Selecting Shade Trees For Your Garden

YOUR GARDEN
SANCTUARY
Selecting shade trees for your garden
www.yourgardensanctuary.com
SELECTING SHADE TREES FOR YOUR GARDEN
The information in this book has been carefully

researched, and all efforts have been made to ensure
accuracy. We assume no responsibility for any injuries
suffered or damages or losses incurred during use or as
a result of following recommendations given in this
book. Opinions vary greatly on individual plants
characteristics and several authorities and references
were consulted during the compilation of this
information. The information contained in this booklet
should be verified with information from other sources
and nursery experts familiar with your specific
landscape situation and needs. The lists of trees are not
complete, thankfully, there are many more trees that
we cannot include them all.
Copyright 2013 by Jim Anderson
www.yourgardensanctuary.com 1
Contents
SELECTING SHADE TREES FOR YOUR GARDEN ......................................................................................................... 3
HOW SHOULD WE CHOOSE OUR TREES? .............................................................................................................. 3
SELECTING THE TREES AT THE NURSERY ............................................................................................................... 4
WE WANT OUR TREES TO: .................................................................................................................................... 5
1st STEP – Decide how big of a tree you need.......................................................................................................... 6
2nd STEP – Determine your site conditions ............................................................................................................. 7
3rd STEP - What is your climate? ............................................................................................................................. 9
FIND YOUR LISTS OF POSSIBLE TREES................................................................................................................ 10-49
S ELECTING SHADE TREES FOR YOUR GARDEN

Selecting the trees that will shade your
garden is a big decision. It will impact the
enjoyment and value you receive from your garden
Shade trees are for the most part, considered
permanent. If selected correctly and properly cared
for, they can live for over one hundred years.
for the immediate and foreseeable future. So, how
Therefore, we must take care when we are selecting
do most people choose their shade trees?
shade trees. If you pick the wrong tree or plant it in
a) “Let’s get whatever tree John and Patty have in the wrong spot, you might regret it for a long time.
their yard. He never has to rake his leaves in
the fall!”
HOW SHOULD WE CHOOSE OUR TREES?
First off, there is no one perfect tree for all situations.
b) “Hey honey, let’s go to the nursery and just see
There are, however, many great trees for almost
what they recommend. They have a bunch of
every situation. In this guide, I will help you find some
different trees and I am sure they know better
of the best trees that match your specific needs.
than we do?”
c) “Let’s just get what’s on sale, alright?” If you have been reading my blog posts, you probably
didn’t answer a), b), or c) to the previous question.
Trees are an important piece of any well designed
You probably have an idea of what tree(s) you want
landscape. They can even form the basis for the
for your yard and you are trying to figure out how to
entire design. The trees chosen and where they are
fit them into your landscape.
planted impacts what other plantings can be used.
A better approach would be to first decide where

trees are needed, then decide what tree(s) work best
for your landscape. This guide will walk you through
this process.
SELECTING THE TREES AT THE NURSERY

A tree is a long term investment. You should start
with a high quality plant. Note, I didn’t say the most
EXPENSIVE tree (i.e. biggest). A tree that is eight to
10 feet tall is often the best buy. If the tree is difficult
to establish, you can start with smaller plants.
Ironically, large trees, will usually take much longer to
recover from transplant stress and to start growing The smaller trees caught up to the larger tree
again.
Trust me, I know. I spent $250 on a seven foot balled-

and-burlaped Vanderwolf’s Limber pine, and $90 on
three foot containerized trees ten years ago. Guess
which trees are taller now? The trees that were three
feet tall when planted. You know what else? The
smaller trees were a heck of a lot easier to move and
plant.
WE WANT OUR TREES TO… So if your shade tree will be growing in shade you will
have to pick trees that can tolerate shade, many
Grow to an appropriate size trees do not. If you have a shaded site you will want
What size of a tree do you want? This is the big one. to make the tree(s) you select can handle shade in
It impacts the amount of shade cast. We have to your climate. Your best bet is your local botanic
figure this one out right away. garden or nursery.
Note that you don’t need a huge tree to get shade The hardiness zone you are in. Are you in zone 5? If
benefits. An eight foot tree planted near your home yes, I would not recommend trees that grow in zones
can begin shading windows in the first year. The tree 6 – 9. Hardiness zones for each of the trees on your
can shade the roof in five to 10 years. Even if you just list of possible trees at the end of the guide, starting
shade your air conditioner, you can increase its on page 13, are to the right of each tree’s name.
efficiency by 10 percent.
Do well with my sites conditions

