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What to Plant Now for Flowers Between Now and Christmas

What to Plant Now for Flowers Between Now and Christmas

Plant now and your garden will be in full flower through the festive season. Five proven flowering trees - Saucer Magnolia, Crepe Myrtle 'Natchez', Forest Pansy, Snow Pear and Lipan Crepe Myrtle - matched to climate and planting position.

Christmas PlantingCrepe MyrtleMagnoliaSpring FloweringSummer Flowering

Planting now gives your garden time to settle before the warm season hits full stride, with flowering trees that carry colour from spring right through to Christmas. The five below establish quickly, reward early, and deliver reliable seasonal interest.

Magnolia x soulangeana (Saucer Magnolia)

Sets the tone for the season with large pink to mauve goblet blooms in early spring. Sheltered position protects the flowers from late frost.

Lagerstroemia indica 'Natchez' (Crepe Myrtle)

Carries the garden through summer with masses of white panicles. Long flowering, drought tolerant once established, and one of the most reliable summer feature trees.

Natchez crepe myrtle

Cercis canadensis 'Forest Pansy'

Magenta-pink pea flowers in early spring on bare branches, followed by deep purple summer foliage. Compact, ornamental and reliable.

Pyrus nivalis (Snow Pear)

Pure white spring blossom and silver-grey summer foliage. One of the cleanest and most refined deciduous feature trees for cool to warm temperate gardens.

Spring flowering trees

Lagerstroemia indica 'Lipan' (Pink Crepe Myrtle)

Soft pink crepe myrtle with a long summer flowering display. Compact form suits smaller gardens and entry plantings.

Summer flowering tree

Final Thoughts

Plant now and the garden will be in full flower by Christmas. From the soft colour of crepe myrtles to the dramatic blooms of saucer magnolias, these trees deliver months of colour from a single autumn or winter planting.

Compare at a glance

CultivarHeightWidthFormFoliageBest if you…
Magnolia x soulangeana
Saucer Magnolia 		4 to 6m3 to 5mSpreading with rounded crownGlossy green, emerges after floweringFeature lawns, courtyards, formal gardens.
Lagerstroemia indica 'Natchez'
Natchez White Crepe Myrtle 		6 to 9m5 to 7mVase shaped, multi-trunkGreen turning red and orange in autumnDriveways, street planting, feature lawns. Handles 30°C and above.
Cercis canadensis 'Forest Pansy'
Forest Pansy 		4 to 6m3 to 5mSpreading multi-stemmedDeep purple heart-shaped, crimson in autumnFeature beds, mixed borders, residential gardens.
Pyrus nivalis
Snow Pear 		6 to 8m4 to 5mUpright with rounded crownSilver-grey through summer with rich autumn colourFeature lawns, driveway plantings, urban gardens.
Lagerstroemia indica 'Lipan'
Lipan Crepe Myrtle 		4 to 6m3 to 4mVase shapedGlossy green with autumn colourDriveways, residential feature trees, smaller gardens.
Magnolia x soulangeana

1. Magnolia x soulangeana (Saucer Magnolia)

The Saucer Magnolia delivers large goblet-shaped pink to mauve blooms in early spring, setting the tone for the warm season. The deciduous form means clean structure in winter and lush foliage through summer.

Type
Deciduous flowering tree
Height
4 to 6m
Width
3 to 5m
Growth rate
Moderate
Foliage
Glossy green, emerges after flowering
Flowers
Pink to mauve goblet blooms in early spring
Form
Spreading with rounded crown
Conditions
Full sun to part shade, sheltered, well-drained soil
Maintenance
Low
Best for
Feature lawns, courtyards, formal gardens.

Why choose it

Sets the season's tone with one of the most dramatic spring flowering displays available.

Perfect pair

Pair Saucer Magnolia with Crepe Myrtle 'Natchez' as the summer-flowering counterpoint for extended seasonal interest.

Tips for planting

Plant in a sheltered position to protect blooms from frost. Mulch heavily and water consistently.

A dramatic early-season feature.

