Imagine a landscape where every turn offers a splash of brilliant contrast – the striking beauty of white against a backdrop of green, brown, or even winter’s monochrome. Trees with white features can transform a garden or natural setting, offering year-round interest and an undeniable elegance.
Whether it’s the ethereal glow of spring blossoms or the silvery shimmer of bark, the allure of these unique specimens is undeniable. In this comprehensive guide, we delve into 48 white trees, ranging from the early flowering Bird Cherry to the magnificent Yulan Magnolia. For each entry, you’ll find essential details organized by Scientific Name, the specific White Feature, and their Mature Height (m), all presented in the list you’ll find below.
What exactly makes a tree “white”?
A tree can be considered “white” for several reasons, and it’s not always about the flowers. While many trees are celebrated for their stunning white blooms, like dogwoods or cherries, others derive their white descriptor from different features. This can include striking white bark, such as that found on certain birch species, or even the silvery undersides of leaves that shimmer in the breeze, giving the tree a light, almost white appearance from a distance.
Do white trees only offer seasonal interest?
Not at all. While spring blossoms provide a spectacular, albeit temporary, display of white, many trees offer year-round interest through their white features. For example, trees with white bark provide a striking visual in winter when other foliage has faded. Even varieties with white-variegated leaves or silvery foliage maintain their unique appearance for much of the growing season, ensuring continuous visual appeal beyond just a fleeting floral show.
White Trees
| Common Name | Scientific Name | White Feature | Mature Height (m) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Silver Birch | Betula pendula | Distinct white, papery trunk and twigs | 20 |
| Paper Birch | Betula papyrifera | Bright white, peeling paper-like bark | 20 |
| Himalayan Birch | Betula utilis | Striking snow‑white smooth bark | 15 |
| Erman’s Birch | Betula ermanii | Pale, silvery‑white peeling bark | 12 |
| Ghost Gum | Corymbia aparrerinja | Smooth, bright white trunk and branches | 15 |
| White Gum | Eucalyptus alba | Smooth white bark covering trunk and limbs | 15 |
| Snow Gum | Eucalyptus pauciflora | Pale, often white mottled bark | 10 |
| Mountain Gum | Eucalyptus dalrympleana | Pale, whitish smooth bark | 30 |
| Cider Gum | Eucalyptus gunnii | Pale, glaucous white bark and bluish foliage | 25 |
| White Poplar | Populus alba | White, felted undersides of leaves and pale bark | 20 |
| Quaking Aspen | Populus tremuloides | Smooth, pale to whitish bark on younger trunks | 20 |
| White Mulberry | Morus alba | Often pale to white edible fruit and light bark on cultivars | 10 |
| Southern Magnolia | Magnolia grandiflora | Large, showy pure white flowers | 20 |
| Yulan Magnolia | Magnolia denudata | Pure white, early spring cup‑shaped flowers | 8 |
| Tulip‑tree (White cultivar) | Liriodendron tulipifera | Some cultivars with very pale/whiteish flowers | 25 |
| Horse‑chestnut | Aesculus hippocastanum | Tall panicles of white flowers with red/yellow markings | 20 |
| Catalpa | Catalpa speciosa | Large, showy white tubular flowers with spotted throats | 15 |
| Flowering Dogwood | Cornus florida | Broad white bracts that look like single flowers | 8 |
| Kousa Dogwood | Cornus kousa | Star‑like white bracts in late spring to early summer | 6 |
| Japanese Snowbell | Styrax japonicus | Clusters of dangling pure white bell‑shaped flowers | 6 |
| Serviceberry | Amelanchier spp. | Clouds of white blossoms in spring | 6 |
| Silverbell (Carolina) | Halesia tetraptera | Pendent white, bell‑shaped flowers in spring | 10 |
| Fringe Tree | Chionanthus virginicus | Lacy, fragrant white fringe‑like flowers | 6 |
| Chinese Fringetree | Chionanthus retusus | Large clusters of showy white flowers | 8 |
| Whitebeam | Sorbus aria | White spring flowers and silvery leaf undersides | 10 |
| Rowan / Mountain Ash | Sorbus aucuparia | Flat clusters of white spring flowers | 10 |
