I love trees. Not only are they beautiful (well, most of them), they do a whole bunch of great things for the ecosystem: trap carbon dioxide, release oxygen, help stop erosion, and provide habitats for all sorts of wildlife. Are you thinking of adding a new tree to your property and want something a bit unusual? Here are 10 unique trees that will stand out in your yard, all of them boasting at least one interesting feature: foliage, bark, and/or flowers. See which ones suit your yard best!
1. Maidenhair tree (Ginkgo biloba)
One of my all-time favourites, the gingko is famous for its foliage: delicate and fan-shaped, it’s a punchy lime green, turning to vibrant yellow in the fall. Ginkgos are very adaptable to urban environments, being tolerant of salt, heat, and different soil types once established. They’re often found in city landscapes like parks, roadsides, and sidewalks.
A native of China, the ginkgo is an ancient tree dating back to the age of the dinosaurs. Incredibly, scientists have discovered that their growth cells—called cambium—lack the aging gene (nice trick). As a result, ginkgos don’t weaken and deteriorate as they get older; most succumb to pests or an outside force like fire, drought or logging rather than old age. They can easily live over 1000 years; there’s a ginkgo in China that is estimated to be over 1400 years old.
- Best feature: foliage
- Mature size: 50–80’ tall, 30–40’ wide
- Light: full sun
- USDA hardiness zones: 4–9
2. Tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera)
Another big favourite of mine, the tulip tree really has two things going for it that qualify it for this list—its foliage and its flowers. It has attractive, glossy green leaves that feature two lobes along each side, growing to about 8 inches in length. Unusually, the leaves appear nearly flat across the top instead of having a pointed tip. In spring, exotic-looking yellow and orange flowers that resemble small tulips appear; unfortunately, they bloom so high up in the canopy that they’re hard to spot from the ground. Leaves turn a brilliant yellow or orange in fall, providing great autumn colour. The tulip tree is native to the Eastern U.S. and the Carolinian forest zone of Southern Ontario.
- Best feature: foliage and flowers
- Mature size: 70–90’ tall, 40–50’ wide
- Light: full sun
- USDA hardiness zones: 4–9
3. London Planetree (Platanus x hispanica)
The peeling, mottled bark is the star attraction of the London planetree. Its bark exfoliates because the rigidity of the outer bark prevents it from expanding as quickly as inner growth occurs. The tree is described as “self-cleaning”—when the bark peels, it sheds accumulated pollutants, dirt, and pests, keeping it healthy. The peeled bark gives the tree a uniquely mottled, almost camouflage look; when the dark outer layer flakes away, underlayers in different shades of white, yellow, tan, and green are exposed. I’ve had people ask me “Is it supposed to look like that? Is something wrong with it?”. Yes it is, and no there’s not!
The planetree is highly tolerant of urban environments and is commonly planted in city streetscapes. Unfortunately, the tree’s very large mature size means the root system gets quite extensive, and can cause damage to sidewalks, sewers, and driveways if they’re located too close.
It also gets pretty messy, dropping chunks of bark and spiky fruit balls below it. All in all, I would consider the London planetree to be pretty high-maintenance, but the bark is so interesting I forgive it.
- Best feature: bark
- Mature size: 70–100’ tall, 60–70’wide
- Light: full sun/part shade
- USDA hardiness zones: 5–9
4. Trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides)
Also known as quaking or quivering aspen, this tree’s common names come from the way the foliage flutters in the slightest breeze. The near-constant rippling movement of the leaves is due to their unusual petioles (the stem connecting the leaf to the branch). Typical petioles are round, but the trembling aspen’s are narrow, flat, and flexible. The regular movement of the leaves actually provides biological benefits for the tree. Pests and fungal spores are constantly shaken off, and the tree has increased wind resistance, with less structural damage occurring from high gusts.
Aspens form extensive colonies; connected by their underground root systems, they are clones that share the same DNA and are considered one single entity. Still photos don’t do the trembling aspen justice; you just have to see it in motion.
- Best feature: foliage
- Mature size: 40–50’ tall, 20–30’ wide
- Light: full sun/part shade
- USDA hardiness zones: 2–7
5. North American pawpaw (Asimina triloba)
The colour of the flowers the pawpaw tree produces is often described as maroon, burgundy, or purple. You can make your own mind up about what colour you think they are; I say they’re brown. Let’s face it, that’s weird for a flower, and it’s the reason why the pawpaw made my list. The blooms have three inner and three outer petals, first appear in mid-spring, and start out green before darkening to brown. They’re not pollinated by bees—instead, the flower attracts beetles and flies with its strong odor that’s said to mimic the smell of rotting meat.
The pawpaw also grows edible fruit in late summer that’s supposed to taste like a (delicious-sounding) mix of mango, banana, and pineapple. Despite the exotic-sounding name, fruit, and flowers, the pawpaw is actually native to eastern North America. Even the foliage has a tropical feel—the leaves are shaped like teardrops and measure up to 12 inches long. Because the leaves hang downwards, the pawpaw tree is sometimes described as looking “sleepy”.
