree produces clusters of fragrant white flowers that attract bees and other pollinators, which give way to edible red-to-orange plum fruits about 1 inch in diameter. Birds and small mammals enjoy the fruit, and ripe plums can be used to make delicious jams and jellies.

The Canada Plum is a North American native that grows in river valleys with rich moist soils, often in thickets sprouting from its roots. Because of its beautiful display of white flowers in the spring, it is sometimes planted as an ornamental tree.

4. Chokecherry

• Common Name: Choke Cherry 
• Scientific Name: Prunus virginiana Rose (Rosaceae) 
• Mature Height: 15–35 feet (4.5–11 meters) 
• Native/Non-Native: Native 
• Flowers: White flowers and bitter red-to-black cherries 
• Uses: Food for birds and animals

The Choke Cherry is a lovely tree that can grow to be 15-35 feet tall, with several crooked trunks and an irregular crown that is usually open and lacking many branches. 

Choke Cherry leaves are simple and oval, ranging in length from 2 to 5 inches. They are alternately attached and have a fine-toothed margin, a shiny green top with a lighter underside.

The Choke Cherry has five-petaled white flowers with a diameter of 12 inches that grow in spike clusters 2-3 inches long and have an unpleasant odor. 

The tree produces yellow-to-red cherries in late summer, which mature to nearly black. These cherries are bitter, and animals eat them. Cyanide is present in the leaves and the rest of the plant, and it smells and tastes like bitter almonds.

The Choke Cherry is one of the native white flowering trees in Michigan that can be found in a wide range of soils, as well as along fencerows and streams, as well as along woodland edges. It is an important species for both wildlife and people due to its cherries, so if you come across one, be sure to appreciate its beauty and the role it plays in the ecosystem.

5. Hawthorn

• Common Name: Hawthorn
• Scientific Name: Crataegus spp. Rose (Rosaceae)
• Mature Height: 15-25 feet (4.5-7.5 meters)
• Native/Non-Native: Native and non-native
• Flowers: White flowers and red fruit
• Uses: Edible fruit and nesting site for birds

Hawthorn is one of the most commonly found white flowering trees in Michigan from the Rose family. The tree has a short, circular trunk and a flat-topped crown. It can reach a height of 15-25 feet and has thorns that can be 1-3 inches long. 

The leaves are simple, oblong to triangular, and connected alternately. They’re thick and lustrous, dark green on top and gray on the bottom, with red patches. 

The flowers are white or pink with five petals and a diameter of 1-2 inches. They bloom in flat-topped clusters 3-5 inches wide and are extremely fragrant. The fruit is a red or orange apple-like berry that grows in bunches and is around 12-1 inch in diameter. 

Hawthorn has been around for 50-100 years and is both native and non-native. It prefers the sun and can grow in dry soils, wide fields, and hillsides. Because of its proclivity to hybridize, there are over 100 species of hawthorn in the United States, with over 1,100 distinct varieties. 

It’s difficult to distinguish between native Michigan species and the many more that have been introduced. 

The fruit is edible, and it is enjoyed by many animal and bird species. Shrikes, also known as Butcher Birds, use tough thorns to impale their prey. The massive sharp thorns also protect birds who build nests in the tree. Thornapple and Haws are other names for the Hawthorn tree.

6. Juneberry

• Common Name: Juneberry
• Scientific Name: Amelanchier arborea Rose
• Mature Height: 10-20 feet
• Native/Non-Native: Native
• Flowers: White flowers in clusters
• Uses: Wildlife food source, ornamental tree, fruit for human consumption

The Juneberry tree, also known as Amelanchier arborea Rose, is a small to medium-sized tree that can grow up to 20 feet tall. It has a spherical top and several thin trunks. 

These trees have simple, oval leaves with a pointed apex and finely serrated margins. They are dark green on top and covered in whitish hairs on the bottom, giving the impression that they are covered in snow.

In the spring, Juneberry blooms with clusters of small, upright white flowers about 1 inch long making them one of the most beautiful white flowering trees in Michigan. 

