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Recommended trees for community planting

White flower bunches and green foliage from a catalpa tree

Recommended trees for community planting

Pick the right tree for your area

Trees bring natural beauty and an array of environmental benefits to urban areas such as communities, schools, parks and backyards. For the best results from your planting, it's important to choose the right tree. The following resources showcase tree characteristics including size, location, hardiness and potential health concerns to help you pick the perfect tree for your space. Definitions for heading terms are included at the bottom of this page.

Recommended for planting

Select the blue plus sign to view more information about each species. 

Common name(s) Botanical name Deciduous or evergreen Size class Climate adaptable Native Street tree Riparian Park/Open lawn Utility friendly Screening Hardiness Zones Health concerns
Balsam Fir Abies balsamea Evergreen Medium No Yes No No No No Yes 3-5 Various
White Fir Abies concolor Evergreen Medium No No No No No No Yes 4-8 Various
Red Maple Acer rubrum Deciduous Medium/Large No Yes Yes Yes Yes No No 3-9 None
Freeman Maple Acer rubrum x saccharinum 'Freemani' Deciduous Medium/Large No No No No Yes No No 4-8 Frost Damage, Manganese Deficiency
Sugar Maple Acer saccharum Deciduous Large No Yes No No Yes No No 4-7 None
Ohio Buckeye Aesculus glabra Deciduous Large No Yes No No Yes No No 4-8 None
Red Horsechestnut Aesculus X Carnea Deciduous Medium No No No No Yes No No 4-7 None
Serviceberry/Juneberry/Sugar Plum Amelanchier spp. Deciduous Small No Yes No Yes Yes Yes No 4-9 Rosaceae family diseases
Pawpaw Asimina triloba Deciduous Small/Medium No Yes No No Yes Yes No 5-8 None
River Birch Betula nigra Deciduous Medium No Yes No Yes Yes No No 3-9 Bronze Birch Borer
Paper Birch Betula papyrifera Deciduous Medium No Yes No Yes Yes No No 2-6 Bronze Birch Borer
European Hornbeam Carpinus betulus Deciduous Small/Medium No No Yes No Yes Yes No 5-7 None
Hornbeam/Musclewood/Blue Beech Carpinus caroliniana Deciduous Small/Medium Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes No 3-9 None
Bitternut Hickory Carya cordiformis Deciduous Large No Yes No Yes Yes No No 4-9 None
Pignut Hickory Carya glabra Deciduous Large No Yes No No Yes No No 4-9 None
Shagbark Hickory Carya ovata Deciduous Large No Yes No No Yes No No 4-8 None
Catalpa Catalpa spp. Deciduous Large No No No No Yes No No 4-8 None
Hackberry Celtis occidentalis Deciduous Medium/Large Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No 3-9 None
Katsura Cercidiphyllum japonicum Deciduous Medium/Large Yes No Yes No Yes No No 4-8 None
Eastern Redbud Cercis canadensis Deciduous Small No Yes No Yes Yes Yes No 4-9 Canker, Verticillum wilt
Alaskan Cypress/Alaska Cedar Chamaecyparis nootkatensis Evergreen Large No No No No Yes No Yes 4-8 None
Hinoki Falsecypress Chamaecyparis obtusa Evergreen (Cultivar Dependent) No No No No Yes Yes Yes 5-8 None
Yellowwood Cladrastis kentukea Deciduous Medium Yes Yes Yes No Yes No No 4-8 None
