Choose crab apples, cotoneaster and sorbus for decorative garden trees that act as a magnet for wildlife
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| Cotoneaster: these large shrubs can grow more like trees
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'All cotoneasters have clusters of white flowers in spring and showy berries in autumn, which are appreciated by garden birds.'
Trees are decorative and provide invaluable habitats for garden wildlife. Trees that produce fruit or berries are of particular interest to birds that will strip the branches of fruit as winter sets in. Their branches also shelter roosting and nesting sites. To help encourage more birds to the garden, try putting up a few nesting boxes, or hang a selection of bird feeders in the tree canopy.
Cotoneaster
Although usually thought of as large shrubs, some cotoneasters will assume a tree-like habit and proportions if allowed to do so. In spring all have clusters of white flowers, which are a very attractive source of early food for pollinating insects, and in autumn they bear showy berries much appreciated by garden birds.
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| Malus: showy berries
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Cotoneaster frigidus 'Cornubia' – semi-evergreen with abundant large red fruits in autumn.
Cotoneaster 'Hybridus Pendulus' – evergreen and often grown as an attractive, small, weeping tree with trailing branches.
Cotoneaster x
watereri 'John Waterer' – semi-evergreen tree with long, spreading branches bearing plentiful bunches of big, red berries.
Malus – fruiting crab apples
Fruiting crab apples are well known for their beautiful apple blossom in late spring. Several have attractive purple- or red-tinged foliage, and many have showy fruits, some of which can be used to make preserves.
Malus 'John Downie' – the best for edible fruits.
Malus 'Neville Copeman' – a small, spreading tree.
Malus x robusta – vigorous, medium-sized, spreading and disease-resistant tree (not the Siberian crab, as it is incorrectly referred to and sold as).
Malus x robusta 'Red Sentinel' – often regarded as the best ornamental fruiting crab.
Malus 'Sun Rival' – a small weeping tree and a disease-resistant improvement on the popular Malus x scheideckeri 'Red Jade'.
Malus 'White Star' – compact, disease-resistant small tree with golden-yellow fruits into midwinter.
Malus x zumi 'Golden Hornet' – small, pyramidal tree with profuse apple-blossom flowers and rich golden-yellow fruits.
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| Sorbus: easy to grow on most soils
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Malus – crab apples for larger gardens
Malus hupehensis – a superb flowering crab, resistant to scab and mildew and easy to grow.
Malus transitoria – a lovely small tree; plant in a group of three if space allows.
Sorbus
Most have white flowers in spring, clusters of berries in autumn, and occasionally fantastic autumn leaf colour. With more than one season of interest they are a good choice for the garden, particularly as they are tolerant trees and easy to grow on most soils. As members of the rose family, some individuals can be prone to fireblight, a disease that causes sudden death of the tree. However, sorbus are quick to reward from an early age, so the slight risk of failure is always worth taking.
Sorbus aucuparia var. edulis – vigorous form of the British native mountain ash with big, edible, red berries good for making rowan jelly.
Sorbus aucuparia var. xanthocarpa – spreading with large bunches of amber-yellow berries.
Sorbus cashmiriana – small and open in habit, with large, pure-white berries carried in loose clusters.
Sorbus commixta 'Embley' – excellent small, broadly conical tree with glowing red leaves in autumn and orange-red fruits.
Sorbus 'Eastern Promise' – small, oval-headed tree with rich purple and orange autumn leaves and deep-salmon-pink berries.
Sorbus hupehensis – small and vigorous with distinctive blue-green leaves and pink-tinged white berries.
Sorbus 'Joseph Rock' – outstanding small tree with amber-red leaves flushed with ruby and large bunches of rich-yellow berries.
Sorbus 'Sunshine' – a good alternative to 'Joseph Rock'.
Sorbus vilmorinii – small and spreading with red and purple autumnal leaves and small berries turning from a pinkish red to pink, then white flushed with pink.
Look further
Extracted from the Hillier Gardener's Guide
Planting with Trees and adapted by Sarah Brocklehurst. Co-author Andrew McIndoe is deputy MD of Hillier and director of Hillier garden centres. Rosalind McIndoe is a garden designer with a particular interest in trees and shrubs.
If you want to order your favourite trees and shrubs online, you can now shop at Hilliers' new online store.
Read more about trees for wildlife with tips on planting and pruning in the November issue of Gardens Monthly, on sale 31 October.
*For more on trees and shrubs, see related articles at the bottom of this page.
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