10 Trees with Peeling or Flaking Bark
Flowers and fall foliage are the two big traits that drive most tree-selection decisions.
The showy bark of the paperbark maple tree.
Interesting bark is an overlooked feature that most people don’t pay much attention to until winter – if even then.
In some tree species, though, the bark is arguably the most attractive trait.
If you’re looking to add a tree or two to the landscape, here are 10 good choices that have outstanding peeling or flaking bark.
1.) Paperbark maple (Acer griseum). One of the smaller and slowest-growing maples, paperbark maple is best known for its peeling cinnamon-colored bark. It’s as nice in winter when bare as any time. Fall foliage isn’t as brilliant as red and sugar maples but still pretty good. Grows 25’ x 20’ in full sun to light shade.
2.) Kousa dogwood (Cornus kousa). More clay-, sun-, heat-, bug- and disease-tolerant than the American dogwood, this popular Chinese species has flaking bark that eventually gives the trunk a Dalmatian-like appearance. It blooms white in June and gets warty, marble-sized red fruits in fall. 25’ x 18’. Sun or part shade.
The Dalmatian-like bark of a Japanese stewartia.
3.) Stewartia (Stewartia pseudocamellia or koreana). Sleek and narrow when young, this small and slow-growing tree also develops Dalmatian-like flaking bark as it ages. Stewartias get small, white camellia-like flowers in late spring and turn a kaleidoscope of bright colors (gold, red, orange) in fall. 20’ x 18’. Sun or part shade.
4.) River birch (Betula nigra). This fast-growing native trees has cinnamon-colored peeling bark that becomes more prominent with age. It often grows in clumps of three or four main trunks, is tolerant of wet soil, and has yellow foliage in fall. Grows 35 to 40 feet tall, 20 to 25 feet around in full sun or part shade.
5.) Seven-son flower (Heptacodium miconioides). Hard to find but worth the hunt! Besides the peeling, two-tone, gray-and-tan bark, seven-son flower blooms white in late summer and then gets reddish seed capsules that look like the tree is in bloom again in a different color. 18’ x 12’. Full sun to light shade.
The shredding bark of seven-son flower.
6.) Persian parrotia (Parrotia persica). Sometimes called Persian ironwood, parrotia is another small tree with great fall foliage (neon gold). Its bark is flaking and mottled. It can be grown as a single-trunk tree or as a large, multi-stemmed bush. Without pruning, can ultimately grow 30’ x 20.’ Full sun or light shade.
7.) Crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica). Several varieties of this Southern favorite are winter-hardy enough to grow in Pennsylvania. When winters allow at least several years without dieback, these small trees begin to show off their smooth, two-toned, tan-and-cinnamon bark. Summer flowers are beautiful, and most have brilliant fall foliage as well. 18’ x 12’ or smaller. Full sun.
8.) London plane tree (Platanus x acerifolia). A hybrid offspring of our native sycamore, London plane is a fast-growing, large shade tree (for large areas) that flakes off brown bark to reveal a cream-colored inner bark. 55 to 65 feet tall and 40 to 50 feet wide in full sun.
9.) Shagbark hickory (Carya ovata). Nuts are the main attraction of this native tree, but it also offers surprisingly brilliant fall foliage and a sort of ragged, peeling bark that makes it look, well, shaggy. 60’ x 30’. Full sun.
10.) Lacebark pine (Pinus bungeana). This one’s a needled evergreen and so doesn’t show its bark as glaringly in winter as the above leaf-droppers. However, the bark flakes in that same eye-grabbing Dalmatian look as stewartias and Kousa dogwoods. 40’ x 30’. Full sun.