• Trees don't have to be just bark and leaves. You can choose from a variety of trees that bloom with colorful flowers and fruit in northern Illinois. Northern Illinois is a glaciated area where the bedrock is closer to the surface than in other areas. The soil can range from waterlogged to dry, depending on whether it's a flat area or has slopes and hills. Growing some trees in northern Illinois will require soil amendments, as the soil there tends to have a high level of alkaline.
  
  

Redbud

• Nothing beats a redbud tree for color when it blooms from March to May. The clusters of rose-pink flower buds cover older branches, the buds opening to reveal pea-like, pink flowers, which fade to light pink throughout their month-long life cycle. Redbud trees are native to northern Illinois, reaching a height of 15 feet to 30 feet with a short, crooked trunk. The trees live about 35 to 40 years, which is short-lived in tree years. The redbud prefers well-drained, fertile soil in partial sun. The soil needs to have limestone and clay to loam in it for a healthy redbud. The wood is prone to breakage, so plant trees in an area that's protected from strong winds.
  
  

Carolina Silverbell

• The blossoms may last for only a week in northern Illinois, but they make quite an impact while they're on the tree. Carolina silverbell is draped with clusters of white, bell-shaped flowers hanging from the underside of the branches beginning in late April to early May. At maturity in urban settings, silverbell reaches 30 feet tall and 20 feet wide, with a single trunk and low, upright branches. The medium-green foliage turns yellow-brown to bright green-yellow. Silverbell is happiest in a neutral to acidic soil located in full sun to partial shade. It prefers fertile, moist, well-drained soil and needs little maintenance once it's established in the landscape. Alkaline soil can cause the foliage to turn from green to a sickly yellow, called chlorotic leaves.
  
  

Allegheny Serviceberry

• Allegheny serviceberry trees are colorful from the bark to the blooms year-round. Native to northern Illinois, the Allegheny serviceberry reaches a height of 15 feet to 25 feet in full sun to full shade. It's multitrunked, with a dense network of red-brown branches. The bark on the trunk is smooth and gray-blue, with vertical white stripes. Silver-green flower buds appear before the new purple foliage, lasting for two to three weeks. In mid- to late April, 2-inch to 4-inch-long clusters of white flowers bloom. When summer approaches, the leaves turn blue-green as the fruit grows, changing from yellow to black as they ripen. Serviceberry's leaves change early in autumn turning orange, yellow-orange to red. Allegheny serviceberry prefers wet to moist, loamy to coarse soil.