Growing on Trees
Trees, Shrubs and Vines in Bloom
Not all of them are called blossoms, as some don't meet the botanical criteria. Trees bloom in their own way, and here are the most common examples.
Catkins, or aments, are the long pendulous clusters of tiny flowers produced by ashes, oaks, hazels, birches, and willows.
The ubiquitous two winged helicopter seeds, called samaras, belong to the maples. Samaras are actually fruits, winged achenes. Other trees, like ashes, tulip trees and elms, produce samaras too, with one wing or two.
The strobili, also known as little cones, are the tiny deep rose and bright yellow cones found at the tips of pines and fir branches. They are not actual flowers; they are archaic forms of seed production and propagation, before flowers existed at all, and that's why ginko trees have them too.
Bracts are modified leaves found beneath flower inflorescences, like in poinsettias, dogwood, bittersweet vine, and linden trees, and sometimes they can be more beautiful than the flowers.
Cymes are the small fruits left behind after the linden flowers have withered.
Calyptras are grapevine inflorescences whose small flowers are completely enclosed in green petal shells and look like green berries.
Indeed, certain trees blossom. With real flowers, that are botanically classified as flowers.
The apple blossoms perfectly illustrate the standard flower structure, exhibiting an attractive rosette of petals encasing the stamens and pistil.
About Fruit Trees
For frustrated orchard owners, who can't figure out why their favorite trees refused to set fruit, there are many reasons for failing tree crops, from bearing excessively during the previous year, to lack of pruning, to improperly balanced fertilizer (too much is as bad as too little), or lack of pollinator insects; however the reason is usually frost damage.
Trees are lured into blooming by a sudden temperature increase in February and March, only to have their blossoms harmed by late frosts.
When temperatures drop below freezing, delicate tree blossoms and swelling flower buds cannot survive, resulting in crop failure.
Early blooming trees like apricots, cherries, and plums are especially vulnerable to this problem, whereas late blooming trees like apples, pears, and peaches tend to avoid it.
If you suspect frost damage has occurred, look for the telltale sign, browning at the center of the flowers.
Fragrant Shrubs
If you're looking for scented flowering shrubs beyond lilacs, jasmine, and honeysuckle, consider planting viburnum, buttonbush, mock orange, elderberry, summersweet, or abelia.
For an early burst of fragrance, try sweetbox, winter daphne, or winter hazel.