Easter Trees
A row of cherry blossom trees in golden afternoon light

Which tree should I plant?

Any blossom tree is a good Easter Tree. But if you'd like some guidance, here are our recommendations — chosen for beauty, resilience, and value to wildlife. All are available from UK garden centres and online nurseries.

Right tree, right place

Some of the trees recommended here are British natives — Prunus avium (wild cherry), Malus 'Evereste' (a crab apple cultivar of British native parentage). Some are naturalised European species long established in UK gardens — Amelanchier lamarckii. Some are ornamental cultivars, beautiful and pollinator-friendly but not native — Prunus 'Pink Shell', 'Accolade', 'Amanogawa', 'Kojo-no-mai'.

All are appropriate for gardens, churchyards, school grounds, and most parks. For larger or more sensitive sites — ancient woodland edges, SSSIs, ecological restoration projects — favour the natives, and check with your local Wildlife Trust before planting.

On biosecurity and provenance: ask your nursery whether trees are UK-grown, ideally from Plant Healthy-accredited stock. UK-grown trees minimise the risk of importing plant-health diseases like Xylella, Phytophthora, ash dieback, and plum pox virus — all of which threaten our wild and cultivated trees. Reputable nurseries will be glad to answer. We're building a vetted supplier list with our garden centre partners; if you spot a participating centre on the map, you can ask them to confirm provenance for the cultivar you want.

Photos shown are representative — your local nursery will have variety-specific stock for the trees they sell.

For small gardens and balconies

A compact pink-blossomed tree in a terracotta pot on a patio

Prunus incisa 'Kojo-no-mai' — The Tiny Dancer

A compact gem reaching just 2–3 metres, with twisted, characterful branches. Delicate white-pink flowers appear early in spring, before the leaves. Perfect for pots and small borders. Hardy and unfussy.

Pink cherry blossom against blue spring sky, in tall vertical form

Prunus 'Amanogawa' — The Column

Grows tall and narrow — ideal if space is tight. Fragrant semi-double pink flowers in April. Reaches 6–8 metres but stays slim. Beautiful beside a doorway or garden path.

For family gardens

Soft pink blossom against a pale spring sky

Prunus 'Pink Shell' — The Favourite

Our top pick for a family Easter Tree. Delicate cup-shaped pink flowers, gorgeous autumn colour, and a magnet for early pollinators. Reaches 4–5 metres. Graceful and easy to grow.

Cherry blossom branches with autumn-coloured trees in the background

Amelanchier lamarckii — The All-Rounder

White spring blossom, fiery autumn leaves, and edible berries in summer. Something beautiful in every season. Reaches 4–6 metres. Tough, adaptable, and beloved by birds.

For community spaces and parks

Masses of bright pink cherry blossom against clear blue sky

Prunus 'Accolade' — The Showstopper

Spreading branches covered in masses of semi-double pink flowers from March. Rich orange-red autumn colour. Reaches 6–8 metres. A proper statement tree for a park or school grounds.

Pink cherry tree in full bloom, illustrating the wild cherry effect at maturity

Prunus avium — The Wild One

Britain's native wild cherry. Clouds of white blossom in April, cherries for the birds in summer. Can reach 15–20 metres given space. The choice for bigger community plantings and avenues.

Close-up of cherry blossom showing pink stamens — a magnet for pollinators

Malus 'Evereste' — The Pollinator's Friend

A crab apple with masses of white blossom from pink buds, followed by small orange-red fruits that last into winter. Exceptional for pollinators. Reaches 4–6 metres. An excellent choice if you want to support wildlife.

How to plant your Easter Tree

  1. Choose your spot. Sunny and sheltered is ideal — wind blows blossom away. Check the soil drains well.
  2. Dig a hole twice the width of the pot and the same depth. Don't plant too deep — the soil surface should be level with the surrounding ground.
  3. Remove the tree from its pot, gently tease out any circling roots, and place it in the hole. Backfill with the soil you dug out — no need to add compost.
  4. Firm the soil gently with your foot. Water thoroughly — a full watering can at minimum.
  5. Stake if the tree is over a metre tall. Use a short stake angled into the wind, with a rubber tie. Remove after two years.
  6. Mulch around the base with bark chips or well-rotted compost. Leave a gap around the trunk itself.

Looking after your tree

Water it well through its first summer — a good soak once a week in dry weather is better than a little splash every day.

No pruning needed. If you must remove a dead or crossing branch, do it in summer (June–August), never winter. This protects against silver leaf disease.

In following springs, add a ring of mulch around the base. That's it. Blossom trees are wonderfully low-maintenance once established.

Your tree may not blossom in its first spring — it's settling in. By year two or three, you'll see flowers. By year five, it'll be a proper show. And it'll keep blooming for decades.

Where to buy

Most garden centres stock blossom trees in spring. For a wider selection, try these nurseries online: Ashridge Trees, Bowhaves Trees, Perfect Plants, or Crocus. The Woodland Trust offers free trees for schools and community groups through their free trees scheme. The Conservation Volunteers' 'I Dig Trees' programme also provides free trees to community groups.