Match your soil conditions – What is the pH of the
soil where the tree will be planted? What is the
moisture level of the soil?
Amount of sun the tree will receive. Yes, we are

talking shade trees and if the area is already shaded,
you probably do not need a shade tree. That being
said, maybe you want more shade, or are planting a
tree to replace one that will eventually be removed.
1st STEP - DECIDE HOW BIG OF A TREE I often recommend using several trees to shade
YOU NEED larger areas. Some tall trees can also be narrow, such
as the aforementioned Dawn Redwood. A grouping
Question #1 - WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO SHADE? of them may be necessary to do the job that one tall
and wide tree would do.
(A) My two or more story house in the summer
to cut energy costs (LARGE) The shade requirements you have will dictate the size
(B) My single story house in the summer to cut of tree you should be looking at.
energy costs (MEDIUM)
• Large trees are those that mature at heights
(C) A patio, deck, or sitting area (SMALL)
greater than 50 feet.
What we are getting at with this question is how big • Medium trees are those that mature between
of a tree you need. If you are planning on shading 30 and 50 feet tall.
your three story house, then you are going to need • Small trees are those that rarely reach a height
some tall trees. If you just need a little shade over the of 30 feet.
picnic table, then a smaller tree would be fine.
If you answered (A), you will need a large tree. If you
As a rule of thumb, you probably want to plant the answered (B), you will need a medium tree. If you
smallest tree (in terms of height) that will do the job. answered (C), you need a small tree. Easy enough.
Tall trees are great in the woods, but a 100 foot
Dawn Redwood to shade a patio is unnecessary and
not advised. It might be a great choice for a large
area or tall building.
2nd STEP - DETERMINE YOUR SITE The more alkaline the soil, the smaller the list of
CONDITIONS possible trees you can grow.
It is not worth planting a tree if it is not going to grow Note if your soil is extremely acidic, say under 5.0,
well in your yard. Two questions need to be you should consult your local arboretum or botanic
answered to find trees that will do well in your yard. garden for advice regarding your specific situation.
Question #2 - WHAT IS THE PH OF YOUR SOIL?
(A) pH under 7 (ACIDIC)

(B) pH between 7 - 7.5 (NEUTRAL)
(C) pH over 7.5 (ALKALINE)
If you don’t know your soil’s pH, consider getting a

soil test. If you live in the US, one way to do this is to
contact your local Cooperative Extension county
office.
Otherwise you can just do a web search for “soil test”

and your location.
Most trees prefer to grow in a slightly acid soil with a

pH of 6.5. Some trees have problems with alkaline
soil.
Some trees like this Hedge Maple (Acer campestre)
do great in acid or alkaline soils.
Question #3 - WHAT IS THE SOIL MOISTURE If it is between 4 and eight inches, you have well
CONDITION? drained soil and your soil is probably moist (B) or
occasionally dry (C).
(A) Very wet or sometimes saturated (WET)
(B) Moist but well drained (MOIST) This is just a guide. If for instance you are in the
(C) Occasionally dry (DRY) desert, I don’t care how poorly drained your soil is I
(D) Dry for long periods (VERY DRY) doubt it is very wet.
If you are unsure whether your soil is dry or wet,

perform a percolation test. To do the test:
1) Dig a one foot deep hole.

2) Fill it with water and let it drain completely.
3) After it has drained, refill it and mark the water
line.
4) Wait 15 minutes.
5) Measure how far the water has drained.
6) Multiply this number by 4.
This is the drainage per hour. If it is less than four

inches per hour, you have poor drainage and it is
Dawn Redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides) is a tree that
likely your soil is very wet (A). can tolerate wet soils.
If it is more than eight inches per hour, there is a
good chance you have very dry soil (D).
3rd STEP - DETERMINE YOUR CLIMATE Climate change has impacted these zones, so you
ZONE should use the most current map to determine your
zone.
The final question that needs to be answered is:
Since most areas of the US and other areas will see
Question #4 - WHAT IS YOUR HARDINESS ZONE? an increase in average temperatures, I would avoid
Hardiness zones show us what plants will survive and selecting trees that cannot tolerate zones that are
come back year after year in your area. There is a five degrees warmer than your current zone.
USDA hardiness map that divides North America into For example paper birch (Betula papyrifera) can grow
10 - 11 separate zones; each zone being 10 degrees in zones 2 to 7a, but I would not consider it for zone
Fahrenheit (F) warmer in an average winter than the 7a because this zone will probably warm to what is
adjacent lower numbered zone. currently known as 7b.
Zones are further broken down into either an “a” or
“b” with the “b” being 5 degrees F warmer than the
“a”. For example winter temperatures in zone 5a
may get down to -15 to -20 degrees F, whereas zone
5b may get down to the -10 to -15 degree F range.
Here is a link to a hardiness map for the US.

(http://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/PHZMWeb/)
FIND YOUR LIST OF Question #1
a) >50’
POSSIBLE TREES b) 30-50’
To find you list of possible trees, combine your c) < 30’
answers to questions #1 to #3 to create a code that
Question #2
matches one of the codes listed in the index on page
13. For example, if you answered (A) to Question #1, a) Acidic (pH under 7)
(B) to Question #2, and (D) to Question #3, your code b) Neutral(pH between 7 - 7.5)
would be “ABD.” Using the index, the list of “ABD” c) Alkaline (pH over 7.5)
trees will be found on the section entitled “ABD
Question #3
(Large, Neutral, Very Dry)” on page 18.
a) Very wet or sometimes saturated
Cross off any trees in the tree list that do not grow in
b) Moist but well drained
your hardiness zone (your answer to Question #4),
c) Occasionally dry
and you are left with a list of trees from you to
d) Dry for long periods
choose from that fit your site.
Question #4
I would encourage you look at the trees on your list
in person and pick one(s) that appeal to your What is your hardiness zone?
individual tastes. At the bottom of each list, I do give
you one or two of my favorites.
Redbud (Cercis canadensis)
Fox Valley™ River birch (Betula nigra ‘Little King’)
Kentucky Coffeetree (Gymnocladus dioicus)
Yellowwood (Cladrastis kentukea)
Paperbark maple (Acer griseum)
Amur Maackia (Maackia amurensis) in early summer
European Hornbeam (Carpinus betulus) in Fall
Valley Forge Elm (Ulmus ‘Valley Forge’)

