General information for several trees that can be used in tree trenches/tree boxes. NOTE: this list is not exhaustive and could include dozens of additional species.
Link to this table

Scientific name1,2,3,4 Common name1,2,3,4 Native or non-native5 Street (ST) or landscape (L) tree6 Deciduous or conifer Sun condition (FS=full sun, PS = part sun, SS = full shade)2,3,4 Forest structure position (U = understory, M-mid-story, O=overstory) Growth rate to maturity (S = slow, M = moderate, R=rapid)3 Single stem (S) or clumping (C)
Acer x freemanii 2 Freeman maple Native hybrid ST D FS, PS O R S
Acer rubrum 2 Red maple Native, cultivars ST D FS, PS O R S
Acer saccharinum 1,2 Silver maple Native ST D FS, PS O R S
Acer saccharum 1,2 Sugar maple Native ST D FS, PS O S S
Alnus glutinosa 2 European alder Non-native ST D FS, PS U R C
Alnus incana ssp. rugosa 1,2 Speckled alder Native ST D FS, PS U R C
Amelanchier spp. 2 Juneberry/serviceberry Native, cultivars ST D FS, PS, SS U M SC
Betula nigra 'Cully' & ' BNMFT' 1,2 Heritage and Dura-Heat river birch Native, cultivars ST D FS, PS M, O R SC
Betula populifolia 2 Gray birch Native ST D FS M, O R SC
Carpinus betulus 2 European hornbeam Non-native ST D FS, PS, SS U, M S SC
Carpinus caroliniana 2 American hornbeam Native ST D FS, PS, SS U, M S SC
Carya ovata 2 Shagbark hickory Native ST D FS, PS O S S
Catalpa speciosa 2 Narthern catalpa Native ST D FS O R S
Celtis occidentalis 2 Common hackberry Native ST D FS, PS M, O R S
Cercis canadensis 2 Eastern redbud Native L D FS, PS, SS M, O S SC
Cladrastis kentukea 2 Yellowood, Kentucky yellowood Native (American E, SE, NE) ST D FS M, O M S
Crataegus crus-galli var. inermis 2 Thornless cockspur hawthorn Native cultivar ST D FS U, M M S
Crataegus phaenopyrum 2 Washington hawthorn Native (American E) ST D FS U, M M S
Fraxinus americana 2 White ash Native ST D FS U, M, O M S
Fraxinus Manchurian manchrian ash Non-native ST D FS, PS M, O M S
Fraxinus nigra 1 Black ash Native ST D FS U, M, O S S
Fraxinus pennsylvanica 1,2 Green ash Native ST D FS U, M, O S S
Gingko biloba 2 Gingko – male only Non-native ST D FS M, O S S
Gleditsia tricanthos var. inermis 2 Thornless common honeylocust Native ST D FS, PS, SS M, O R S
Gymnocladus dioicus 2 Kentucky coffeetree Native ST D FS M, O S S
Larix decidua 3 European larch Non-native ST D/C FS M, O S S
Larix laricina 1 Tamarack Native ST D/C FS O M S
Maackia amurensis 2 Amur maackia Non-native ST D FS M, O S
Malus spp. 2 Crabapple spp. Native, cultivars ST D FS U, M M S
Ostrya virginiana 2 American hophornbeam, ironwood Native ST D FS, PS, SS U, M S S
Phellodendron amurense 2 Amur corktree Non-native ST D FS S
Populus grandidentata Michx. 2 Bigtooth aspen Native L D FS O R S
Populus deltoides 1,2 Eastern cottonwood Native L D FS O R S
Populus tremuloides 1,1 Quaking aspen Native L D FS M, O R SC
Prunus sargentii 2 Sargent cherry Non-native ST D FS R S
Prunus virginiana 2 Chokecherry native L D FS U R SC
Pyrus fauriei 'Westwood' 2 Korean SunTM pear Non-native ST D FS M, O M S
Pyrus ussuriensis 2 Ussurian pear, Chinese pear Non-native ST D FS M, O S S
Quercus bicolor 2 Swamp white oak Native ST D FS O R S
Quercus macropcarpa 2 Bur oak Native ST D FS O S S
Quercus rubra 2 Red oak Native L D FS O R S
Robinia pseudoacacia 2 Black locust, false acacia, robinia Native ST D FS, PS, SS O R S
Salix nigra 1 Black willow Native L D FS U, M R C
Salix babylonica Weeping or Babylon willow non-native ST D FS, PS O, M R S
Sorbus americana 3 American mountainash Native L D FS M M S
Sorbus alnifolia 2 Korean mountainash Non-native L D FS M M S
Sorbus x hybrida, Sorbus x thuringiaca 2 Oak-leaf mountainash native hybrids (American NW) L D FS, PS M S
Syringa reticulata 2 Japanese tree lilac Native (American S) ST D FS, PS U, M M S
Taxodium distichum 2 Common baldcypress Native (American S) ST D FS O M S
Tilia americana 2 Basswood Native ST D FS O M S
Tilia cordata 2 Littleleaf linden Native ST D FS O M S
Tilia x euchlora 2 Crimean linden, Caucasian lime Native (Canada) ST D FS O M S
Ulmus x species 2 Elm hybrids Native hybrid, non-natives ST D FS O R S

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
3 USDA NRCS Plants Database. www.usda.plants.gov
4 Dirr, M.. 1998. Dirr's Hardy Trees and Shrubs: An Illustrated Encyclopedia, 5th Ed.. Timber Press, Inc. Portland, OR.
5 Please note: Many listed species include useful cultivars not specifically called out by Bassuk, N., et. al.
6 all trees work for landscape application

This page was last edited on 7 August 2022, at 16:51.