21 Timber With Decorative Bark For Winter Curiosity

Some bushes are most prized for his or her flowering talents, and others for his or her enticing foliage. These are the backyard stars for many of the 12 months, from flowers in spring to good shades of purple, orange, and gold within the fall. Nevertheless, winter is the season for bushes with decorative bark to take heart stage. 

Many species of bushes have decorative bark. This contains bushes with colourful, peeling, or in any other case uncommon bark that units them aside and makes them stunning, even once they drop their leaves and enter winter dormancy. 

When cultivating these bushes, you may make extra of their ornamental bark seen by pruning the decrease branches and creating extra clearance below the tree. Many of those bushes are additionally flowering varieties, and a few boast gorgeous fall foliage. 

Right here is an inventory of 21 bushes with putting bark to brighten up the winter panorama and add curiosity to the backyard when there may be little else to have a look at. Some are giant and wish a number of house to develop, whereas others are smaller, making them versatile and manageable. 

American Sycamore

	botanical identify Platanus occidentalis
	solar necessities Full solar
	peak as much as 100’
	hardiness zones 4-9

American sycamore is a good place to start out in case you’re searching for a tree that makes a winter assertion. This gigantic species of sycamore can develop to 100 ft tall with a trunk diameter of as much as 15 ft. That is fairly an imposing tree, with a big open cover and fruits that always stay on the tree after the leaves have fallen. 

The American sycamore will not be notably noteworthy in autumn. Its giant, maple-like leaves flip brown earlier than falling off. The bark is, nevertheless, thrilling and makes a fantastic focus within the winter when its leaves are gone.

Its brown outer bark sloughs away in giant sheets. Beneath this layer, new, white bark reveals by means of in fairly patches. 

Black Cherry

	botanical identify Prunus serotina
	solar necessities Full solar to partial shade
	peak 50’-60’
	hardiness zones 3-9

Black cherry is a superb tree for winter curiosity, and it has an distinctive vary, rising from zone 3 to zone 9. It’s a giant tree with a mean mature peak between 50’-60’ tall, however some specimens attain an imposing 110 ft. 

Flowers in spring are adopted by purple fruits. In fall, the leaves flip golden earlier than going dormant for the winter. The mature bark is thick and scaly, with a sloughing behavior that sees the bark flipping up in some spots. 

The black cherry is an essential North American native. Its wooden is effective for producing furnishings, toys, and scientific devices. A cough medication can also be derived from the tree’s fascinating bark. 

Coral Bark Japanese Maple

	botanical identify Acer palmatum ‘Sango Kaku’
	solar necessities Full solar to partial shade
	peak 20’
	hardiness zones 5-8

That is one colourful maple tree that it’s a must to see to consider. Most maples have fantastic spring and fall foliage; the coral bark Japanese maple is not any exception. Spring leaves are available in a chartreuse shade earlier than turning darker inexperienced in summer season. Throughout fall, the foliage modifications to purple and bronze earlier than falling off for the winter. 

As you might have guessed, the coral bark Japanese maple’s bark is an excellent shade of coral purple. I like this tree as a multi-trunk, shrubby tree, as a number of trunks imply much more of the attractive bark. This maple reaches 20-25 ft tall, making it a good, small, manageable tree that may be planted close to the house for optimum viewing. 

Cork Oak

	botanical identify Quercus suber
	solar necessities Full solar to partial shade
	peak 65’
	hardiness zones 8-11

Cork oak is an evergreen, so it doesn’t lose its bark for the winter, however it does have some distinctive and helpful bark, so when you’ve got the chance, this can be a fantastic tree to plant. These long-lived, giant bushes mature at about 25 and can dwell as much as 200 years outdated. The bark of the cork tree is thick and knobby, rising thicker with age, 

This thick, closely textured bark is used to make flooring, furnishings, and wine corks, amongst different helpful gadgets. The bark could be reduce from the tree as soon as each 9-12 years after the tree has matured. Eradicating the bark doesn’t hurt the tree, and the bark will regenerate to be harvested repeatedly. 