THE LISTS
AAD (Large, acidic, very dry) 14 BBB (Medium, neutral, moist) 32
AAC (Large, acidic, dry) 15 BBA (Medium, neutral, wet) 33
AAB (Large, acidic, moist) 16 BCD (Medium, alkaline, very dry) 34
AAA (Large, acidic, wet) 17 BCC (Medium, alkaline, dry) 35
ABD (Large, neutral, very dry) 18 BCB (Medium, alkaline, moist) 36
ABC (Large neutral, dry) 19 BCA (Medium, alkaline, wet) 37
ABB (Large, neutral, moist) 20 CAD (Small, acidic, very dry) 38
ABA (Large, neutral, wet) 21 CAC (Small, acidic, dry) 39
ACD (Large, alkaline, very dry) 22 CAB (Small, acidic, moist) 40
ACC (Large, alkaline, dry) 23 CAA (Small, acidic, wet) 41
ACB (Large, alkaline, moist) 24 CBD (Small, neutral, very dry) 42
ACA (Large, alkaline, wet) 25 CBC (Small, neutral, dry) 43
BAD (Medium, acidic, very dry) 26 CBB (Small, neutral, moist) 44
BAC (Medium, acidic, dry) 27 CBA (Small, neutral, wet) 45
BAB (Medium, acidic, moist) 28 CCD (Small, alkaline, very dry) 46
BAA (Medium, acidic, wet) 29 CCC (Small, alkaline, dry) 47
BBD (Medium, neutral, very dry) 30 CCB (Small, alkaline, moist) 48
BBC (Medium, neutral, dry) 31 CCA (Small, alkaline, wet) 49
AAD (Large, acidic, very dry)

Trees > 50’, that are in acid soil (pH < 7.0), that is dry for long periods
Platanus x acerifolia London Planetree 4 -8
Quercus bicolor Swamp White Oak 4 -8
Quercus macrocarpa Bur Oak 3 -8
Quercus muehlenbergii Chinkapin Oak 5 -7
Quercus phellos Willow Oak 5 -9
Quercus robur English Oak 4 -8
Quercus rubra Northern Red Oak 3 -7
Quercus shumardii Schumard Oak 5 -9
Ulmus Americana ‘Valley Forge’ Valley Forge American Elm 5 –9
My top choices: It’s a toss-up. The Bur Oak (Quercus macrocarpa) is probably my favorite tree on this list, but it is somewhat
difficult to transplant and relatively slow growing. Therefore, I would consider one of the new disease resistant elms such as
Valley Forge American Elm to be a good choice for a lot of people in a lot of situations.
Michael Dirr says calls the Willow oak (Quercus phellos) one of the best landscape oaks. I would consider it also.
AAC (Large, acidic, dry)

Trees > 50’, that are in acid soil (pH<7.0), that has occasional dry soil
Acer saccharum Sugar Maple 4–8
Acer x freeman Freeman maples 3-8
Betula nigra ‘Cully’&‘BMNTF’ Heritage®,Dura-Heat™ Birch 4–9
Carpinus betulus European Hornbeam 5–7
Platanus x acerifolia London Planetree 4-8
Quercus acutissima Sawtooth Oak 5-9
Quercus bicolor Swamp White Oak 4-8
Quercus coccinea Scarlet Oak 4-9
Quercus imbricaria Shingle Oak 4-8
Quercus macrocarpa Bur Oak 3-8
Quercus muehlenbergii Chinkapin Oak 5-7
Quercus palustris Pin Oak 4-8
Quercus phellos Willow Oak 5-9
Quercus robur English Oak 4-8
Quercus rubra Northern Red Oak 3-7
Quercus shumardii Schumard Oak 5-9
Taxodium distichum Common Baldcypress 4 – 11
Tilia americana Basswood 2-8
Tilia cordata Littleleaf Linden 3-7
Tilia x euchlora Crimean Linden 3-8
Tilia tomentosa’Sterling’ Sterling Silver Linden 4–7
Ulmus ‘Valley Forge’ Valley Forge American Elm 5-9
Zelkova serrate Japanese Zelkova 5–8
My top choice: My choice from this list would be the one oddball, the one conifer (although it is deciduous). The Bald Cypress
(Taxodium distichum) is an incredibly adaptable tree that thrives in most situations. If you do plant one, just don’t email me to tell
me it is dying the first fall you have it because its needles are dropping. It is supposed to do that!
If I was looking for fall color it may be hard to pass on a Sugar maple or one of the Freeman maples although they are overplanted.
There are many fine oaks in this list too that I would consider.
My top choices from page 14 (AAD) are all good for choices from this list also.
AAB (Large, acidic, moist)

