General comments for several trees that can be used in tree
trenches/tree boxes.
Link to this table
| Scientific name1,2,3,4 | Common name1,2,3,4 | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Acer saccharinum 1,2 | Silver maple | Weak branch attachment, tends to have large amount of branch loss |
| Alnus glutinosa 2 | European alder | Considered invasive east of MN |
| Betula nigra 'Cully' & ' BNMFT' 1,2 | Heritage and Dura-Heat river birch | Use standard (single-stem, limbed to 6 foot minimum) only |
| Carya ovata 2 | Shagbark hickory | Slow growing but long-lived tree, to more than 200 years |
| Cercis canadensis 2 | Eastern redbud | Sensitive species, and use in landscape application only |
| Cladrastis kentukea 2 | Yellowood, Kentucky yellowood | Weak branch attachment, tends to have large amount of branch loss. Use standard (single-stem, limbed to 6 feet minimum) only |
| Fraxinus americana 2 | White ash | Emerald ash borer presence has been noted in a large extent of Minnesota, and it is suggested to protect existing established Fraxinus (ash) species, but not to use/specify in new landscape design. Alternate species should be substituted on new plan installation. |
| Fraxinus Manchurian | manchrian ash | Some resistance to Emerald Ash Borer. Hybrid cultivars Northern Gem and Northern Treasure have no EAB resistance |
| Fraxinus nigra 1 | Black ash | Emerald ash borer presence has been noted in a large extent of Minnesota, and it is suggested to protect existing established Fraxinus (ash) species, but not to use/specify in new landscape design. Alternate species should be substituted on new plan installation. |
| Fraxinus pennsylvanica 1,2 | Green ash | Emerald ash borer presence has been noted in a large extent of Minnesota, and it is suggested to protect existing established Fraxinus (ash) species, but not to use/specify in new landscape design. Alternate species should be substituted on new plan installation. |
| Gingko biloba 2 | Gingko – male only | Use male of the species only - fruit from females has unpleasant odor |
| Gleditsia tricanthos var. inermis 2 | Thornless common honeylocust | Use male of the species only - pods from females are messy |
| Gymnocladus dioicus 2 | Kentucky coffeetree | Use male of the species only - pods from females are messy |
| Larix laricina 1 | Tamarack | Difficult to transplant |
| Maackia amurensis 2 | Amur maackia | Use standard (single-stem, limbed to 6 foot minimum) only |
| Malus spp. 2 | Crabapple spp. | Recommended to use/specify only fireblight- and scab-resistant cultivars |
| Phellodendron amurense 2 | Amur corktree | Use standard (single-stem, limbed to 6 foot minimum) only. Considered invasive south of Minnesota, so use male cultivars only. |
| Populus grandidentata Michx. 2 | Bigtooth aspen | Northern MN only |
| Populus deltoides 1,2 | Eastern cottonwood | Weak branch attachment, tends to have large amount of branch loss |
| Populus tremuloides 1,1 | Quaking aspen | Weak branch attachment, tends to have large amount of branch loss |
| Quercus macropcarpa 2 | Bur oak | Slow growing but long-lived tree, to more than 200 years. Some susceptibility to oak wilt. |
| Robinia pseudoacacia 2 | Black locust, false acacia, robinia | Chicago Blues is a suggested variety. Listed as an invasive terrestrial plant by the MN DNR. Susceptible to borer problems that might make it a poor choice where people could be hit by falling branches and trees. Older specimens can have up to 4 inch trunk thorns. |
| Salix nigra 1 | Black willow | Weak branch attachment, tends to have large amount of branch loss. Landscape application only |
| Salix babylonica | Weeping or Babylon willow | Weak branch attachment, tends to have large amount of branch loss. Landscape application only |
| Sorbus americana 3 | American mountainash | Sensitive to high summer temperatures in the southern half of the state, for use in northern MN only |
| Sorbus alnifolia 2 | Korean mountainash | Sensitive to high summer temperatures in the southern half of the state, for use in northern MN only |
| Sorbus x hybrida, Sorbus x thuringiaca 2 | Oak-leaf mountainash | Sensitive to high summer temperatures in the southern half of the state, for use in northern MN only |
1 Shaw, D. and R. Schmidt. 2003. Plants for Stormwater Design: Species
Selection for the Upper Midwest. Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
(MPCA)
2 Bassuk, N. et al. 2009. Recommended Urban Trees: Site Assessment and Tree
Selection for Stress Tolerance. Urban Horticulture Institute, Dept of
Horticulture, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
3USDA NRCS Plants Database. www.usda.plants.gov
4Dirr, M.. 1998. Dirr's Hardy Trees and Shrubs: An Illustrated Encyclopedia, 5th
Ed.. Timber Press, Inc. Portland, OR.