Animals enjoy the tasty red berry-like fruit that follows the flowers. The fruit matures to a dark blue color and measures 14 inches in diameter. 

The Juneberry tree is native to Michigan and comes in numerous kinds. The fruit is called Juneberry since it ripens in June. It is also known as Downy Serviceberry because of the downy hairs on the underside of the leaves and the leafstalk. It is also known as Shadbush because it blooms when shad fish spawn.

Juneberries thrive in dry soils, hillsides, forest edges, and open fields. It is valued for its beautiful flowers and fruit and makes an excellent ornamental tree for landscapes. It holds a special place in the hearts of many people because of its natural environment in Michigan and the United States.

7. Kentucky Coffeetree

• Common Name: Kentucky Coffeetree
• Scientific Name: Gymnocladus dioicus
• Mature Height: 40-60 feet (12-18 meters)
• Native/Non-native: Native
• Flowers: Flowers are small and white
• Uses: Rare native tree, used for shade and ornamental purposes

The Kentucky Coffeetree is a rare natural tree found in the Lower Peninsula of Michigan. It has a circular crown and can grow to be 60 feet tall. The tree’s branches are twisted, and its leaves are doubly compound, with many leaflets. 

These leaflets are blue-green and smooth when young, but they mature into plates with curled edges. The blooms of the tree are small and white, and they appear in clusters on long stalks.

Despite its name, Kentucky Coffeetree seeds are rarely used to make coffee. When the dark seeds are wet, a yellowish pulp that becomes soapy surrounds them. 

Bitter seeds are not a popular food source for wildlife due to their bitter flavor. New trees can sprout from the roots of parent trees, forming tiny colonies.

The Kentucky Coffeetree is a beautiful ornamental tree that also provides shade in sunny areas. Its leaves are among the first to emerge in the spring and the first to change color in the fall, providing stunning autumn colors. Its pods and branches have a distinct appearance that sets it apart from other trees. It is a rare tree that deserves to be admired.

8. Nannyberry

• Common Name: Nannyberry, Sweet Viburnum
• Scientific Name: Viburnum lentago
• Mature Height: 10-20 feet
• Native/Non-Native: Native
• Flowers: White flowers in flat clusters
• Uses: A favorite food for wildlife

The Nannyberry tree, also known as Sweet Viburnum, is a natural tree that can grow up to 20 feet in height. It has a drooping branch and a circular crown, giving the impression of a massive shrub. Its leaves are simple, round, and bright green, with a finely serrated edge. The leafstalk is gray and smooth, flattened with several swellings, and dotted with numerous horizontal lines.

Flat clusters of white blossoms transform into green berry-like fruit on this tree. The fruit matures to a dark purple color and a raisin-like texture. The fruit is pleasant and tasty, but it is difficult to consume due to the large seed inside. The Nannyberry is a favorite food of wildlife when ripe.

This tree grows well in a variety of soil types, from wet to dry, and can be found near forest edges, stream banks, and slopes. It’s common near swamps, marshes, and streams.

Blackhawk, Sweet Viburnum, and Wild Raisin are all names for Nannyberry. The flavor and texture of the fruit when ripe earned it the last name. The winged or grooved leafstalk of this tree is distinctive. The Nannyberry is a lovely addition to any natural setting and provides vital food for local species.

9. Pin Cherry

• Common Name: Pin Cherry
• Scientific Name: Prunus pensylvanica Rose (Rosaceae)
• Mature Height: 10–30′ (3–9 m)
• Native/Non-Native: Native
• Flowers: 5-petaled white flowers
• Uses: Edible fruit, wildlife food source, used in jellies, and cough medicines.

The native Pin Cherry has a single, straight, or crooked trunk and a small crown. These white flowering trees are also known as “wild” red cherries, “bird cherries,” and “fire cherries.”

It can reach a height of 30 feet and has bright green, lance-shaped leaves that are 2 to 5 inches long. They have fine teeth and a frequently undulating border. Two tiny swellings (glands) near the base of the leafstalks distinguish the leaves, which are frequently crowded at the ends of branches.

