Flowering Trees in Spring at NYC Parks

In the springtime, many trees around New York City blossom with beautiful spring flowers that add to the vibrant colors of the season. Here's a look at some of the flowering trees in our parks: 

Callery Pear

Callery pear trees at the Pulitzer Fountain at Grand Army Plaza, in Manhattan. (Photo by Malcolm Pinckney/NYC Parks)

Callery pears are commonly called flowering pear trees. They bloom clusters of tiny, snow-white flowers and can sometimes make the trees appear to have "fallen snow" when the petals drop. Each flower has five petals. The leaves are glossy on the top and slightly paler below. Our city's most famous Callery pear tree is the 9/11 Survivor Tree. The tree was recovered from Ground Zero in 2001 and rehabilitated in Van Cortlandt Park before returning to the 9/11 Memorial site in 2010. Find Callery pear trees near you on our new NYC Street Tree Map

Crabapple

A crabapple tree in Madison Square Park, Manhattan. (Photo by Daniel Avila/NYC Parks)

Crabapple trees bloom fluffy-looking clusters of sweet-smelling blossoms on the tree's gnarled, craggy branches. The flowers are hues of pinks and reds, white, or white with pink trimmings. The type of crabapple flower is classified by the number of petals on each flower—single (five petals), semi-double (6-10 flowers), or double (more than 10 petals). The tree leaves are oval and green; they're glossy on top while the undersides are a paler green with hairs along the veins. Learn more about NYC's crabapples

Eastern Redbud

An eastern redbud tree at McCarren Park in Brooklyn. (Photo by Daniel Avila/NYC Parks)

The eastern redbud grows to about 30 feet tall, has heart-shaped leaves, and blooms intensely bright, lavender-pink clusters of tiny flowers that bloom directly from the tree's branches. Find eastern redbud trees near you on our new NYC Street Tree Map

Hawthorn 

Hawthorn trees are commonly called May trees because they usually bloom in May. The tiny white, five-petaled flowers grow in flat clusters. Because it is usually mistaken for crabapple blossoms, the hawthorn is best identified by its bright pinkish-red heads or anthers (male parts). Find hawthorn trees near you on our new Street Tree Map

Kanzan / Kwan-zan / Japanese Cherry Tree

Kwanzan cherry tree in Sunset Park, Brooklyn. (Photo by Daniel Avila/NYC Parks)

The Kwanzan cherry tree, named for a mountain in Japan, is one of the most popular cherry trees. The tree blooms with heavy clusters of deep-pink double flowers. The leaves are football-shaped, have parallel veins, and are bronze when in bloom. Find Japanese flowering cherry trees near you on our new NYC Street Tree Map

Magnolia

Saucer magnolias in Central Park, Manhattan. (Photo by Malcolm Pinckney/NYC Parks)

Magnolias are among some of the earliest trees to bloom in our parks. Their aromatic flowers vary in color based on the species. They are generally pink, magenta, or white. You'll find southern magnolias, sweetbay magnolias, star magnolias, and saucer magnolias in our parks. Sweetbay magnolias have white flowers with leathery leaves and hairy undersides. The star magnolia is actually a shrub that blooms white, narrow-petaled flowers. Saucer magnolias bear large pink and white flowers that grow about 5-10 inches in diameter. Southern magnolias are creamy-white and can grow up to 12 inches in diameter. The southern magnolia tree at the Magnolia Tree Earth Center in Brooklyn was planted in 1885 and is the sole remaining designated landmark tree in New York City. The tree is 56.58 feet tall. Use our new Street Tree Map to find magnolia trees near you

Okame Cherry Tree

Okame cherry trees in Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Queens. (Photo by Daniel Avila/NYC Parks)

Okame cherry trees are usually the first cherry trees to blossom in New York City. The flowers are light pink but with a long, deep red calyx (the cup-like part of the flower that holds the petals together). The calyx and reddish-brown flower stalks give the tree a deep pink appearance from a distance. The Okame cherry trees at the Unisphere in Flushing Meadows Corona Park are among the most famous stands of Okame cherry trees in NYC.

Red Maple

A red maple tree in Harvey Park, Queens. (Photo by Malcolm Pinckney/NYC Parks)

Red maples are all around the city and they're easy to spot. They have red leaf buds, red flowers, fruits with red wings (samaras), and their leafstalks and five-lobed maple leaves turn red come fall. Red maple flowers are one of the first trees to bloom in early spring. Find red maple trees near you on our new Street Tree Map 

Serviceberry 

This tree or large shrub blooms white, sweet-smelling flowers. The petals are narrow and the leaves are heart-shaped to elliptical. The berries start off as green then change to a purplish-black color by summer. Use our new Street Tree Map to find serviceberry trees near you

Weeping Cherry Tree

A weeping cherry tree (left) in Fort Tryon Park. (Photo by Daniel Avila/NYC Parks)

Weeping cherry trees have long, slender branches that hang like weeping willows. The flowers vary; they're sometimes single or double and white or pink. 

Yoshino Cherry Tree

Yoshino cherry tree flowers near the observation towers at Flushing Meadows Corona Park. (Photo by Daniel Avila/NYC Parks)

Yoshino cherry trees blossom white or very light pink flowers and they smell like almonds. Yoshino cherry trees usually bloom in April, before the Kwanzan cherry trees bloom. The leaves are bronzish-reddish when first emerging, and later become dark green. Thirty-five Yoshino cherry trees are planted on the east side of the Central Park Reservoir. These trees were originally part of a gift from the Japanese government in 1912, which also included cherries for the Tidal Basin in Washington D.C. Learn more about the Yoshino cherry trees at the Central Park Reservoir