Things to Do
Spring Blooming Trees in Southwest Missouri
We’ve gathered up four of our favorite local spots to stroll into spring and catch a bud in bloom.
By Colin Shea Denniston, Jo Jolliff
Apr 2024
Photo courtesy ShutterstockApril is the perfect month to spot trees like cherry blossoms, redbuds and dogwoods in bloom across 417-land.
Where to See Trees That Bloom in the Spring
Nathanael Greene/Close Memorial Park
2400 S. Scenic Ave, Springfield; 417-891-1515
Whether you want to go for a stroll around the pond or get comfy with a book in the gazebo, you’re sure to be surrounded by shades of bright pink trees. The park itself is full of flowering trees and plants budding back to life. You’ll truly feel like you’ve slipped on your rose-colored glasses with a stop in the Redbud Garden. This garden is fully immersed in blossoming redbud trees, with a gazebo perfectly placed in the center for 360-degree views of the whimsical rosy-pink blooms.
Silver Dollar City
399 Silver Dollar City Pkwy, Branson; 417-336-7100
Built into the Ozarks’ woods and surrounded by big, long-established native trees, Silver Dollar City comes to life in the spring. Here you’re sure to spot many spring colors both overhead in the trees and lining the paths in flower pots. Catch a view of the entire park and surrounding wildlife from the top of one of their tallest rides like Wildfire.
Missouri Cherry Blossom Festival
808-345-4975
On April 25–27 you can attend the annual event celebrating springtime blooms at the Missouri Cherry Blossom Festival. With three days packed full of events like a Laura Ingalls Wilder breakfast, Annual Cherry Blossom Tea and Spyres Family Concert, you’re sure to find new entertainment, crafts and food while being dazzled by Marshfield’s blooming cherry blossoms.
Dogwood Canyon Nature Park
2038 State Hwy 86, Lampe; 800-456-4812
As you may have guessed from the name, Dogwood Canyon Nature Park is home to plenty of flowering dogwood trees and paved trails that make enjoying them even easier. Not only do the trees come back to life in the spring with white and pink scalloped flowers, but you can also catch a glimpse of the wet-weather waterfalls housed at Dogwood Canyon Nature Park.
Springfield Conservation Nature Center
4601 S. Nature Center Way, Springfield; 417-888-4237
This 80-acre slice of the Ozarks woodline offers vast opportunities for spotting your favorite springtime blooms. Whether you’re hoping for splashes of pink buds or wispy white blooms, you’re sure to find them here. Among the trees lining the three miles of walking trails, you can also expect to find plenty of spots to stop and bird-watch, nature exhibits and free conservation educational activities throughout the season.
Which Trees Bloom in the Spring in Southwest Missouri?
Redbud Trees
We love visiting the Springfield Botanical Gardens/Nathanael Greene Park during wintertime to catch the oh-so-festive Gardens Aglow holiday light tour. But if you head back out for a visit between now and May, you’ll catch another stunning sight—blossoming redbud trees in The Redbud Garden. This garden is full of flowering trees and features an oval-shaped gazebo in the center for 360-degree views. These rosy-pink blooms evoke the whimsical feeling of spring before turning green.
Dogwood Trees
As the name suggests, Dogwood Canyon in Lampe, Missouri, is the perfect spot to enjoy the state tree of Missouri while also taking in the beautiful Ozark Mountains setting. These flowering trees deliver delicate white and sometimes pink egg-shaped flowers with a slightly scalloped edge. Blooms arrive April through mid-May, making them a true springtime-only indulgence. With a variety of activities available, Dogwood Canyon is perfect for a family stroll or romantic getaway.
Cherry Blossom Trees
Washington, DC may be synonymous with cherry blossoms, but the Missouri Cherry Blossom Festival in Marshfield may just give them a run for their money (and not to mention it’s a lot closer). The national flower of Japan, cherry blossoms represent renewal and optimism as the pink buds emerge and we say farewell to gray winter days. Running April 28 to 30, you may even spot some celebrities while enjoying your stroll. The event is known for hosting actors from shows like the Little House on the Prairie and descendants of past presidents and other history makers.
Serviceberry Trees
If you visit the Fulbright Spring Greenway Trail between now and the end of May, you can feast your eyes on slightly fragrant, wispy spring flowers of a serviceberry tree. While the name may suggest a deeper purpose, we appreciate these blooms for their bright punch of white against the newly emerging green of spring. The trail comes in at right around 6 miles and with its hard surface and moderate inclines, it’s perfect for walkers, runners, cyclists, skaters and even strollers.