The tree produces gorgeous 5-petaled white blooms on long stalks that are 12 inches broad, followed by green cherries that mature to a deep red color. The cherries are edible and just approximately 14 inches in diameter. Pin Cherry is also an excellent source of food for wildlife.

Pin Cherry is a pioneer species, which means it colonizes areas left over from logging, fires, or abandoned fields. Throughout its habitat, which is primarily in North America, it is frequently found in dry soils, open slopes, and fields.

Pin Cherry bark varies in color from gray to practically black and sometimes peels into papery strips. It has a nice fragrance when scraped. Pin Cherry leaves are gray when young and become brown-to-orange with age (lenticels). The tree’s fall color is also purple and red.

The lengthy flower and fruit stalks distinguish Pin Cherry from other cherry species such as Choke Cherry and Black Cherry. The species has existed for 20-40 years and is an important resource for both wildlife and people. Its cherries are particularly tasty in jellies and were originally used in cough syrup.

10. Roundleaf Serviceberry

• Common Name: Roundleaf Serviceberry
• Scientific Name: Amelanchier sanguinea Rose (Rosaceae) 
• Mature Height: 10–20 feet (3–6 meters)
• Native/Non-Native: Native
• Flowers/Cones: White flowers and bright red berry-like fruit
• Uses: Edible fruit, ingredient for jams and jellies, and fermented into a drink

The Roundleaf Serviceberry, also known as Amelanchier sanguinea Rose, is a small tree native to the United States. It can reach a maximum height of 20 feet and has numerous slender, circular trunks. 

The leaves of this tree are simple, round to oval, and alternately attached. They range in length from 2 to 4 inches and have rounded or blunt leaf tips. The leaf’s margin is coarsely serrated, and its color is dark green, with a smooth texture and small whitish ridges running vertically. 

The tree bears white flowers in clusters with a diameter of 12 to 1 inch. This tree’s brilliant red, berry-like fruit matures to a dark purple hue and is delicious.

The Roundleaf Serviceberry is a unique tree that provides shelter and food to numerous animals, including birds and mammals. The ripe fruit of this tree is a vital source of nutrition for wildlife and is also used to make jams and jellies. 

The fruit can also be fermented into an intoxicating beverage. The Roundleaf Serviceberry grows in a wide variety of soils, slopes, forest margins, and sun-drenched open fields. It is native to America and its fruit stalk is yellow to red. 

The Roundleaf Serviceberry is one of the numerous serviceberry species found in Michigan. It can be difficult to distinguish since it frequently crosses with other serviceberries. 

When the leaves of this tree open in early spring, they have up to 40 teeth and are densely hairy. When the leaves begin to unfold, the plant begins to flower. 

Twigs are frequently red to reddish-brown. The Roundleaf Serviceberry is an interesting and critical tree to the ecosystem.

11. Wild Apple

• Common Name: Wild Apple
• Scientific Name: Malus spp.
• Mature Height: 10-15 feet
• Native/Non-Native: Non-native
• Flowers/Cones: Showy white flowers
• Uses: Edible fruit, used in jellies and desserts

Wild Apple is another non-native naturalized species among white flowering trees in Michigan. It is a small tree with a single crooked trunk and numerous outwardly spreading branches that form a circular crown. 

It can reach a height of 10-15 feet and has simple, oval, dark green leaves that are 2-4 inches long and have a blunt-tipped, coarsely serrated border. The bark is brown and scaly with peeling edges, and the leaves are densely hairy beneath. 

In the autumn, the leaves of the Wild Apple tree turn a beautiful shade of brown. It is a non-native tree that is between 25 and 50 years old and can be found in dry soils, along fencerows, and on roadsides in the sun across the country. This tree is a direct descendant of the wild apples that gave rise to the store-bought apples available today.

The best characteristics of the Wild Apple tree are its edible fruit and showy white flowers. The diameter of the apples ranges from 2 to 4 inches, and they come in a variety of shapes and sizes. The brown fruit can be utilized in jellies and pastries. 