Shop Magnolia x soulangeana
Lagerstroemia indica 'Natchez'

2. Lagerstroemia indica 'Natchez' (Natchez White Crepe Myrtle)

Natchez carries the garden through summer with masses of white panicles. Reliable, long flowering and drought tolerant once established.

Type
Deciduous flowering tree
Height
6 to 9m
Width
5 to 7m
Growth rate
Fast
Foliage
Green turning red and orange in autumn
Flowers
Pure white panicles, mid summer to autumn
Form
Vase shaped, multi-trunk
Conditions
Full sun, well-drained soil, drought tolerant
Maintenance
Prune in late winter
Best for
Driveways, street planting, feature lawns. Handles 30°C and above.

Why choose it

Long summer flowering, cinnamon coloured exfoliating bark and reliable autumn colour, all on a tree built for hot dry Australian conditions.

Perfect pair

Pair Natchez with Magnolia 'Coolwyn Gloss' as the structural evergreen behind.

Tips for planting

Water deeply through the first two summers. Avoid heavy pruning into old wood.

Summer flowering through to autumn.

Shop Lagerstroemia indica 'Natchez'
Cercis canadensis 'Forest Pansy'

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

Forest Pansy delivers spring flowers followed by deep purple heart-shaped foliage that holds through summer. Multi-season interest with a compact footprint.

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.

Why choose it

Few trees deliver this much seasonal change in a compact form. Purple foliage provides ongoing visual contrast that most deciduous trees cannot match.

Perfect pair

Pair Forest Pansy with Magnolia grandiflora 'Coolwyn Gloss' as the dark green evergreen counterpoint.

Tips for planting

Protect from strong winds while establishing. Mulch heavily.

Multi-season interest with purple foliage.

Shop Cercis canadensis 'Forest Pansy'
Pyrus nivalis

4. Pyrus nivalis (Snow Pear)

Snow Pear lights up early spring with masses of white blossom, followed by silver-grey summer foliage and reliable autumn change.

Type
Deciduous flowering tree
Height
6 to 8m
Width
4 to 5m
Growth rate
Fast
Foliage
Silver-grey through summer with rich autumn colour
Flowers
Pure white blossom in early spring
Form
Upright with rounded crown
Conditions
Full sun, well-drained soil, frost tolerant
Maintenance
Low. Shape prune in winter
Best for
Feature lawns, driveway plantings, urban gardens.

Why choose it

Few trees deliver this level of spring impact while maintaining silver-grey interest through summer.

Perfect pair

Pair Snow Pear with Bay 'Miles Choice' as the formal evergreen hedge.

Tips for planting

Water deeply through the first two summers. Mulch heavily.

Refined spring flowering with summer silver.

Shop Pyrus nivalis
Lagerstroemia indica 'Lipan'

5. Lagerstroemia indica 'Lipan' (Lipan Crepe Myrtle)

Lipan is a compact soft pink crepe myrtle with reliable summer flowering. Delivers colour from November through to autumn in a smaller package.

Type
Deciduous flowering tree
Height
4 to 6m
Width
3 to 4m
Growth rate
Fast
Foliage
Glossy green with autumn colour
Flowers
Soft pink panicles, mid summer to autumn
Form
Vase shaped
Conditions
Full sun, well-drained soil, drought tolerant
Maintenance
Prune in late winter
Best for
Driveways, residential feature trees, smaller gardens.

Why choose it

A compact crepe myrtle delivering reliable colour from spring foliage through to summer flowers and autumn change.

Perfect pair

Pair Lipan with Magnolia 'Coolwyn Gloss' as the evergreen backdrop.

Tips for planting

Water deeply through the first two summers. Mulch and feed once a year in spring.

Compact summer flowering with reliable colour.

Shop Lagerstroemia indica 'Lipan'

Frequently asked questions

When should I plant a tree to flower by Christmas?
Plant in late winter to early spring for trees to settle and flower through the warm season. Established trees in pots can be planted year round provided care is taken with watering.
What is the best summer flowering tree?
Lagerstroemia indica 'Natchez' is one of the most reliable summer flowering trees, with masses of white panicles from mid summer through to autumn.

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