Native Trees

NAME

LIGHT

MOISTURE

HEIGHT

COMMENTS

Common

Scientific

Balsam fir

Abies balsamea

F,P

M

75'

Open growth in hot, dry locations; evergreen

Red maple, Swamp maple

Acer rubrum

F,P

M

60'

Excellent fall color; tolerates wet spring soils

Sugar maple, Rock maple

Acer saccharum

F,P

M

75'

Excellent orange-red fall color; beautiful large shade tree

Mountain maple

Acer spicatum

F,P

M

30'

Useful in naturalizing

Yellow birch

Betula alleghaniensis

F,P

M

100'

Does best in cool soils and cool summers; beautiful bark; long lived

Paper birch

Betula papyrifera

F

M

70'

Beautiful white bark year-round; tolerates poor, dry soils

Gray birch

Betula populifolia

F

M

40'

Does well in poor soils; good for naturalizing

American hornbeam, Blue-beech

Carpinus caroliniana spp. virginiana

F

M

30'

Good for naturalizing; tolerates periodic flooding

Pagoda dogwood

Cornus alternifolia

F,P

M

M 25'

Moist soil is important; white flowers in early June

Cockspur thorn

Crataegus crus-galli

F

M

30'

Glossy green leaves; 2" thorns; persistent dark red fruits

White ash

Fraxinus americana

F

M

80'

Handsome large tree; good fall leaf color; tolerates alkaline soil

Green ash

Fraxinus pennsylvanica

F,P

60'

Faster-growing than white ash; tolerates salty, dry and alkaline soil

Larch, Hackmatack, Tamarack

Larix laricina

F

H,M

80''

Good in well-drained and moist-to-wet naturalized sites

Black gum

Nyssa sylvatica

F,P

M

50'

Excellent yellow-orange fall leaf color

American hophornbeam

Ostrya virginiana

F,P

M,S

40'

Slow to establish after transplanting; good medium-sized tree

White spruce, Cat spruce

Picea glauca

F,P

M

60'

Good specimen or windbreak; evergreen

Black spruce

Picea mariana

F,P

M

40'

Tolerates wet sites; evergreen

Jack pine

Pinus banksiana

F

S,X

50'

Useful for windbreaks or mass plantings in sandy soil; evergreen

Red pine, Norway pine

Pinus resinosa

F

S,X

80'

Good windbreak; tolerates dry soils well; evergreen

White pine

Pinus strobus

F

M,S

80'

Handsome specimen; not tolerant of salt; evergreen

Bigtooth aspen

Populus grandidentata

F

M,S

70'

Fast growing, short lived; good yellow fall leaf color

Quaking aspen, Trembling aspen

Populus tremuloides

F

M

50'

Fast growing, short lived; good yellow fall leaf color

Pin cherry, fire cherry, bird cherry

Prunus pensylvanica

F

M

35'

Adaptable; fast growing; tolerates poor soil

Black cherry

Prunus serotina

F

M

60'

Interesting black bark; white flowers in spring; wildlife food source

White oak

Quercus alba

F

M

80'

Large tree; transplant when young

Northern red oak

Quercus rubra

F

M

75'

Transplants readily; good fall red leaf color

Black willow

Salix nigra

F

H,M

35'

Tolerates wet soils; twigs can cause lawn litter

American mountainash

Sorbus americana

F

M

30'

Fruits good in wildlife landscape

Northern white-cedar, Arborvitae

Thuja occidentalis

F,P

M

60'

Useful hedge or specimen plant; tolerates alkaline soil

Basswood, American linden

Tilia americana

F,P

M

80'

Large tree; tolerates alkaline soil; good for urban landscape

Eastern hemlock

Tsuga canadensis

F,P,S

M

70'

Graceful evergreen; does not tolerate drought or windy sites