Crape Myrtle

	botanical identify Lagerstroemia
	solar necessities Full solar
	peak as much as 20’
	hardiness zones 6-10

Within the South, crape myrtle bushes are all the trend in summer season with their fairly foliage and big panicles of colourful flowers. Lots of the roads in my metropolis are lined with these fantastic bushes, which create a shocking avenue of flowers throughout summer season. The colourful foliage on the finish of the season is available in shades of purple, bronze, and gold. 

Within the first few years, crape myrtle bark is pretty unusual. It’s when the tree matures that it takes on a beautiful attribute. The outer grey bark will start to peel, revealing new, rust-colored bark beneath. This makes the bushes stunning even in winter after their leaves have fallen. 

Japanese Pink Cedar

	botanical identify Juniperus virginiana
	solar necessities Full solar to partial shade
	peak as much as 80’
	hardiness zones 2-9

Japanese purple cedar is definitely not a cedar however a juniper species. It’s evergreen, though the foliage can change to brown or purple throughout wintertime. The fragrant foliage is sticky and leathery, and the tree produces stunning berries that begin greenish-blue and regularly flip deep purple in shade. You gained’t see a lot of the bark when the tree is small and younger.

These giant bushes develop tall, as much as 80 ft tall, to be actual. The bark will likely be extra seen as soon as the tree’s clearance is at eye stage. The bark is papery and peels irregularly, revealing new reddish brown bark beneath the pale grey outer bark. A row of those bushes makes a superb windbreak and can develop at a reasonable to quick fee of 1 to 2 ft per 12 months. 

European Hornbeam

	botanical identify Carpinus betulus
	solar necessities Full solar to partial shade
	peak 40’-60’
	hardiness zones 5-7

This enticing tree grows as much as 60’ tall at maturity and has a rounded pyramidal form. It’s a member of the birch household and supplies year-round curiosity with enticing foliage that turns deep inexperienced in the summertime and gold within the fall. The foliage is dense, making this a very good display screen or windbreak. 

European hornbeam has very fairly leaves with deep veining and flippantly serrated edges. The bark can exhibit for just a few months when the foliage falls. When the tree is younger, the bark is easy and grey. Because it ages, it turns into thicker with deep, irregular grooves. 

Gumbo Limbo

	botanical identify Bursera simaruba
	solar necessities Full solar to partial shade
	peak 30’-40’
	hardiness zones 10-11

Gumbo limbo is one other tree that gained’t essentially lose its leaves in chilly temperatures. It’s semi-evergreen, however its gorgeous bark is eye-catching year-round. The bushes are giant, with spreading branches that kind a cover as huge because the tree is tall. The form of the tree resembles a dwell oak or banyan tree. 

The papery, peeling bark of the gumbo limbo tree is a few of the most fascinating bark I’ve encountered. The outdated bark is reddish-orange and peels away in skinny layers to disclose easy, deep inexperienced bark beneath. These bushes have a small vary of climates the place they may thrive, however they’re definitely worth the funding in case you dwell in zone 10 or 11. 

Japanese Stewartia

	botanical identify Stewartia pseudocamellia
	solar necessities Full solar to partial shade
	peak 30’-40’
	hardiness zones 5-8

This relative of the camellia was named for the Scottish botanist John Stuart. The species identify, pseudocamellia, means false-camellia, because the vegetation strongly resemble one another. Not like the camellia, Japanese stewartia will not be evergreen, and its fall foliage is brightly coloured. 

Japanese stewartia produces fairly white flowers resembling a sasanqua camellia’s blooms. Not like the camellia, this tree has fantastic peeling bark greatest displayed within the winter after it has misplaced its foliage. That is one other manageably sized tree that works nicely in lots of landscapes. 