Trees > 50’, that are in acid soil(pH<7.0), that is consistently moist, well drained
Acer saccharum Sugar Maple 4-8
Betula nigra ‘Cully’ & ‘BMNTF’ Heritage® & Dura-Heat™ River Birch 4-9
Carpinus betulus European Hornbeam 5-7
Liriodendron tulipifera Tuliptree 4-9
Magnolia acuminate Cucumbertree Magnolia 4-8
Metasequoia glyptostroboides Dawn Redwood 4-8
Ulmus Americana ‘Valley Forge’ Valley Forge American Elm 5-9
Zelkova serrata Japanese Zelkova 5–8
My top choice: The Cucumber Tree magnolia is particular about its conditions and does not like urban areas with air pollution. If you
can grow it however, it is a great big character tree that reminds me a bit of the white oaks, but grows faster and has the added
benefit of flowers. The flowers are not super showy, but they are slight fragrant. The fall color is not the strong point of this tree,
typically just an attractive brown. There are plenty of other great trees here that might be even better, like all of the oaks, the tulip
tree, and the bald cypress. It just depends what you are looking for.
AAA (Large, acidic, wet)

Trees > 50’, that are in acid soil (pH<7.0), that is occasionally saturated or very wet
Betula nigra ‘Cully’ & ‘BMNTF’ Heritage® & Dura-Heat™ River Birch 4-9
Ulmus Americana ‘Valley Forge’ Valley Forge American Elm 5–9
My top choice: My choice from this list would be an oddball, one of the two conifers (although it is deciduous). The Bald Cypress
(Taxodium distichum) is an incredibly adaptable tree that thrives in most situations. It loves wet conditions (heck it grows in
swamps!) If you do plant one, just don’t email me to tell me it is dying the first fall you have it because its needles are dropping. It is
supposed to do that!
ABD (Large, neutral, very dry)

Trees > 50’, that are in neutral soil, that is dry for long periods
My top choices: It’s a toss-up. The Bur Oak (Quercus macrocarpa) is probably my favorite tree on this list, but it is somewhat
difficult to transplant and relatively slow growing. Therefore, I would consider one of the new disease resistant elms such as
Valley Forge American Elm to be a good choice for a lot of people in a lot of situations.
Michael Dirr says calls the Willow oak (Quercus phellos) one of the best landscape oaks. I would consider it also.
ABC (Large neutral, dry)

Trees > 50’, that are in neutral soil, that has occasional dry soil
Acer saccharum Sugar Maple 4 -8
Acer x freeman Freeman maples 3 -8
Carpinus betulus European Hornbeam 5 -7
Quercus acutissima Sawtooth Oak 5 -9
Quercus coccinea Scarlet Oak 4 -9
Quercus imbricaria Shingle Oak 4 -8
Tilia americana Basswood 2 -8
Tilia cordata Littleleaf Linden 3 -7
Tilia x euchlora Crimean Linden 3 -8
Tilia tomentosa’Sterling’ Sterling Silver Linden 4 –7
Ulmus Americana ‘Valley Forge’ Valley Forge American Elm 5 -9
Zelkova serrate Japanese Zelkova 5 –8
My top choice: My choice from this list would be the one oddball, the one conifer (although it is deciduous). The Bald Cypress
(Taxodium distichum) is an incredibly adaptable tree that thrives in most situations. Even though it grows in swamps, it does fine in
dry soil too. If you do plant one, just don’t email me to tell me it is dying the first fall you have it because its needles are dropping.
It is supposed to do that!
If I was looking for fall color it may be hard to pass on a Sugar maple or one of the Freeman maples although they are overplanted.
There are many fine oaks in this list too that I would consider.
ABB (Large, neutral, moist)

Trees > 50’, that are in neutral soil, that is consistently moist, well drained
Acer saccharum Sugar Maple 4-8
Carpinus betulus European Hornbeam 5-7
Liriodendron tulipifera Tuliptree 4-9
Magnolia acuminate Cucumbertree Magnolia 4-8
Ulmus Americana ‘Valley Forge’ Valley Forge American Elm 5-9
Zelkova serrata Japanese Zelkova 5–8
My top choice: The Cucumber Tree magnolia is particular about its conditions and does not like urban areas with air pollution. If you
can grow it however, it is a great big character tree that reminds me a bit of the white oaks, but grows faster and has the added
benefit of flowers. The flowers are not super showy, but they are slight fragrant. The fall color is not the strong point of this tree,
typically just an attractive brown. There are plenty of other great trees here that might be even better, like all of the oaks, the tulip
tree, and the bald cypress. It just depends what you are looking for.
ABA (Large, neutral, wet)

Trees > 50’, that are in neutral soil, that is occasionally saturated or very wet
My top choice: My choice from this list would be an oddball, one of two conifers (although it is deciduous). The Bald Cypress
(Taxodium distichum) is an incredibly adaptable tree that thrives in most situations. It loves wet conditions (heck it grows in
swamps!) If you do plant one, just don’t email me to tell me it is dying the first fall you have it because its needles are dropping. It is
supposed to do that!
ACD (Large, alkaline, very dry)