Pagoda Dogwood/Alternate-leafed Dogwood Cornus alternifolia Deciduous Small No Yes No Yes Yes Yes No 3-7 Canker
Flowering Dogwood Cornus florida Deciduous Small No Yes No No Yes Yes No 5-9 Various
Kousa Dogwood Cornus kousa Deciduous Small No No Yes No Yes Yes No 5-8 None
Corneliancherry Dogwood Cornus mas Deciduous Small No No No No Yes Yes No 4-7 None
Turkish Filbert/Turkish Hazel Corylus colurna Deciduous Medium Yes No Yes No No No No 4-7 None
American Smoketree Cotinus obovatus Deciduous Small No No No No No Yes No 5-8 None
Hawthorn (Thornless) Crataegus spp. var. inermis Deciduous Small No No No No Yes Yes No 4-6 Various
Common Persimmon Diospyros virginiana Deciduous Medium/Large Yes No Yes No Yes No No 4-9 None
American Beech Fagus grandifolia Deciduous Large No Yes No Yes Yes No No 4-9 Beech Bark Disease, Beech Leaf Disease
European Beech Fagus sylvatica Deciduous Large No No No No Yes No No 4-7 Beech Bark Disease, Beech Leaf Disease
Ginkgo (Male only) Ginko Biloba Deciduous Medium/Large Yes No Yes No Yes No No 4-8 None
Thornless Honeylocust Gleditsia triacanthos var. Inermis Deciduous Medium/Large Yes No Yes No Yes No No 4-9 None
Kentucky Coffeetree Gymnocladus dioicus Deciduous Large Yes Yes Yes No Yes No No 3-8 None
American Holly Ilex opaca Evergreen Medium No No No No No No Yes 5-9 None
Butternut/White Walnut Juglans cinerea Deciduous Large No Yes No No Yes No No 3-7 Butternut Canker
Black Walnut Juglans nigra Deciduous Large No Yes No Yes Yes No No 4-9 None
Eastern Redcedar Juniperus virginiana Evergreen Medium Yes Yes No No No Yes Yes 3-9 None
Common Larch Larix decidua Deciduous Medium No No No Yes No No No 2-5 None
American Tamarack Larix laricina Deciduous Medium No Yes Yes No No No No 2-5 None
Sweetgum Liquidambar styraciflua Deciduous Medium Yes No Yes No Yes No No 5-9 None
Tulip Tree Liriodendron tulipifera Deciduous Large Yes Yes Yes No Yes No No 4-9 None
Osage Orange (Thornless) Maclura pomifera var. inermis Deciduous Medium/Large Yes No No No Yes No No 4-9 None
Cucumbertree Magnolia Magnolia acuminata Deciduous Large No No No No Yes No No 4-8 None
Star Magnolia Magnolia stellata Deciduous Small/Medium No No No No Yes No No 4-8 None
Saucer Magnolia Magnolia x soulangiana Deciduous Medium No No No No Yes No No 4-9 None
Crabapple Malus spp. Deciduous Small No No No No Yes Yes No 4-8 Apple Cedar Rust, Fireblight, Apple Scab
Dawn Redwood Metasequoia glyptostroboides Deciduous Large No No No No Yes No No 5-8 None
Black Gum/Black Tupelo Nyssa sylvatica Deciduous Medium Yes Yes Yes No Yes No No 4-9 None
Hop-Hornbeam/Ironwood Ostrya virginiana Deciduous Small/Medium Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No 3-9 None
Sourwood Oxydendrum arboreum Deciduous Medium Yes No Yes No Yes No No 5-9 None
Persian Parrotia Parrotia persica Deciduous Medium Yes No Yes No Yes No No 5-8 None
Norway Spruce Picea abies Evergreen Medium/Large No No No No No No Yes 3-7 Needlecasts, Spruce Decline, Canker
White Spruce Picea glauca Evergreen Medium No Yes No No No No Yes 2-6 Needlecasts, Spruce Decline, Canker
Black Spruce Picea mariana Evergreen Medium No Yes No Yes No No Yes 2-6 Needlecasts, Spruce Decline, Canker