| Ornamental Pear (Bradford) | Pyrus calleryana | Profuse pure white spring blossoms | 12 |
| Bird Cherry | Prunus padus | Upright racemes of fragrant white flowers | 10 |
| Yoshino Cherry | Prunus × yedoensis | Masses of pale white to near‑white blossoms in spring | 10 |
| Black Locust | Robinia pseudoacacia | Fragrant white pea‑flowers in drooping clusters | 15 |
| Kentucky Yellowwood | Cladrastis kentukea | Long, pendulous clusters of fragrant white flowers | 12 |
| Frangipani (White Plumeria) | Plumeria alba | Pure white, fragrant tropical flowers with yellow centers | 8 |
| Ceylon Ironwood | Mesua ferrea | Large, fragrant pure white flowers | 15 |
| Strawberry Tree | Arbutus unedo | Masses of small, white urn‑shaped flowers | 6 |
| Weeping Paperbark | Melaleuca leucadendra | Pale, papery white to light bark | 20 |
| Broad‑leaved Paperbark | Melaleuca quinquenervia | Thick layers of white to cream papery bark | 15 |
| Crape Myrtle (white forms) | Lagerstroemia indica | Many cultivars bear pure white summer flower clusters | 6 |
| White Willow | Salix alba | Silvery‑white leaf undersides that shimmer in the wind | 20 |
| Chinese White Birch | Betula albosinensis | Attractive creamy‑white to pale‑silver bark | 20 |
| Ghost Gum (Papuana) | Corymbia papuana | Smooth white, ghostly trunk | 20 |
| White Ash (young bark) | Fraxinus americana | Light, sometimes pale bark on younger growth | 25 |
| Hawthorn | Crataegus monogyna | Dense clusters of white spring flowers | 8 |
| Paulownia (white‑flowering forms) | Paulownia tomentosa (white cultivars) | Large, pale white to very pale lavender‑tinged flowers in panicles | 15 |
| Rowan (Japanese mountain ash) | Sorbus japonica | Clusters of white spring flowers | 8 |
| White Spruce | Picea glauca | Pale, silvery‑green foliage giving a light overall tone | 20 |
| Silver Poplar (pyramidalis) | Populus alba ‘Pyramidalis’ | White leaf undersides and pale bark | 20 |
| Chilean myrtle (White‑flowering) | Luma apiculata | White clusters of fragrant small flowers and pale, smooth bark | 10 |
| Sweet Chestnut | Castanea sativa | Long creamy‑white catkin flowers (appear white en masse) | 25 |
Images and Descriptions
Silver Birch
A graceful, widely planted birch with shimmering white bark and delicate triangular leaves; very recognizable in temperate landscapes.
Paper Birch
Native to North America, this tree’s striking white, exfoliating bark and yellow autumn foliage make it a seasonal standout.
Himalayan Birch
Highly prized in ornamental planting for its immaculate white trunk that peels in thin layers, creating dramatic winter interest.
Erman’s Birch
A compact birch with attractive white, papery bark and a tidy crown; excellent for smaller gardens and alpine settings.
Ghost Gum
An iconic Australian eucalyptus with a luminous white trunk that stands out against arid landscapes and is often sculptural in form.
White Gum
Called “white gum” for its pale, powdery bark; an evergreen Australian tree used in tropical and subtropical planting.
Snow Gum
Alpine eucalyptus with smooth, pale bark and colorful patches; evergreen leaves and tolerance to cold make it unique among gums.
Mountain Gum
A tall Australian gum with clean pale bark and peeling patches, used frequently for screening and timber.
Cider Gum
A hardy eucalyptus with whitish trunk and attractive blue‑tinted juvenile leaves, popular in temperate ornamental plantings.
White Poplar
Named for its white leaf undersides that flash in wind; bark becomes more pronounced with age and the tree is fast‑growing.
Quaking Aspen
Noted for its trembling leaves and pale, smooth bark that gives groves a silvery, almost white appearance at a distance.
White Mulberry
A long‑cultivated tree whose name comes from pale (sometimes white) berries; leaves and form vary widely with cultivars.
Southern Magnolia
An evergreen tree with glossy leaves and enormous, fragrant white blossoms that are a summer focal point in warm climates.
Yulan Magnolia
An ancient cultivated magnolia from China prized for its large, fragrant white blooms before the leaves emerge.
Tulip‑tree (White cultivar)
Typically known for yellow‑green tulip‑like blooms, certain cultivars appear very pale and are valued for stately form and spring flowers.