Trees > 50’, that are in alkaline soil, that is dry for long periods
My top choice: It’s a toss-up. Although the Bur Oak (Quercus macrocarpa) is probably my favorite tree on this list, it is somewhat
difficult to transplant and relatively slow growing. Therefore, I would consider one of the new disease resistant elms such as Valley
Forge American Elm to be a good choice for a lot of people in a lot of situations.
ACC (Large, alkaline, dry)

Trees > 50’, that are in alkaline soil, that has occasional dry soil
Tilia tomentosa ‘‘Sterling’ Sterling Silver Linden 4 –7
Zelkova serrata Japanese Zelkova 5 –8
ACB (Large, alkaline, moist)

Trees > 50’, that are in alkaline soil, that is consistently moist, well drained
Liriodendron tulipifera Tuliptree 4 -9
Metasequoia glyptostroboides Dawn Redwood 4 -8
Tilia tomentosa’Sterling’ Sterling Silver Linden 4 –7
Zelkova serrata Japanese Zelkova 5 –8
ACA (Large, alkaline, wet)

Trees > 50’, that are in alkaline soil, that is occasionally saturated or very wet
Forge American Elm to be a good choice for a lot of people in a lot of situations. The Dawn redwood is probably too columnar to be
considered a classic shade tree although they can make real cool (and tall) groupings of trees to provide shade.
BAD (Medium, acidic, very dry)

Trees 30’- 50’, that are in acid soil, that is dry for long periods
Acer campestre Hedge Maple 5-8
Celtis occidentalis Common Hackberry 3-9
Ginkgo biloba ‘Autumn Gold’ Autumn Gold Ginkgo 4-8
Gleditsia triacanthos var. inermis Skyline, Shademaster Honeylocusts 4-8
Gymnocladus dioicus ‘Espresso-JFS’ Espresso ™ Kentucky Coffeetree 4–8
Koelreuteria paniculata Goldenraintree 5–8
Phellodendron amurense ‘Macho’ Macho or any other male fruitless Amur Corktree 3–7
Pyrus calleryana ‘Select’, ‘Cleveland Select Chanticleer Pear 5-8
Styphnolobium japonicum Japanese Pagodatree 5b-8
Ulmus parvifolia Chinese Elm 5 – 10
My top choice: Espresso ™ Kentucky Coffeetree is a seedless version of this native tree that grows into a vase like shape like an
American elm. The species (not Espresso) do have seed pods that are a pain and not the most attractive. This cultivar is an
improvement on an already great tree. I wish I would have planted this instead of my Skyline Honeylocust (a fine tree in itself). It is
a bit coarse in the winter when it is young, but really fills out nicely with age. Cool bark patterns and yellow fall color that is ok to
great depending upon the year.
BAC (Medium, acidic, dry)

Trees under 30’ – 50’, that are in acid soil, that has occasional dry soil
Acer miyabei Miyabei Maple 4-8
Acer saccharum ‘John Pair’, ‘Morton’ John Pair Maple, Morton Sugar maple 4-7
Aesculus x carnea Red Horsechestnut 4-7
Alnus glutinosa European Alder 3-7
Betula populifolia ‘Whitespire Sr.’ Whitespire Senior Gray birch 4-6
Catalpa speciosa Northern Catalpa 5-9
Corylus colurna Turkish Filbert 4-7
Eucommia ulmoides Hardy Rubber Tree 4-7
Fagus sylvatica European Beech (4)5 - 7
Gymnocladus dioicus ‘Espresso’ Espresso ™ Kentucky Coffeetree 4–8
Koelreuteria paniculata Goldenraintree 5-8
Liquidambar styraciflua ‘’Moraine’ Moraine American Sweetgum 5-9
Nyssa sylvatica Black Tupelo 4-9
Ostrya virginiana American Hophornbeam 3–9
Phellodendron amurense ‘Macho’ Macho or any other male Amur Corktree 3-7
Quercus acustissima Sawtooth Oak (may eventually grow 60’) 5-9
Sassara albidum Common Sassafra 4-9
Styphnolobium japonicum Japanese Pagodatree 5b - 8
Ulmus parvifolia Chinese Elm 5 - 10
BAB (Medium, acidic, moist)

Trees under 30’ – 50’, that are in acid soil, that is consistently moist, well drained
Alnus glutinosa European Alder 3 -7
Cercidiphyllum japonicum Katsura Tree 4-8
Cladrastis kentukea Yellowwood 4-8
Liquidambar styraciflua ‘Moraine’ Moraine American Sweetgum 5-9
Phellodendron amurense ‘Macho’ Macho or any other male Amur Corktree 3-7
Styphnolobium japonicum `Regent' Regent Japanese Pagodatree 5b - 8
BAA (Medium, acidic, wet)