Siberian Spruce Picea omorika Evergreen Medium No No No No No No Yes 4-7 Needlecasts, Spruce Decline, Canker
Bristlecone Pine Pinus aristata Evergreen Small No No No No No Yes Yes 4-7 None
Jack Pine Pinus banksiana Evergreen Small/Medium No Yes No No No No Yes 2-6 None
Mugo Pine/ Swiss Mountain Pine Pinus mugo Evergreen Small No No No No No Yes Yes 3-7 None
Red Pine Pinus resinosa Evergreen Large No Yes No No No No Yes 2-5 Heterobasidion Root Disease
Eastern White Pine Pinus strobus Evergreen Large No Yes No No Yes No Yes 3-7 None
Sycamore Platanus occidentalis Deciduous Large Yes Yes Yes No Yes No No 4-9 Anthracnose
London Planetree Platanus x acerifolia Deciduous Large Yes No Yes No Yes No No 4-9 None
American Plum Prunus americana Deciduous Small/Medium No Yes No No Yes No No 3-8 None
Canadian Plum Prunus nigra Deciduous Small/Medium No Yes No No Yes No No 2-5 None
Sargent Cherry Prunus sargentii Deciduous Medium No No No No Yes No No 4-7 None
Black Cherry Prunus serotina Deciduous Large No Yes No No Yes No No 3-9 None
Ornamental Cherries Prunus spp. Deciduous Cultivar Dependent No No No No Yes Yes No 4-7 None
Douglas Fir Pseudotsuga menziesii Evergreen Medium No No No No No No Yes 4-6 None
White Oak Quercus alba Deciduous Large Yes Yes Yes No Yes No No 3-9 None
Swamp White Oak Quercus bicolor Deciduous Large Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No 4-8 None
Shingle Oak Quercus imbricaria Deciduous Large Yes No Yes No Yes No No 4-8 Oak Wilt
Bur Oak Quercus macrocarpa Deciduous Large Yes Yes Yes No Yes No No 3-8 None
Chinkapin Oak Quercus muehlenbergii Deciduous Large Yes Yes Yes No Yes No No 5-7 Oak Wilt
Pin Oak Quercus palustris Deciduous Large Yes Yes Yes No Yes No No 4-8 Oak Wilt
Northern Red Oak Quercus rubra Deciduous Large Yes Yes Yes No Yes No No 3-7 Oak Wilt
Shumard Oak/Swamp Red Oak Quercus shumardii Deciduous Large Yes Yes Yes No Yes No No 5-9 Oak Wilt
White Willow Salix alba Deciduous Large No No No Yes No No No 2-8 Various
Black Willow Salix nigra Deciduous Large No Yes No Yes No No No 4-9 Various
Sassafras Sassafras albidum Deciduous Medium/Large No Yes No No Yes No No 4-9 None
Bald cypress Taxodium distichum Deciduous Large Yes No No Yes Yes No No 4-11 None
Canadian Yew Taxus canadensis Evergreen Small No No No No No Yes Yes 2-6 None
White Cedar/Arborvitae Thuja occidentalis Evergreen (Cultivar Dependent) No Yes No Yes No Yes Yes 3-7 None
American Linden/Basswood Tilia americana Deciduous Medium/Large cultivar dependent Yes Yes Yes No Yes No No 3-8 None
Littleleaf Linden Tilia cordata Deciduous Medium/Large cultivar dependent Yes No Yes No Yes No No 3-7 None
Silver Linden Tilia tomentosa Deciduous Large Yes No Yes No Yes No No 4-7 None
Eastern Hemlock Tsuga canadensis Evergreen Medium No Yes No Yes Yes No Yes 3-7 Hemlock Woolly Adelgid
American Elm (DED Resistant Cultivars) Ulmus americana x Hybrids Deciduous Large Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No 3-9 Dutch Elm Disease
Nannyberry Viburnum lentago Deciduous Small No Yes No No Yes Yes No 3-7 None
Zelkova Zelkova serrata Deciduous Medium Yes No Yes No No No No 5-8 None

