Latin Key:
Birch (Betula)
 Dogwood (Cornus) 
 Hackberry (Celtis) 
Linden (Tilia)
Maple (Acer)
Oak (Quercus)
Pear (Pyrus)
Redbud (Cercis)

 

Shade Tree Characteristics
alphabetic by Genus/species

Evergreen trees are not included on this list,
as they are not generally used as shade trees.


Genus Species Common name Size Growth
Rate		 Is it
showy?		 Problems Comments Recomm.?
Acer buergeranum Trident maple Small Slow Fall     yes
Acer campestre Hedge maple Small Slow       yes
Acer ginnala Amur maple Small Slow Fall     yes
Acer hybrids Hybrid maples Large Fast     Needs evaluation ?
Acer 'Autumn Blaze' Hybrid maple Large Fast       yes
Acer 'October Glory' Hybrid maple Large Fast       yes
Acer macrophyllum Bigleaf maple Large Mod     California native yes
Acer palmatum Japanese maple Small Mod     Needs shade, acid well...
Acer rubrum Red maple Large Mod Fall     yes
Acer saccharinum Silver maple Large Fast   Roots, aphids   NO
Acer truncatum Purpleblow maple Small Mod     Sub. for Japan maple yes
Aesculus X carnea Red horsechestnut Large Slow Flowers     yes
Aesculus californica California buckeye Small Slow Flowers   California native yes
Albizia julibrissin Silk tree Med Mod Flowers Messy, reseeds   well...
Betula jacquemontii Birch Med Mod       yes
Betula pendula European white birch Med Fast       yes
Betula platyphylla japonica Japanese birch Med Fast       yes
Carpinus betulus European hornbeam Med Mod       yes
Carpinus betulus 'Fastigiata' Pyramidal hornbeam Med Mod       yes
Celtis australis European hackberry Large Fast Fruit     yes
Celtis occidentalis Hackberry Large Fast Fruit     yes
Celtis sinensis Chinese hackberry Large Fast Fruit     yes
Cercis canadensis Eastern redbud Small Mod Flowers     yes
Cercis occidentalis Western redbud Small Slow Flowers   California native yes
Chilopsis linearis Desert willow Small Mod Flowers   Narrow; drgt-tol. yes
Chionanthus retusus Chinese fringe tree Small Slow Flowers     yes
Chitalpa tashkentensis Chitalpa Med Fast Flowers   Drgt-tol. yes
Cornus kousa Kousa dogwood Small Slow Flowers     yes
Cornus florida Eastern dogwood Small Slow Flowers   Shade, acid soil NO
Cotinus coggygria Smoke tree Small Slow Seeds     yes
Crataegus phaenopyrum Washington hawthorn Small Slow Flowers; Fruit     yes
Diospyros kaki Persimmon Small Slow Edible Fruit Fruit   yes
Fraxinus spp. Ashes Med Mod     Blight, borers NO
Ginkgo biloba Maidenhair tree Large Slow Fall   Male forms only! yes
Gleditsia triacanthos inermis Honey locust Large Fast Lflts   Gall midge defoliates NO
Hibiscus syriacus Rose of sharon Small Slow Flowers     yes
Koelreuteria paniculata Goldenrain tree Med Mod Flowers, Pods Pods Reseeds; boxelder bug no
Koelreuteria bipinnata Chinese flame tree Med Mod Pods     yes
Lagerstroemia indica X faueri Crape myrtle Small Mod Flowers   Height varies yes
Liquidambar styraciflua Sweet gum Large Mod Fall color   Surface roots/pods NO
Liriodendron tulipifera Tulip tree Large Fast       yes
Magnolia X loebneri Merrill's magnolia Small Mod Flowers     yes
Magnolia X soulangeana Saucer magnolia Small Slow Flowers     yes
Magnolia X veitchii Veitch magnolia Med Mod Flowers     yes
Magnolia liliiflora Lily magnolia Small Slow Flowers     yes
Malus species/hybrids Crabapple Small Mod Flowers, Fruit Fruit Select varieties depends...
Metasequoia glyptostroboides Dawn redwood Large Fast     Deciduous conifer yes
