Purple blossoming tree?

My mom would like this tree with purple blossoms on it, unfortunatly we don't know what the name of it is, since the frost killed off the blooms before we could look for a blooming one. It is a TREE not a bush or vine. Wisteria can be a tree so I may be that. We have seen the tree around the area, and we live in Northern Ohio. I also know it is not a lilac tree or a cherry blossom tree. What are all the purple blossoming trees?

Purple blossoming tree?
If the tree bloomed out in the early to mid spring it may be a red bud tree. Try looking at this site, it is a nursery site but at least you can see the tree in bloom.





http://www.naturehills.com/new/product/p...
Reply:Looks like a Judas or redbud tree, Cercis Canadensis, C. occidentalis or Cercis siliquastrum, they flower along the stems instead of brunches, and generally have heart shaped leaves.





If it has a bunch of flowers like a wisteria but is a tree it could be a Robinia 'Purple robe'. If it has thin pine like leaves and flowers like those in the picture it could also be a tamarix. Hope one of the answers, answers your question.
Reply:Flowering plum trees have purple blossoms and they are beautiful!
Reply:The Empress tree, Paulownia tomentosa, has panicles of trumpet shaped, violet purple, fragrant , spring flowers. They look like lilac colored foxglove blooms.





There is a story that it was named in honor of Princess Anna Pavlovna, daughter of Russia's Czar Paul I.





Another tree with lilac flowers is the Jacaranda but it is subtropical zone 9 or higher.








Last is the Cercis canadensis, Judas tree or Eastern Redbud. It has pinkish purple flowers also. The nicest cultivar I've seen of this is called 'Forest Pansy' with maroon foliage to set off the blossoms.


http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symb...


http://www.greenwoodnursery.com/page.cfm...


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacaranda
Reply:Was probably some type of Magnolia, probably Saucer Magnolia ( Magnolia soulangeana) or hybrid of it .Were the flowers roughly tulip-shaped? The blooms come out too early in the north . Here ( upstate NY) they get frozen at least half the time . Another possibility would be some variety of Magnolia x loebneri ( hybrid of Star Magnolia %26amp; M.kobus) Were the flowers star-shaped ? If so , likely 'Leonard Messel'. Great tree, even though flowers are short-lived . Definitely worthwhile . Fragrance is wonderful. All of the Loebner Magnolias are very cold-hardy %26amp; long-lived . Only the flowers are tender . Varieties: 'Merrill', 'Leonard Messel','Ballerina','Donna' ,'Encore',Neal McEacharn','Powder Puff','Spring Snow','White Rose', 'White Stardus' . The last three bloom later, so are more likely to escape frost .





Fes might be right, with Redbud , but flowers usually don't get killed by frost . Redbud flowers are small ( 1/2"), in clusters(4-8) %26amp; tight to the branches . Magnolia flowers are 2-6" ( depending on variety )