Wild Apple trees may be seen along highways or fencerows where seedlings were planted or where apples were dumped and seeds took root. A wide range of Wild Apple species has been naturalized in Michigan. 

12. Black Locust 

• Common Name: Black Locust
• Scientific Name: Robinia pseudoacacia
• Mature Height: 30–50′ (9–15 m)
• Native/Non-Native: Non-native
• Flowers/Cones: Pea-like white flowers with yellow centers
• Uses: Shade tree, ornamental tree, honey production

Black Locust trees are the most common non-native naturalized white flowering trees in Michigan. They are fast-growing medium-sized trees with an open uneven crown. The tree has a twisted trunk and spreads erect branches. 

Composed of 7-19 oval to round leaflets, the leaves are compound. Each leaflet is 1-2″ (2.5-5 cm) long, smooth, and toothless, with yellowish-green leaves that turn brown with age. The tree contains opposite pairs of sharp thorns, especially on young trees.

Black Locust has fragrant white flowers with yellow centers that hang in clusters in the spring. The blossoms are 12-1″ (1-2.5 cm) in diameter and appear shortly after the leaves develop. The tree produces flat, green pods in late summer that develop to brown. The pods range in length from 2-4″ (5-10 cm) and contain 4-8 seeds.

The Black Locust is a non-native tree from the Appalachian Mountains that thrives in moist woodlands and adapts to practically any type of soil. It is shade intolerant and can be found along roads, in parks, and around homes.

Because of the abundance of flowers it produces, Black Locust is an important tree for honey production. The wood of Black Locust is very durable and was used to build ships in the 1800s. The roots of Black Locust combine with bacteria, fixing atmospheric nitrogen in the soil. However, the tree is susceptible to Locust Borer beetles, which bore into the trunk.

13. Horse Chestnut

• Common Name: Horse-chestnut
• Scientific Name: Aesculus hippocastanum
• Mature Height: 40-60 feet (12-18 meters)
• Native/Non-Native: Non-Native
• Flowers/Cones: White flowers with a yellow or orange center
• Uses: None edible and used in parks and yards only

The Horse-chestnut trees are the second most commonly seen non-native white flowering trees in Michigan. It is a medium-sized tree with a single trunk that is often divided low and a spreading, round crown. 

The leaves are palmate compound, 5-10″ (12.5-25 cm) in length, oppositely attached, and composed of 5-9 (usually 7) leaflets. Each leaflet is 4-10″ (10-25 cm) long, widest above the middle, radiating from a central point, hairy below when young, and hairless when grown. 

In the spring, the tree produces white flowers with a yellow or orange center, which are 12-1″ (1-2.5 cm) wide, upright in spike clusters, and 8-12″ (20-30 cm) long. The capsule splits into three pieces, revealing one to three smooth, non-edible, chestnut-brown seeds. The Horse-chestnut’s bark is dark brown with many furrows and scales, and the inner bark is orange-brown. 

The Horse-chestnut is not native to the United States, having been brought over from Europe roughly 75-100 years ago. 

These trees thrive in a variety of soil types and are commonly planted in parks and yards. 

Although no known uses have been identified, a remedy made from the seeds was previously used to treat cough in horses, hence the common species names, Hippo (“Horse”) and Kastanon (“chestnut”). Esculin, a substance extracted from the plant’s leaves and bark, has also been used in skin care products.

White Flowering Trees In Michigan – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Let me answer some of the most common questions about White Flowering Trees in Michigan. All of these questions were taken from gardening forums and threads where inexperienced gardeners frequently participate.

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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.

1. Book – Michigan Trees A Guide to the Trees of the Great Lakes Region
2. Book – Field Manual of Michigan Flora
3. Book – Trees Of Michigan Field Guide
4. Michigan’s Forests, Department of Natural Resources
5. Michigan Botanical Society
6. LSA Herbarium, University Of Michigan
7. Department Of Forestry, Michigan State University
8. Michigan Nature Association