Kousa Dogwood

	botanical identify Cornus kousa
	solar necessities Full solar to partial shade
	peak 30’
	hardiness zones 5-8

The Kousa dogwood is a superb medium-sized tree with tons of persona. In spring, the tree is roofed in candy, four-petaled white flowers widespread to the Cornus genus. The inexperienced foliage seems earlier than the flowers on this species and turns purple within the fall. 

White flowers give solution to purple fruits, making this a extremely decorative tree year-round. Throughout winter, Kousa dogwood reveals off gorgeous, peeling bark. There are generally a number of layers of bark seen concurrently. This creates an thrilling, multi-colored patchwork of delicate bark layers. 

Monkey Puzzle

	botanical identify Araucaria araucana
	solar necessities Full solar to partial shade
	peak 60’-80’
	hardiness zones 7-11

This fascinating coniferous evergreen has a novel look and appears this manner all 12 months! The bark of the monkey puzzle tree is fascinating as a result of it’s fully obscured by tight spirals of small pointed leaves. Due to this enjoyable leaf formation, the trunk and branches all have a spiky look. 

Native to South America, the species is understood for its longevity and hardiness. The leaves alone can last as long as 15 years. By way of conifers, monkey puzzle makes a really good bonsai specimen. Timber can develop as much as 80 ft tall or taller over their lengthy lifespan. Pruning will encourage branching of a fuller look. 

Paperbark Maple

	botanical identify Acer griseum
	solar necessities Full solar to partial shade
	peak 20’-30’
	hardiness zones 4-8

Maples are such a ravishing group of bushes. They’re nicely identified for his or her gorgeous fall foliage and general attractiveness. Paperbark maple is a small to medium-sized tree that does very nicely in partial shade, making it a pleasant understory tree. Its gentle inexperienced leaves change to good, fiery orange within the fall. 

Because the tree matures, the bark takes on a papery, peeling attribute. The older layers of bark are mild brown and peel away in giant patches to disclose beautiful cinnamon-colored new bark beneath. The tree has a pleasant form, with an upright, branching behavior and a rounded cover. 

‘Pink Panda’ Birch

	botanical identify Betula albasinensis ‘Pink Panda’
	solar necessities Full solar to partial shade
	peak 30’-50’
	hardiness zones 3-8

The Royal Horticultural Society has seen match to award this gorgeous tree with its prestigious Award of Backyard Advantage, and it’s not stunning. The ‘Pink Panda’ birch has a few of the most stunning bark round. This low-maintenance tree gives year-round curiosity within the backyard and makes a beautiful focus within the panorama. 

Small flowers bloom within the spring, and the inexperienced leaves of summer season change to gold within the fall. The bark is the principle attraction to this tree, and it reveals off year-round. Within the winter, although, it may be appreciated in all its glory. The bark is coppery to pink, with an abundance of white lenticels. Along with its fairly shade and texture, the bark additionally has a peeling behavior, shedding in giant sheets. 

River Birch

	botanical identify Betula nigra
	solar necessities Full solar to partial shade
	peak 60’-80’
	hardiness zones 4-9

River birch is a nice tree for moist soil varieties. It may be seen rising in marshy areas and on riverbanks, as its choice is considerable water. These bushes are pretty giant and may dwell for as much as 75 years. The form is properly symmetrical and pyramidal, with an upright development behavior.

Because the river birch matures, its bark takes on a heavy peeling look. The older bark is silvery and peels away in curly sheets to disclose shades of peach, salmon, brown, orange, and even lavender. This good, sturdy tree has good chilly and wind tolerance. 

Shagbark Hickory 

	botanical identify Carya ovata
	solar necessities Full solar
	peak 60’-80’
	hardiness zones 4-8

This tree within the walnut household has very fascinating bark. Their trunks are coated in thick, shaggy layers of brown bark that make wonderful properties for native wildlife. These tall bushes like moist soil and humid climates however are very tolerant of various temperatures. 