- Best feature: flowers
- Mature size: 25–40’ tall, 15–20’ wide
- Light: full sun/part shade
- USDA hardiness zone: 5–9
6. Kentucky coffee tree (Gymnocladus dioicus)
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Another tree I love for its foliage, which is deceptive at first glance. What looks like tiered branches of tiny oval leaves are actually “leaflets”. These are attached to a central stalk by rows of multiple secondary stalks; the entire structure of the leaflets, secondary stalks, and central stalk is the actual leaf. It can reach 3 feet long and 2 feet wide—so large that one leaf can be mistaken for an entire branch.
The seed pods are large and tough. Thousands of years ago, the tree was propagated when the pods were eaten and disbursed by huge ice age mammals, who were able to digest them. Animals rarely consume them today due to their toxicity, so it’s less common now for them to propagate by seed dispersal. More often, they reproduce by root suckering, which results in clones (similar to the aspen).
The Kentucky coffee tree sheds its foliage earlier than most other species, and leafs out very late in the spring. Basically, the tree is bare for about six months of the year (part of the scientific genus name—Gymnos – means naked), so enjoy the massive leaves when you can!
- Best feature: foliage
- Mature size: 60–80’ tall, 40–50’ wide
- Light: full sun
- USDA hardiness zone: 3–8
7. Big-leaf magnolia (Magnolia macrophylla)
The big-leaf magnolia features the largest flowers and simple leaves (single-bladed) of any native North American tree. The oblong leaves can grow to a pretty massive 3 feet long and 1 foot wide, giving it a very tropical feel. The incredible, creamy-white flowers you’d expect of a magnolia appear in May and June, but they’re even bigger than those of the Southern magnolia—up to 1 foot across. An interesting fact about the big-leaf (and all magnolias) is that they are ancient and evolved before bees and butterflies, so they are pollinated primarily by beetles.
- Best feature: foliage and flowers
- Mature size: 30–50’ high, 30–40’ wide
- Light: full sun/part shade
- USA hardiness zones: 5–8
8. Paperbark maple (Acer griseum)
It never fails that when I type out the common name of this tree, it comes out paperBACK maple (technically, it could be one day). I think maple leaves are pretty great on their own. However, this tree makes the list for its incredible, distinctive bark that peels away, revealing a kaleidoscope of red, copper, orange, and cinnamon. It’s a relatively slow-growing tree, and the peeling doesn’t start until the tree is about 6 years old; from then on it will shed continuously.
Each deep green leaf is made up of three leaflets connected to the petiole (called trifoliate), and later transforms into the beautiful fall colours typical of a maple. The paperbark is a medium-sized tree tolerant of different soil types and is resistant to most pests, making it a good choice for residential yards. Truly a four seasons tree, the flaky bark makes it look spectacular year-round. The paperbark is native to central China, where it’s now endangered.
- Best feature: bark
- Mature size: 20–30’ tall, 15–20’ wide
- Light: full sun/part shade
- USDA hardiness zone: 4–8
9. Sassafras (Sassafras albidum)
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I chose this tree because the foliage is delicate, pretty, and unusual: Sassafras can have oval, mitten shaped (oval with a “thumb” attached), and three-lobed leaves all on the same tree. It’s one of the few tree species to feature this unusual trait. Foliage is vivid green, turning shades of gold, red, and purple in the fall.
If you crush the leaves or scratch the bark, it releases a strong spicy, citrus scent. Sassafras was the original flavouring for root beer, using ground roots and extracts. Early settlers and Native Americans used different parts of the tree for tea and medicines, although now the oils are considered a health risk. Sassafras is an important host plant for Swallowtail butterflies, and its autumn berries are loved by migrating songbirds. Not a long-lived species, sassafras usually only reach about 30 years old.
- Best feature: foliage
- Mature size: 25–40’ tall, 20–35’ wide
- Light: full sun/part shade
- USDA hardiness zones: 4–9
10. American sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua)
I love the star-shaped leaves of the sweetgum. Shiny and bright green, they can have five or seven lobes, and turn beautiful shades of yellow, orange, red, and purple in the fall. The tree gets its name from the sweet sap that oozes from cuts in the bark. Pioneers and Native Americans used the sap (called storax) as a type of chewing gum. It’s still used today in fragrances, incense, and some topical medications. The flowers that emerge in spring are not very interesting, but the sweetgum produces “tree balls”, or spiky pods, in the fall and winter. Not fun to step on, but they can be dried and used in crafts, and birds like the tiny seeds that are inside.
- Best feature: foliage
- Mature size: 60–75’ tall, 40–50’ wide
- Light: full sun
- USDA hardiness zones: 5–9
Featured image: “Liriodendron tulipifera at The New York Botanical Garden” (JR P, CC BY-NC 2.0)
September 10, 2026
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