Trees under 30’ – 50’, that are in acid soil, that is occasionally saturated or very wet
Acer rubrum ‘Red Sunset’, ‘Bowhall’ Select Acer rubrum cultivars 3-9
Betula nigra ‘Duraheat’ & ‘Heritage’ Duraheat or Heritage river birchs 4–9
usually to 40-50 can be 70+
Catalpa speciosa Northern Catalpa 5 - 9
Gleditsia triacanthos var. inermis Skyline, Shademaster Honeylocusts 4 - 8
Nyssa sylvatica Black Tupelo 4 - 9
Phellodendron amurense ‘Macho’ Macho or any other male Amur Corktree 3 - 7
Pyrus calleryana ‘Select’, ‘Cleveland Select Chanticleer Pear 5 - 8
My top choice: I am tempted to say the Macho Amur corktree because it is just so cool looking, but I really don’t have a lot of
experience with them (I have only seen them at Botanic gardens). My choice instead will be a lot more common, the Duraheat or
Heritage River birch. Yes they can be a bit messy dropping small branches, but they are fast growing native trees that if grown in
acid wet soil do great. They have nice yellow fall color and some of the best winter bark of any shade tree. Some may outgrow this
size range, but most will grow to 40-50 feet in most settings. If fall color is a big priority for you, the red maples are also great trees
for this environment.
BBD (Medium, neutral, very dry)

Trees 30’- 50’, that are in neutral soil, that is dry for long periods
Phellodendron amurense ‘Macho’ Macho or any other male Amur Corktree 3–7
BBC (Medium, neutral, dry)

Trees under 30’ – 50’, that are in neutral soil, that has occasional dry soil
Gleditsia triacanthos var. inermis Skyline, Shademaster Honeylocusts 4–8
Liquidambar styraciflua ‘Moraine’ Moraine American Sweetgum 5-9
Ostrya virginiana American Hophornbeam 3-9
BBB (Medium, neutral, moist)

Trees under 30’ – 50’, that are in neutral soil, that is consistently moist, well drained
Ostrya virginiana American Hophornbeam 3-9
great depending upon the year. Also consider Yellowwood if you are patient for growth. There are LOTS of fabulous trees here.
BBA (Medium, neutral, wet)

Trees under 30’ – 50’, that are in neutral soil, that is occasionally saturated or very wet
Alnus glutinosa European Alder 3- 7
Catalpa speciosa Northern Catalpa 5- 9
Gleditsia triacanthos var. inermis Skyline, Shademaster Honeylocusts 4- 8
Nyssa sylvatica Black Tupelo 4- 9
Phellodendron amurense ‘Macho’ Macho or any other male Amur Corktree 3- 7
Pyrus calleryana ‘Select’, ‘Cleveland Select Chanticleer Pear 5- 8
My top choice: Shademaster honeylocust is a fast growing tree with a nice golden yellow (although short lived) fall color. Its small
leaflets don’t require picking up in the fall, so this allows more time to watch football (a definite plus) and you can grow grass under
it easily. It is an overplanted tree though, so if you want to be different pick a different one like a Macho Corktree (cool trunk form
and bark), Catalpa (large leaves), or Black Tupelo (brilliant fall color).
BCD (Medium, alkaline, very dry)

Trees 30’- 50’, that are in alkaline soil, that is dry for long periods
Acer campestre Hedge Maple 5 –8
Celtis occidentalis Common Hackberry 3 - 9
Ginkgo biloba ‘Autumn Gold’ Autumn Gold Ginkgo 4 -8
Gleditsia triacanthos var. inermis Skyline, Shademaster Honeylocusts 4 -8
Gymnocladus dioicus ‘Espresso’ Espresso ™ Kentucky Coffeetree 4 –8
Koelreuteria paniculata Goldenraintree 5 –8
Phellodendron amurense ‘Macho’ Macho or any other male Amur Corktree 3 –7
BCC (Medium, alkaline, dry)

Trees under 30’ – 50’, that are in alkaline soil, that has occasional dry soil
BCB (Medium, alkaline, moist)

Trees under 30’ – 50’, that are in alkaline soil, that is consistently moist, well drained
BCA (Medium, alkaline, wet)

Trees under 30’ – 50’, that are in alkaline soil, that is occasionally saturated or very wet
My top choice: Shademaster honeylocust is a fast growing tree with a nice golden yellow (although short lived) fall color. Its small
leaflets don’t require picking up in the fall, so this allows more time to watch football (a definite plus) and you can grow grass under
it easily. It is an overplanted tree though, so if you want to be different pick a different one like a Macho Corktree (cool trunk form
and bark), Catalpa (large leaves), or Black Tupelo (brilliant fall color).
CAD (Small, acidic, very dry)