Not recommended for planting

Trees may not be recommended for planting for factors that include invasiveness, weak wood prone to breaking or pest and disease vulnerability.

Common Name Botanical Name Comments
Hedge Maple Acer campestre Invasive
Amur Maple Acer ginnala Invasive
Boxelder Acer negundo Weak wood, unsuited for urban areas
Norway Maple Acer platanoides (includes 'Crimson King' cultivar) Invasive
Sycamore Maple Acer pseudoplatanus Invasive
Silver Maple Acer saccharinum Weak wood, unsuited for urban areas
Tatarian Maple Acer tataricum Invasive Potential
Tree-of-Heaven Ailanthus altissima Invasive, hosts many invasive insects
Mimosa/Silk Tree Albezia julibrissen Invasive
Black Alder Alnus glutinosa Invasive
Japanese Barberry Berberis thunbergii Invasive Shrub
Butterfly bush Buddleja davidii Invasive
Chinese Fringetree Chiananthus retusus Invasive
Autumn Olive Elaeagnus umbellata Invasive Shrub
Winged burning bush Euonymus alatus Invasive
Ash Fraxinus spp. Emerald Ash Borer
Goldenrain Tree Koelreuteria paniculata Invasive
Common privet Ligustrum vulgare Invasive
Japanese Honeysuckle Lonicera japonica Invasive Shrub
Amur Honeysuckle Lonicera maackii Invasive Shrub
Tartarian Honeysuckle Lonicera tatarica Invasive Shrub
Amur maackia Maackia amurensis Invasive
Oregon grape Mahonia aquifolium Invasive, aggressive spreader
White Mulberry Morus alba Invasive, aggressive spreader
Amur Corktree Phellodendron amurense Invasive
Colorado Blue Spruce Picea pungens Disease issues
Austrian Pine/Black Pine Pinus nigra Invasive, disease issues
Scotch Pine/Scot's Pine Pinus sylvestris Invasive
Poplars/Aspens/Cottonwood Populus spp. Suckering roots, unsuited for urban areas
Sweet Cherry/ Mazzard Cherry Prunus avium Invasive
St. Lucie Cherry Prunus mahaleb Invasive Potential
Wingnut Pterocarya stenotera Invasive, aggressive roots
Ornamental Pears- All Varieties Pyrus spp. Invasive, disease issues, weak wood
Common Buckthorn Rhamnus cathartica Invasive Shrub
Glossy Buckthorn Rhamnus frangula (including 'Angustifolia') Invasive Shrub
Black Locust Robinia pseudoacacia Invasive, aggressive rooting
Multiflora Rose Rosa multiflora Invasive Shrub
Rugosa rose Rosa rugosa Invasive, aggressive spreader
Japanese Tree Lilac Syringa reticulata Invasive
Japanese Yew Taxus cuspidata Invasive
Lacebark Elm Ulmus parvifolia Invasive, weak wood, undesirable
Siberian Elm Ulmus pumila Invasive, weak wood, disease issues
Paperbark Maple Acer griseum Invasive

Table descriptions

Common names: The common or everyday name of a tree species. These vary by location and many even share common names among different species. Refer to the botanical name when purchasing trees to avoid confusion.

Botanical names: The scientific name of the tree in Latin denoting its genus and species. The genus is the first word and can include many different species which is denoted by the second word. Any genus followed by spp. includes all species.

Size class: Size of the mature tree depending on site conditions and cultivar. Small = Less than 25 feet, Medium = 25-50 feet, Large = 50+ feet

Climate Adaptable: Adaptability of a tree species based on climate prediction models for next century based on the USDA Michigan Forest Vulnerability Assessment.

Native: A species of tree originally native to Michigan. It is highly recommended that native species be used before non-native species.

Street tree: A species with characteristics ideal for a right-of-way or street boulevard planting.

Riparian: A tree species with characteristics ideal for planting near bodies of water such as rivers and streams. Riparian zones are buffers around bodies of water that provide erosion control and tolerate some level of flooding.

Park/Open lawn: A species of tree with characteristics ideal for large open areas, usually with full sun.

Utility friendly: A species of tree with characteristics ideal for planting near overhead powerlines due to its growth rate, shape and mature size.

Screening: A species of tree with characteristics ideal for a visual or air quality screen, usually between a road and school or park.

Hardiness Zones: USDA Hardiness Zones provide planting ranges for trees based off of the average annual minimum temperature. Hardiness Zones vary among cultivars and origin of stock.

Health concerns: Listed health concerns are either potentially fatal to trees or very common. These concerns may change as invasive species enter the state. There may be additional health concerns that should be researched before planting.

Invasive: A species of tree with characteristics that negatively impact the environment or may outcompete beneficial native plants.. Check to see if a tree or plant not listed here is invasive or has invasive potential if considering a species outside this list. Find more information on the Michigan Invasive Species website.