Trees for Multi-Season Color

When choosing plants for your landscape, it's nice to pick a few that truly shine in one season or another. But for the backbone plants like trees, it's even better to choose hardworking selections that offer interest throughout the year. Trees like redbuds (shown here) give you more bounty for your buck.

Cercis canadensis 'Ruby Falls' is a dwarf, weeping redbud tree with lavender flowers in spring. In summer, the foliage becomes dark green with washes of red and violet, especially where the weather is cool. The red stems are attractive even when the leaves drop. A bonus: Redbud flowers are edible.

With its neon-red spring foliage, chartreuse summer leaves and dark red autumn colors, this tree is a 3-season standout. 'Moonrise' full moon Japanese maple (Acer shirasawanum 'Munn 001') thrives in partial shade in zones 5 to 9.

Each spring, Styrax japonicus 'Evening Light' bears bell-shaped, sweetly scented white flowers. Its purple and green leaves, carried on maroon stems, become more green if this Japanese snowbell is grown in shade. When the tree is kept moist all summer, it often reblooms in early fall.