Function

• Ornamental trees add a focal point to a yard and a source of year-round enjoyment. In addition to being aesthetically pleasing, they provide all the same benefits that non-ornamentals provide. Larger ornamentals will provide shade for a home, helping to keep it cooler in the summer. They can also provide shade for a patio or small sitting area in the yard.
  
  

Planting Zones

• Ornamental trees need to be hardy to planting zones 4 and 5 at least in order to do well in Vermont. In some of the northern areas of Vermont, an ornamental tree will need to be hardy to zone 3 as well. Planting zone categories are determined by climate. Plants are categorized according to the climate conditions they grow best in.
  
  

Types

• Many types of ornamental trees do well in Vermont. Flowering crab apple, amur chokecherry and pagoda dogwoods are just a few of the ornamental trees that grow well there. They are hardy in planting zones 4 and 5. Chokecherry and dogwood trees are also hardy in zone 3, making them suitable for northern areas of Vermont.
  
  

Features

• Ornamental trees are generally known for their spring show of flowers. Many have more to offer, though. Amur chokecherry trees, for example, produce lots of white spring flowers and little berries in the fall. The leaves turn bright yellow in the fall and bronze bark is especially striking when surrounded by a blanket of snow, which makes this tree especially enjoyable in chilly Vermont winters.
  
  

Size

• Most ornamental trees grow to heights between 10 and 30 feet depending on the species and variety. Flowering crab apple trees generally grow to a height between 15 and 25 feet, depending on the variety.
  
  

Caution

• Many ornamental trees bear fruit. Fruit-bearing ornamental trees will generally draw wildlife. Birds, deer and other types of wildlife native to Vermont will seek out the fruit on trees to eat in the fall and winter. You should keep this in mind when deciding what type of tree to plant and where to plant it.
  Protect the bark of ornamental tree trunks from rabbits and other hungry wildlife that may nibble on it. Long Vermont winters produce hungry animals that will quickly girdle and kill a small tree. Place hardware cloth or some other protective wrapping around the trunk of the tree for protection.