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Parking lots are necessary additions to most commercial properties. They give their employees, tenants and visitors safe places to park while they conduct their business at the site.

But these essential urban features can be unsightly in their most basic forms. And municipal ordinances sometimes mandate specific parking amounts for different types of commercial properties, not to mention the landscaping that should accompany them.

Nice landscaping in and around parking lots provide many benefits to an Atlanta commercial property. It improves appearance, prevents soil erosion, reduces the property’s carbon footprint, reduces storm water drainage problems, limits wind and noise, and provides heat-reducing shade.

Trees, in fact, can bring a wealth of cooling and aesthetics to these spaces.

However, because parking lots can provide some of the most extreme conditions, the tree(s) you select should have these following features:

  • withstand heat and intense sun exposure
  • thrive in compact and infertile soils
  • don’t have a low-branching habit
  • does not produce a lot of seed pods

With that said, here are our top three picks for the best flowering trees to plant on your parking lot islands.

Crape Myrtle: Beauty That Can Take The Heat

Crape Myrtle Is One Of The Best Flowering Trees For Parking Lot Islands

It’s probably no surprise that crape myrtle is on the list. It is one of the most useful flowering trees in Georgia. It provides abundant, long-lasting summer color with gorgeous, drooping flower clusters ranging from red to pink to lavender to white, depending on the variety you choose.

This tree requires minimal maintenance to boot. It can withstand droughts after becoming established and is relatively free of diseases and insects. Depending on the variety, crape myrtles can reach up to 30 feet in height.

Redbud: Local Native That Provides Refreshing Spring Color

Redbus Is One Of The Best Flowering Trees For Parking Lot Islands

Those trees that bring soft flashes of mauve-pink blooms in the spring are redbuds. This beauty, which can grow to 20 to 30 feet, has heart-shaped leaves, tolerates drought conditions and has few pest problems.

While the tree gets its name from the dark maroon color of its buds, most people remember it for the pink, pea-sized flowers that cover the tree in spring.

Flowering Cherry: Spectacular Spring Show

Flowering Cherry is One Of The Best Flowering Trees For Parking Lot Islands

Cherry trees bloom just as they begin to leaf out in early spring and provide a brilliant white or pink show, which is what they are most known and desired for.

They attract birds and are disease and pest resistant, as well as drought tolerant. These trees have an upright form that fans out just slightly in maturity to a vase shape. Mature flowering cherries can reach a height of 20-30 feet.

HighGrove Knows The Best Flowering Trees For Parking Lot Islands

With regular irrigation, all three of these trees can take on the harsh environments of parking lot islands. When it comes to cost, crape myrtles tend to be the lowest priced of the three trees because they grow quickly and require less maintenance, while redbuds are a bit more expensive.

In choosing the best flowering trees for your parking lot islands, HighGrove is happy and ready to help thanks to years of experience in commercial tree care. Give us a call at 678-298-0550 or use our simple contact form.

In the meantime, be sure to check out our 2015 Commercial Property Trends Report below for more tips and trends to help your commercial property become more attractive, more comfortable and more sustainable this year and for years to follow.

Last modified: June 3, 2021

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