Trees under 30’, that are in acidic soil, that is dry for long periods
Acer buergerianum Trident Maple 5 - 9
Acer tataricum Tatarian maple 3 - 8
Acer tataricum ssp. Ginnala Amur maple 2 - 8
Acer truncatum Shantung maple 4 - 8
Crataegus crusgalli var. inermis Thornless CockspurHawthorn 4 - 7
Crataegus phaenopyrum Washington Hawthorn 4 - 8
Crataegus viridis ‘Winter King’ Winter King Hawthorn 4 - 7
My top choice: If you need a real tough drought tolerant tree I would take a serious look at the Shantung maple (Acer truncatum)
with is lovely little tough tree that gets good fall color. I don’t have one yet, but this may be my next tree.
The Amur maple is usually a multitrunk tree that can has clean foliage and good fall color. It is also a tough plant that handles most
situations well. It can be a bit weedy though and I would not use if you are next to a natural area. The Winter King Hawthorn is
probably one of the best trees for a winter fruit display. Looking out of a window in a Chicago summer and seeing a tree loaded with
bright red fruit certainly can lift your spirits. When a deciduous trees highlight is in January and has thorns no less, I don’t think I
can recommend it for use as a general tree. As a specialty element in a four season landscape it can be a very nice addition.
CAC (Small, acidic, dry)

Trees under 30’, that are in acidic soil, that has occasionally periods of dry soil
Acer buergerianum Trident Maple 5-9
Acer glabrum Rocky Mountin Maple 5 - 10
Acer grandidentatum ‘Schmidt’ Rocky Mountain Glow Maple 4-8
Acer griseum Paperbark maple 4–7
Acer ‘Cinnamon Flake’ & ‘Gingerbread’ Paperbark maple hybrids (faster growth) 4-7
Acer negundo ‘Sensation’ Sensation Box elder 4B - 8
Acer platanoides 'Crimson Sentry' Crimson Sentry Norway Maple 3-7
Acer saccharum ‘Sugar Cone’ ,‘Barrett Cole’ Sugar Cone Maple, Apollo® Sugar maple 4 – 9B
Acer tataricum Tatarian maple 3-8
Acer tataricum ssp. Ginnala Amur maple 2-8
Acer triflorum Three flower maple 4-7
Acer truncatum Shantung maple 4-8
Betula nigra ‘Little King’ Fox Valley® Riverbirch 4-9
Carpinus caroliniana Ironwood 3-9
Cercis Canadensis Redbud 4B - 9
Cornus mas Cornealiancherry dogwood 5-8
Cotinus obovatus American smoketree 5-8
Crataegus crusgalli var. inermis Thornless CockspurHawthorn 4-7
Crataegus phaenopyrum Washington Hawthorn 4-8
Crataegus viridis ‘Winter King’ Winter King Hawthorn 4-7
Maackia amurensis Amur Maackia 3-7
Malus species Crabapples 4-8
Parrotia persica Persian Parrotia 5-8
Zelkova serrata ‘Schmidlow’ Wireless Zelkova™ 5–8
My top choice: The Three flower maple has great fall color (red to yellow on the inside of the tree) with the best winter bark (ridged
tan colored). This is my favorite tree in my yard. The paperbark maple hybrids, Acer ‘Cinnamon Flake’ and Acer ‘Gingerbread’ are
much faster growing than regular paperbark maples although I don’t like their bark as much. That being said there are lots of nice
trees on this list.
CAB (Small, acidic, moist)

Trees under 30’, that are in acidic soil, that is consistently moist and well drained
Amelanchier species Serviceberry 4-8
Prunus sargentii Sargent Cherry 5-8
trees on this list.
CAA (Small, acidic, wet)

Trees under 30’, that are in acidic soil, that is occasionally saturated or very wet
Crataegus viridis ‘Winter King’ Winter King Hawthorn 4–7
My top choice: Ironwood (Carpinus caroliana) is known by several names: American hornbeam, Blue beech, Musclewood, etc. It is a
native tree that has cool grey, smooth, fluted appearance that looks like a muscle (of someone that works out, not mine!) There are
some new selections that are being made for consistent red fall color, such as ‘Schmidt #6’ that may be worth looking for.
CBD (Small, neutral, very dry)

Trees under 30’, that are in neutral soil, that is dry for long periods
Acer buergerianum Trident Maple 5 -9
Acer tataricum Tatarian maple 3 -8
Acer tataricum ssp. Ginnala Amur maple 2 -8
Acer truncatum Shantung maple 4 -8
Crataegus crusgalli var. inermis Thornless CockspurHawthorn 4 -7
Crataegus phaenopyrum Washington Hawthorn 4 -8
Crataegus viridis ‘Winter King’ Winter King Hawthorn 4 –7
CBC (Small, neutral, dry)

Trees under 30’, that are in neutral soil, that has occasionally periods of dry soil
much faster growing than regular Paperbark maples although I don’t like their bark as much. That being said there are lots of nice
trees on this list.
CBB (Small, neutral, moist)

Trees under 30’, that are in neutral soil, that is consistently moist and well drained
Amelanchier species Serviceberry 4-8
Prunus sargentii Sargent Cherry 5-8
trees on this list.
CBA (Small, neutral, wet)

Trees under 30’, that are in neutral soil, that is occasionally saturated or very wet
My top choice: Ironwood (Carpinus caroliana) is known by several names: American hornbeam, Blue beech, Musclewood, etc. It is a
native tree that has cool grey, smooth, fluted appearance that looks like a muscle (of someone that works out, not mine!) There are
some new selections that are being made for consistent red fall color, such as ‘Schmidt #6’ that may be worth looking for.
CCD (Small, alkaline, very dry)

