Situated in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley, Front Royal is known for its scenic nature and views. From the sprawling views from Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park to the Shenandoah River, Front Royal is an excellent place to escape from the hustle and bustle of Northern Virginia. One of the top attractions is the autumn foliage from the many trees of the region. But autumn isn’t the only time that you can appreciate the trees of Front Royal. Whether it’s the white blossoms of the Apple Serviceberry, the pink Higan Cherry blossoms of early spring, or the rich greens of maple and oak trees in the summer, each season offers a beautiful new canopy of leaves to admire. We’ll discuss our top ten tree species of the area to serve as your guide for your next nature walk through Front Royal!
1. Apple Serviceberry
The apple serviceberry is a natural hybrid between the Alleghany serviceberry and the downy serviceberry. Characterized by its white blossoms in early spring, the Apple serviceberry has the largest flowers among all other serviceberry species. Another unique trait of the apple serviceberry is that it thrives in shadier conditions than other hybrids. In the summer, its foliage is light to mild green, before turning red-orange in the autumn. The tree also bears edible berries that resemble blueberries when ripe.
2. Carolina Silverbell
The Carolina silverbell is a medium-sized tree that has small bell-shaped white flowers in the spring. It’s classified as an understory, a tree stunted because of low light caused by a forest canopy. Its flowering blossoms and medium size—the tree rarely grows more than 80 feet in height—make it a popular choice for ornamental trees along the road or in your yard.
3. Fringe Tree
A late spring bloomer, the fringe tree is a small flowering tree native to Virginia. The fringe tree is on the smaller side, typically ranging from 12 to 20 feet in height. Its most distinct feature is its blossoms. Each flower consists of four to six one-inch-long petals that are no more than 1/16” in width. These flowers are arranged in branched clusters, giving the tree its namesake look of fringe. In fact, another common name for the fringe tree is Old Man’s Beard due to its blossom’s shaggy appearance. The leaves are medium to dark green and turn to a vibrant golden yellow in the autumn.
4. Redbud
In a change from our selection of white flowering trees, our next favorite tree is the eastern redbud. With its vibrant magenta-pink flowers, the eastern redbud is a common sight throughout Virginia. A member of the Pea family, its buds have a unique ability to grow directly from the bark of the tree. This process is called ‘cauliflory’ or ‘stem flower’. Like the fringe tree, redbuds are on the smaller side and typically only reach heights of 15 to 30 feet. Their distinctive heart-shaped leaves emerge a bronzy-red color before fading into a soft green and then turning a vibrant yellow in the fall. Eastern redbuds are an excellent source of nectar and pollen, so you’re sure to hear the buzz of bees in the spring when the blossoms are in full bloom!
5. Red Maple
The Red Maple is a common tree throughout Virginia. Its hardy and tolerant nature allows it to thrive in various growing conditions. Some distinct qualities of the red maple include its toothed leaf margins and smaller leaf size, as well as the overall smaller size of the tree—often no more than 65 feet—when compared to other maples such as the silver maple. Notably, red maples can be tapped like sugar maples for syrup production, although the sap is not quite the same quality. However, the tapping season is short because of the early spring here in Northern Virginia.
6. Scarlet Oak
The scarlet oak is a native tree to Virginia. In the autumn, its deeply lobed leaves turn a brilliant scarlet red, from which it earns its name. Typically a mature tree reaches heights of 65 to 80 feet. Scarlet oak trees are monoecious, meaning they have both male and female flowers on each tree. Pollen is transferred by wind between flowers, which then develop into acorns. The scarlet oak is not unique to Virginia, in fact, it’s a very popular shade tree and is found throughout the Midwest and East Coast.
Fun fact: The Scarlet Oak is the official tree of Washington D.C.!
7. Sweetbay Magnolia
The Sweetbay Magnolia is a medium-sized tree native to Virginia. In late spring, the tree produces fragrant, creamy white flowers that are similar to traditional magnolia blossoms, but smaller in size. The blossoms open in the morning and close at night for a few days, before falling away from the tree. The leaves are a light to medium shade of green with smooth edges and are often 3 to 6 inches long and 2 inches wide.
Fun fact: Unlike many other magnolia species, Sweetbay Magnolias are semi-evergreen or evergreen, retaining their glossy green leaves year-round in warmer climates.
8. Weeping Higan Cherry
The Weeping Higan Cherry is not native to Virginia. Originally from Japan, the Higan cherry is appreciated for its beautiful bright pink spring blossoms and is a popular choice in landscaping. This cherry tree prefers well-drained soil and full sun to partial shade. It is relatively low-maintenance once established, requiring only occasional watering and minimal pruning to maintain its shape.
Notably, the Higan Cherry was recently classified as an invasive species throughout Virginia and Maryland.
9. Winter King Hawthorn
The Winter King Hawthorn is a unique deciduous tree because it offers a beautiful new sight each season of the year. Beginning in the spring, the tree blooms with small and delicate white flowers. In the summer months, the leaves are a glossy green that turn to a purplish red in the autumn. In the winter, the tree bears bright red berries, that offer a cheery pop of color during the cold and dreary months. These berries also provide an excellent source of food for birds. The tree is hardy and very adaptable to various growing conditions, including droughts!
10. Witch-hazel
The Witch-hazel is a small deciduous tree native to eastern North America, including Virginia. It’s known for its unique appearance, medicinal properties, and late fall to early winter blooming period. The tree is characterized by its multi-trunked growth habit and irregular shape, reaching heights of up to 20 feet. One of the most remarkable features of Witch-hazel is its blooming time, which occurs from October to December, long after most other trees have shed their leaves. The tree produces fragrant, spidery yellow flowers that emerge from the leaf axils, providing a splash of color in the late autumn landscape. These flowers are particularly striking against the backdrop of the tree’s remaining golden-yellow foliage.
Fun fact: The Witch-hazel tree has a long history of medicinal use by Native American and early European settlers. Extracts from its bark, leaves, and twigs are used in herbal remedies and skincare products for their astringent and anti-inflammatory properties.
Ready to enhance and maintain the beauty of your trees in Front Royal?
Look no further than JC Tree Care. Our expert team offers professional tree care services to ensure your trees thrive and remain healthy for years to come. From pruning to removal, trust JC Tree Care to keep your trees in top shape, preserving Front Royal’s natural splendor for generations to come.