Horse‑chestnut
A stately spring‑flowering tree producing large, upright clusters of mostly white blossoms that attract pollinators.
Catalpa
A summer‑flowering specimen tree with dramatic white blossoms and long bean‑like seed pods; excellent for specimen planting.
Flowering Dogwood
A classic spring flowering tree with striking white bracts (not true petals), attractive fall color and ornamental bark.
Kousa Dogwood
A later‑flowering dogwood with showy white bracts and ornamental strawberry‑like fruit in summer.
Japanese Snowbell
A delicate spring‑flowering tree with fragrant, pendulous white blooms and smooth gray bark, excellent for small gardens.
Serviceberry
A small multi‑stem tree with showy white spring flowers followed by edible berries and brilliant autumn color.
Silverbell (Carolina)
A graceful American native with strings of white bells in spring and good fall color; prized as an ornamental understory tree.
Fringe Tree
Also called old‑man’s beard, it produces masses of airy white flowers in spring and develops attractive fruit later in the season.
Chinese Fringetree
A handsome ornamental tree with larger, denser white flower clusters and a neat growth habit for street or garden use.
Whitebeam
A compact tree with creamy‑white blossom clusters, greyish undersides to the leaves and bright autumn fruit, valued in urban planting.
Rowan / Mountain Ash
A small ornamental tree with conspicuous white flower corymbs, followed by colorful berries and good fall foliage.
Ornamental Pear (Bradford)
Widely planted urban tree known for dramatic white spring flowering; many cultivars are showy but some have structural weaknesses.
Bird Cherry
A native cherry with dense, fragrant white flower spikes in spring and small fruit, often used in naturalistic plantings.
Yoshino Cherry
The famous flowering cherry of parks and avenues, noted for a dramatic, short‑lived white blossom display.
Black Locust
A hardy, fast‑growing tree with striking white, honey‑scented blossoms in late spring that attract bees.
Kentucky Yellowwood
An elegant small tree with spectacular white racemes in late spring and smooth gray bark, prized as a specimen.
Frangipani (White Plumeria)
A small tropical tree grown for intensely fragrant white flowers used in leis and as a focal ornamental.
Ceylon Ironwood
An evergreen ornamental with very scented white blooms and dense habit; used in tropical and subtropical landscapes.
Strawberry Tree
An evergreen with attractive peeling bark, white bell flowers in clusters and decorative red fruit later in the year.
Weeping Paperbark
An Australian tree with striking papery bark that peels in layers, often used as an ornamental in warm climates.
Broad‑leaved Paperbark
A robust paperbark tree valued for its exfoliating pale bark and clusters of bottlebrush flowers (usually white to pink).
Crape Myrtle (white forms)
A heat‑loving ornamental tree with smooth bark and long‑lasting white flower panicles on many widely planted cultivars.
White Willow
A fast‑growing willow with pale undersides to its leaves that give a striking silvery sheen across the crown in breeze.
Chinese White Birch
An ornamental birch with smooth, pale bark that peels in attractive layers revealing lighter patches beneath.
Ghost Gum (Papuana)
A northern Australian species with a clean white trunk and broad crown; highly visible in savanna landscapes.
White Ash (young bark)
A familiar shade tree whose younger twigs and bark can appear pale; better known for autumn leaf color and robust form.
Hawthorn
A small ornamental/hedge tree with abundant white blossoms, distinctive branching and bright autumn fruits; popular in countryside plantings.
Paulownia (white‑flowering forms)
Fast‑growing ornamental with showy, bell‑shaped blooms in spring; some cultivars produce near‑white blossoms.
Rowan (Japanese mountain ash)
A compact ornamental tree with white flower clusters followed by decorative berries and good autumn color.
White Spruce
A conifer sometimes called “white spruce” for its lighter foliage; in mass it can read as pale or silvery in the landscape.
Silver Poplar (pyramidalis)
A columnar form of white poplar used in avenues; its shimmering white leaf undersides are especially visible in wind.
Chilean myrtle (White‑flowering)
An attractive South American tree with peeling cinnamon to pale bark and abundant white blossoms in summer.
Sweet Chestnut
A large deciduous tree producing abundant, candle‑like catkin flowers that read as white from a distance and precede edible nuts.
