The Most Dramatic Specimen Trees

By Nancy Penrose

A “specimen” tree is a tree selected as a standout or striking element within a landscape design. These trees often have unique shapes, textures, colors, or other eye-catching features that set them apart from the rest of the plants in your yard.

Below are seven exceptional specimen trees that can serve as impressive focal points in your outdoor space.

Japanese Maple
Japanese maples are known for their stunning foliage and elegant forms, making them ideal as centerpiece trees. Mature specimens typically reach about 25 feet in height and width. With hundreds of varieties to choose from, these trees offer a wide range of leaf shapes and colors. In spring and summer, the foliage is usually red or green, transitioning into vivid hues of red, yellow, or orange in the fall. Adding uplighting at the base can beautifully highlight the tree’s branching structure after dark.

Korean Dogwood
Also known as Cornus kousa, the Korean or Kousa dogwood is a small, deciduous tree or multi-stemmed shrub that usually grows between 15 and 30 feet tall. Early in its life, it has a vase-like shape, later developing into a more rounded canopy. Blooming in late spring to early summer, its eye-catching “flowers” are actually four white, pointed bracts that encircle a cluster of small, inconspicuous yellow-green blooms. Some varieties produce pink-tinted bracts instead.

Acer Palmatum Dissectum
This weeping form of Japanese maple creates a mounded, rounded silhouette. Its lacy, deeply divided foliage, graceful arching branches, and brilliant fall color—from orange to fiery red—make it an excellent garden specimen. Even in winter, its intricate branch structure provides visual interest.

Crape Myrtle
Renowned for their vibrant summer blooms and distinctive bark, Crape Myrtles come in a variety of varieties. They generally grow to be 10 to 25 feet tall and 15 to 20 feet wide. Their flowers can be shades of pink, red, lavender, or white, and their fall foliage transforms into yellow, orange, or red tones. As the bark exfoliates, it reveals striking patterns in brown and gray. Nighttime lighting can emphasize these textural details.

Parrotia
The Parrotia tree is especially prized for its dazzling autumn display, often showing yellow, orange, and red leaves simultaneously. Though it produces small reddish-purple flowers in spring, they are not particularly noticeable. This hardy, pest-resistant tree can grow to about 30 feet tall and 15 to 20 feet wide. It is available in both single-trunk and multi-trunk forms.

Stewartia Pseudocamellia
This deciduous tree offers year-round beauty, featuring lush green leaves, delicate early summer flowers, a colorful fall show, and uniquely mottled bark in shades of cream and brown. The white, camellia-like blooms and multicolored autumn foliage—ranging from yellow to orange to red—add seasonal charm. Stewartia prefers moist, well-draining soil and partial sunlight, as full sun may cause leaf tip burn. Uplighting can accent its remarkable bark after sunset.

Ginkgo
The Ginkgo tree is one of the most ancient tree species on Earth, predating even the dinosaurs. It grows slowly and is most celebrated for its brilliant fall foliage. Its distinctive, fan-shaped leaves turn a vivid yellow in autumn, creating a breathtaking seasonal effect.

Reviewed and edited by Albert Fang.

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Article Title: The Most Dramatic Specimen Trees

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