The Best Trees for Their Colourful Bark

The Best Trees for Their Colourful Bark
By Jo Poultney

There are plenty of ways to make your garden look as stunning during autumn and winter as it does during the summer months. Planting trees for their bark is one way to provide colour and interest. When everything else in the garden has been pared back to its bare bones, the structure of trees provide architectural focal points. But those with interesting ornamental bark not only provide a visual treat but also something tactile. Here are a few favourites to help brighten up the dark days of winter.

Magnolia dawsoniana not only produces stunningly beautiful pink flowers in early spring, it also has interesting bark. This handsome tree is native to China can grow up to 20 metres in height so is only suitable for a large garden. It can take quite a few years to produce flowers but it will earn its keep in the meantime with its rugged looking, cracked and gnarled bark providing a real spectacle in winter.

Although Arbutus andrachne or Grecian strawberry tree is a native of the southern Mediterranean, it is a tough little tree that copes well in our climate. It has the added benefit of being evergreen, with leathery green leaves and tiny clusters of red fruits in autumn that resemble strawberries and gives it its name. The cracked and fissured bark of this tree makes it a real focal point for any garden. It grows up to 12 metres.

The Snow gum tree of Eucalyptus pauciflora is native to Australia but can survive to a temperature of -20 degrees centigrade, which makes it ideal for our winters. It is an evergreen tree, but it is its green, grey and cream peeling bark that really makes it stand out. It grows to a height of around 8 metres but if coppiced regularly is well suited to a small garden.

Parrotia persica or Persian ironwood tree has a small, spreading habit and originally comes for the mountains of Iran. It can withstand extremely low temperatures in winter and requires little maintenance. The foliage turns a crimson, purple and yellow colour in autumn and falls to reveal bark that flakes away to a stunning metallic sheen in winter.

Prunus serrula or Tibetan cherry is a small tree growing up to 5 metres with lovely pretty pink blossom in spring and good autumn foliage. But the glossy mahogany-coloured bark stripped with paler flecks is a real bonus and is a winner in any winter garden. Small trees such as the Tibetan cherry can be successfully grown in garden planters. Make sure you select a large container and feed regularly. Re-pot the tree every few years to a larger planter.

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