Unique Feature Trees We're Loving Right Now

1. Magnolia grandiflora 'Coolwyn Gloss' (Coolwyn Gloss Magnolia)

Magnolia 'Coolwyn Gloss' is the glossiest of all evergreen Magnolias - mirror-finish dark green leaves that catch and reflect light like polished glass. As a feature tree it offers year-round dense canopy, fragrant white summer flowers, and a clean upright habit ideal for formal driveways or focal points. Available in advanced sizes (200L+) for immediate landscape impact - the kind of refinement that usually takes years to develop, ready from day one.

Type

Evergreen feature tree

Height

5 to 7m

Width

3 to 4m

Growth rate

Moderate

Foliage

Glossy dark green with russet undersides

Flowers

Large fragrant white blooms through summer

Form

Upright with dense rounded crown

Conditions

Full sun to part shade, well-drained soil

Maintenance

Light prune after flowering

Best for

Feature planting, screens, formal gardens. Can be pruned to desired height.

Immediate impact in advanced sizes.

2. Brachychiton rupestris (Queensland Bottle Tree)

Brachychiton rupestris is one of the most sculptural Australian native feature trees available. The swollen bottle-shaped trunk grows broader and more characterful with age, and no two specimens are ever alike. Drought-tolerant once established and remarkably long-lived. In advanced sizes the trunk already shows real character, and from there it just keeps developing. The signature feature tree for contemporary native and dry-garden landscapes.

Type

Evergreen native feature tree

Height

8 to 12m

Width

4 to 6m

Growth rate

Slow

Foliage

Soft green semi-deciduous

Form

Bottle-shaped trunk with rounded crown

Conditions

Full sun, well-drained soil, exceptional drought tolerance

Maintenance

Very low once established

Best for

Statement planting, dry gardens, contemporary landscapes.

Each tree is one of a kind.

3. Acer palmatum (Japanese Maple)

Acer palmatum is the classic green-leaved Japanese Maple species - finely lobed bright green palmate foliage that holds clean colour through spring and summer, then transforms into brilliant red, orange and gold for one of the most dramatic autumn displays in cultivation. The layered branching structure becomes more architectural with age, giving year-round structural interest even when bare in winter. In advanced sizes (400 to 500L+) the layered branching is already developed, so the tree looks fully formed from day one. Ideal courtyard, entry, or sheltered feature position.

Type

Deciduous feature tree

Height

4 to 6m

Width

3 to 4m

Growth rate

Moderate

Foliage

Green palmate leaves, brilliant red, orange and yellow in autumn

Form

Layered branching with rounded crown

Conditions

Part shade, sheltered position, moist well-drained soil

Maintenance

Light prune in late winter

Best for

Courtyards, sheltered feature positions, high-contrast planting.

Burgundy that holds all season.

4. Cercis canadensis 'Forest Pansy' (Forest Pansy)

Cercis canadensis 'Forest Pansy' is one of the most luminous deciduous feature trees available. The heart-shaped foliage emerges deep purple in spring, holds rich colour through summer, and finishes crimson in autumn. Before the leaves emerge, magenta-pink pea flowers appear directly on the bare branches in early spring - a striking display unique to the Cercis family. Multi-stemmed spreading habit and moderate mature size suit residential gardens, mixed borders, and feature bed planting.

Type

Deciduous flowering tree

Height

4 to 6m

Width

3 to 5m

Growth rate

Moderate

Foliage

Deep purple heart-shaped, crimson in autumn

Flowers

Magenta-pink pea flowers in early spring

Form

Spreading multi-stemmed

Conditions

Full sun to part shade, well-drained soil

Maintenance

Low

Best for

Feature beds, mixed borders, residential gardens.

Luminous foliage and spring flowers.

5. Ginkgo biloba (Maidenhair Tree)

Ginkgo biloba (Maidenhair Tree) is one of the oldest tree species on earth - a living connection to deep botanical history dating back 270 million years. The distinctive fan-shaped foliage turns brilliant butter-yellow in autumn for one of the most spectacular displays of any deciduous tree. Slow-growing but exceptionally long-lived (individual Ginkgos can live for over a thousand years), and highly tolerant of urban conditions, pollution, and drought once established. Plant Ginkgo as a generational feature - one for your great-grandchildren to enjoy.