Shagbark hickory produces flowers within the spring. Feminine flowers produce fruit in the way in which of hickory nuts, that are interesting to people and wildlife. Their common lifespan is 200 years, though they’ll dwell longer. They start to provide seeds at round 40 years outdated. Its fall foliage is beautiful when it turns to shades of yellow and gold. 

Silver Birch

	botanical identify Betula pendula
	solar necessities Full solar to partial shade
	peak 30’-40’
	hardiness zones 2-7

Silver birch bushes are stunning, with barely weeping branches and shining white bark. A grouping of those bushes makes a really elegant assertion within the panorama. The small flowers in spring give solution to conelike fruits containing many seeds. The foliage is small and toothy and turns from medium inexperienced to gold within the fall.

The bark is basic for a birch tree. It’s silvery white with black clefts because it matures, making this a ravishing addition to the winter panorama. Because the tree ages, the pale bark loses its easy end and turns into extra rugged close to the tree’s base. 

Snake-bark Maple

	botanical identify Acer sect. Macrantha
	solar necessities Full solar
	peak as much as 60’
	hardiness zones 5-8

One other fantastic maple tree, the snake-bark maple, has some distinctive traits that set it other than most maples. The leaves are easy and ovate, which is kind of totally different from the standard maple leaf formation. It prefers to dwell in climates with cool summers, though it could possibly tolerate heat summers if it has a little bit of afternoon shade to guard it from solar scorch.

Snake-bark is a big maple with an upright development behavior and sometimes has a number of trunks. The autumn shade is beautiful in purple, gold, and orange shades to set the panorama ablaze. Inexperienced, striated bark is what offers this tree its widespread identify, and it’s putting in each shade and texture. 

Snow Gum

	botanical identify Eucalyptus pauciflora
	solar necessities Full solar
	peak 12’-50’
	hardiness zones 11th of September

This evergreen solely grows in hotter climates, however it has amazingly stunning bark, so I’d be remiss to skip over this excellent species of eucalyptus tree. Generally referred to as snow gum, this tree can differ extensively in its mature peak, from as small as 12 ft to as giant as 50 ft tall.

Eucalyptus bushes have fragrant, pale, greyish-green leaves and produce clusters of enticing white flowers. The bark has a peeling look, however it’s sometimes fairly easy. Shades of white, cinnamon, gray, and inexperienced swirl across the curling and knotted trunk and branches. 

Tall Stewartia

	botanical identify Stewartia monadelpha
	solar necessities Full solar to partial shade
	peak 20’-25’
	hardiness zones 5-8

Much like Japanese stewartia, tall stewartia is said to and resembles a camellia. This member of the Theaceae household has leathery, deep inexperienced leaves with flippantly serrated edges. It’s very tolerant of various soil circumstances and prefers partial shade. The tree is very drought and heat-tolerant as nicely. 

Tall stewartia is also called orangebark stewartia. The rusty orange bark is easy and exfoliates to disclose shades of lavender and cream beneath. The foliage additionally has nice fall curiosity, altering to scarlet in autumn. Stewartia bushes are native to Japan and generally present in mountainous forests. 

Tibetan Cherry

	botanical identify Prunus serrula
	solar necessities Full solar to partial shade
	peak 20’-30’
	hardiness zones 5-6

Cherry bushes are identified for having enticing bark that provides a stunning contact to the winter panorama. Tibetan cherry has flamboyant, purple bark closely banded with tough white lenticels. The purple floor of the bark is easy and shiny, with a satiny sheen that appears simply fantastic towards a stark winter panorama. 

Tibetan cherry has mild and ethereal foliage with a weeping high quality. It produces clusters of small white flowers, which give solution to purple berries within the fall. It’s a low-maintenance tree that matures to a really manageable peak of 20-30 ft tall. 

Remaining Ideas

Including a number of fascinating and exquisite bushes to your backyard will enliven the winter panorama, including magnificence and curiosity in the course of the dormant season. Even in case you dwell in a heat local weather the place most bushes and vegetation are evergreen, including a tree with stunning bark will boost the panorama and create a beautiful focus within the backyard.