Trees under 30’, that are in alkaline soil, that is dry for long periods
Acer tataricum Tatarian maple 3 -8
Acer tataricum ssp. Ginnala Amur maple 2 -8
Acer truncatum Shantung maple 4 -8
Crataegus crusgalli var. inermis Thornless CockspurHawthorn 4 –7
Crataegus phaenopyrum Washington Hawthorn 4 -8
Crataegus viridis ‘Winter King’ Winter King Hawthorn 4 –7
CCC (Small, alkaline, dry)

Trees under 30’, that are in alkaline soil, that has occasional dry soil
Cotinus obovatus American smoketree 5–8
trees on this list.
CCB (Small, alkaline, moist)

Trees under 30’, that are in alkaline soil, that is consistently moist, well drained
Acer negundo ‘Sensation’ Sensation Box elder 4B – 9
Acer tataricum Tatarian maple 3–8
Acer tataricum ssp. Ginnala Amur maple 2–8
Acer triflorum Three flower maple 4–7
Acer truncatum Shantung maple 4–8
Cercis Canadensis Redbud 4B – 9
Cornus mas Cornealiancherry dogwood 5–8
Cotinus obovatus American smoketree 5–8
Crataegus crusgalli var. inermis Thornless CockspurHawthorn 4–7
Crataegus phaenopyrum Washington Hawthorn 4–8
Maackia amurensis Amur Maackia 3–7
Malus species Crabapples 4–8
Parrotia persica Persian Parrotia 5–8
Zelkova 48errate ‘Schmidlow’ Wireless Zelkova™ 5–8
trees on this list.
CCA (Small, alkaline, wet)

Trees under 30’, that are in alkaline soil, that is occasionally saturated or very wet
My top choice: The Amur maple is usually a multitrunk tree that can has clean foliage and good fall color. It is also a tough plant that
handles most situations well. It can be a bit weedy though and I would not use if you are next to a natural area. The Winter King
Hawthorn is probably one of the best trees for a winter fruit display. Looking out of a window in a Chicago summer and seeing a tree
loaded with bright red fruit certainly can lift your spirits. When a deciduous trees highlight is in January and has thorns no less, I
don’t think I can recommend it for use as a general tree. As a specialty element in a four season landscape it can be a very nice
addition.

Selecting Shade Trees For Your Garden

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Selecting Shade Trees For Your Garden

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YOUR GARDEN

Selecting shade trees for your garden

The information in this book has been carefully

Copyright 2013 by Jim Anderson

S ELECTING SHADE TREES FOR YOUR GARDEN

A better approach would be to first decide where

SELECTING THE TREES AT THE NURSERY

Trust me, I know. I spent $250 on a seven foot balled-

Do well with my sites conditions

Amount of sun the tree will receive. Yes, we are

(A) pH under 7 (ACIDIC)

If you don’t know your soil’s pH, consider getting a

Otherwise you can just do a web search for “soil test”

Most trees prefer to grow in a slightly acid soil with a

If you are unsure whether your soil is dry or wet,

1) Dig a one foot deep hole.

This is the drainage per hour. If it is less than four

Here is a link to a hardiness map for the US.

FIND YOUR LIST OF Question #1

Redbud (Cercis canadensis)

Fox Valley™ River birch (Betula nigra ‘Little King’)

Kentucky Coffeetree (Gymnocladus dioicus)

Yellowwood (Cladrastis kentukea)

Paperbark maple (Acer griseum)

Amur Maackia (Maackia amurensis) in early summer

European Hornbeam (Carpinus betulus) in Fall

Valley Forge Elm (Ulmus ‘Valley Forge’)

AAD (Large, acidic, very dry)

AAC (Large, acidic, dry)

AAB (Large, acidic, moist)

AAA (Large, acidic, wet)

ABD (Large, neutral, very dry)

ABC (Large neutral, dry)

ABB (Large, neutral, moist)

ABA (Large, neutral, wet)

ACD (Large, alkaline, very dry)

ACC (Large, alkaline, dry)

ACB (Large, alkaline, moist)

ACA (Large, alkaline, wet)

BAD (Medium, acidic, very dry)

BAC (Medium, acidic, dry)

BAB (Medium, acidic, moist)

BAA (Medium, acidic, wet)

BBD (Medium, neutral, very dry)

BBC (Medium, neutral, dry)

BBB (Medium, neutral, moist)

BBA (Medium, neutral, wet)

BCD (Medium, alkaline, very dry)

BCC (Medium, alkaline, dry)

BCB (Medium, alkaline, moist)

BCA (Medium, alkaline, wet)

CAD (Small, acidic, very dry)

CAC (Small, acidic, dry)

CAB (Small, acidic, moist)

CAA (Small, acidic, wet)

CBD (Small, neutral, very dry)

CBC (Small, neutral, dry)

CBB (Small, neutral, moist)

CBA (Small, neutral, wet)

CCD (Small, alkaline, very dry)

CCC (Small, alkaline, dry)

CCB (Small, alkaline, moist)

CCA (Small, alkaline, wet)