Type

Deciduous feature tree

Height

10 to 20m

Width

5 to 10m

Growth rate

Slow

Foliage

Fan-shaped green leaves turning butter yellow in autumn

Form

Upright spreading

Conditions

Full sun, well-drained soil, drought and pollution tolerant

Maintenance

Very low

Best for

Avenue planting, urban feature trees, parkland.

A living monument with brilliant autumn colour.

6. Olea europaea 'Manzanillo' (Manzanillo Olive)

Mature Olea europaea 'Manzanillo' Olives bring sculptural character that cannot be rushed. The silver-grey leathery foliage, gnarled trunks, and rounded crown all develop with age into a Mediterranean signature look. Drought tolerant once established, exceptionally long-lived, and increasingly characterful through decades of growth. Advanced specimens give a new landscape decades of patina from day one - immediate character that would otherwise take a lifetime to develop. Best for Mediterranean gardens, contemporary courtyards, and statement feature planting.

Type

Evergreen Mediterranean tree

Height

5 to 7m

Width

4 to 5m

Growth rate

Moderate

Foliage

Silver-green leathery foliage

Flowers

Cream spring flowers followed by edible olives

Form

Rounded crown with gnarled trunk over time

Conditions

Full sun, well-drained soil, drought tolerant

Maintenance

Light shape prune annually

Best for

Mediterranean gardens, contemporary landscapes, statement feature trees.

Sculptural character that improves with age.

7. Morus nigra (Black Mulberry)

Morus nigra (Black Mulberry) is a long-lived deciduous feature tree with a spreading rounded canopy and edible deep purple-black summer fruit. The trunk becomes increasingly characterful and gnarled with age - mature Mulberries are some of the most sculptural deciduous trees in cultivation. Heart-shaped green foliage holds dense shade through summer and finishes butter yellow in autumn. Plant Black Mulberry as a generational shade tree with a kitchen-garden bonus - the fruit is unmatched fresh, cooked, or in pies.

Type

Deciduous fruiting feature tree

Height

6 to 10m (can be pruned to desired height)

Width

5 to 8m

Foliage

Heart-shaped green, butter yellow in autumn

Flowers

Edible deep purple-black fruit in summer

Form

Spreading rounded canopy, gnarled trunk with age

Best for

Larger gardens wanting a long-lived deciduous shade tree with edible character. Generational planting.

8. Podocarpus falcatus Clouds (Cloud-Pruned Podocarpus)

Podocarpus falcatus Clouds are slow-grown, hand-trained topiary specimens with the foliage shaped into a series of soft spherical 'cloud' layers - a living sculpture that takes years of patient pruning to produce. Each specimen is genuinely one of a kind. The fine soft needle-like foliage holds dense colour year-round, and the cloud-pruned form makes these among the most striking feature trees you can plant. Best as a statement specimen in formal entries, courtyards, or contemporary landscapes where sculptural impact matters.

Type

Evergreen cloud-pruned topiary feature

Height

2 to 4m (size depends on stock)

Width

1.5 to 3m

Foliage

Soft fine needle-like, dark green

Form

Cloud-pruned topiary - multiple sculpted spherical layers

Best for

Formal entries, courtyards, and contemporary landscapes where a statement sculptural feature matters.

9. Juniperus virginiana 'Spartan' Triple Balls (Spartan Triple Balls Topiary)

Juniperus 'Spartan' Triple Balls are hand-trained topiary specimens with three sculpted dark green balls stacked vertically on a clear standard stem - a living formal sculpture that requires years of careful training to develop. The naturally fine dark green conifer foliage holds dense year-round colour and clips beautifully to maintain the round forms. The slim vertical footprint makes Triple Balls ideal for entries, courtyards, narrow side beds, and matched pairs framing a doorway or driveway entry.

Type

Evergreen topiary feature

Height

1.5 to 2.5m (size depends on stock)

Width

0.6 to 1m

Foliage

Dense fine dark green conifer foliage

Form

Three stacked clipped balls on a clear standard stem

Best for

Formal entries, doorways, courtyards, and matched-pair framing of significant garden features.