Morus alba Mulberry Large Fast fruit on females Surface roots NO
Nyssa sylvatica Tupelo Med Slow Fall   Needs acid soil NO
Pistacia chinensis Chinese pistache Med Mod Fall Fruit Females have seeds; birds love 'em yes
Platanus X Acerifolia London plane Large Fast litter   'Bloodgood' best yes
Populus spp. Poplars/Ctnwds Large Fast   Roots,brkg,pests NO
Prunus amygdalus Almond Small Slow Edible Fruit     yes
Prunus armeniaca Apricot Small Mod Edible Fruit Fruit   yes
Prunus avium Sweet cherry Small Mod Edible Fruit   yes
Prunus blireiana Flowering plum Small Mod Flowers none   yes
Prunus cerasifera Red-leaf plum Small Slow Flowers Fruit Messy fruit on some; 'Krauter Vesuvius' good yes
Prunus cerasus Sour cherry Small Mod Edible Fruit   yes
Prunus domestica European plum Small Slow Edible Fruit Fruit High maintenance! maybe
Prunus persica Peach/nectarine Small Slow Edible Fruit Fruit Disease. High maintenance! maybe
Prunus salicina Japanese plum Small Slow Edible Fruit Fruit High maintenance! maybe
Prunus serrulata Flowering cherry Small Slow Flowers   Good drainage yes
Prunus subhirtella Flowering cherry Small Slow Flowers   Good drainage yes
Punica granatum Pomegranate Small Mod Edible Fruit Fruit Fruitless forms also yes
Pyrus pyrifolia Asian pear Med Mod Flowers   Fireblight yes
Pyrus calleryana Callery pear Med Fast Flowers, fall color   Evaluate new forms newer varieties good
Pyrus call. 'Aristocrat' Aristocrat pear Med Fast Flowers, fall color Fruit, mistletoe   NO
Pyrus call. 'Bradford' Bradford pear Med Fast Flowers, fall color   Branches split NO
Pyrus call. 'Capital' Capital pear Med Fast Flowers, fall color   Very narrow form yes
Pyrus call. 'Chanticleer' Chanticleer pear Med Fast Flowers, fall color   Less breakage yes
Pyrus call. 'Cleveland Select' Cleveland Select pear Med Fast Flowers, fall color   Less breakage yes
Pyrus call. 'Redspire' Redspire pear Med Fast Flowers, fall color   more pyramidal form yes
Pyrus call. 'Whitehouse' Whitehouse pear Med Fast Flowers, fall color   More columnar yes
Quercus cerris Turkey oak Large Mod       yes
Quercus coccinea Scarlet oak Large Mod Fall     yes
Quercus douglasii Blue oak Large Mod Fall   California native yes
Quercus lobata Valley oak Large Mod     California native yes
Quercus macrocarpa Burr oak Large Mod       yes
Quercus phellos Willow oak Large Mod       yes
Quercus robur English oak Large Mod       yes
Quercus ilex Holly oak Large Mod       yes
Quercus palustris Pin oak Large Mod       yes
Quercus robur 'Fastigiata' upright English oak Large Mod       yes
Quercus rubra Red oak Large Mod       yes
Robinia X ambigua 'Idahoensis' Pink Idaho locust Med Fast Flowers Pods Suckers; brittle wood rural areas
Salix spp. Willows Large Fast     Roots, brkg, pests NO
Sapium sebiferum Chinese tallow tree Med Mod Fall Seeds Surface roots NO
Sophora japonica Japanese pagoda tree Med Mod Flowers Pods Messy pods NO
Styrax japonica Japanese snowbell Med Slow       yes
Taxodium distichum Bald cypress Large Fast     Deciduous conifer yes
Tilia americana American linden Large Mod       yes
Tilia cordata Little leaf linden Med Mod Flowers     yes
Tilia euchlora Crimean linden Med Mod       yes
Vitex agnus-castus Chaste tree Small Slow Flowers     yes
Zelkova serrata Sawleaf zelkova Large Mod       yes
Ziziphus jujuba Chinese date Small Slow Edible Fruit Fruit   yes

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© 2004 Don Shor, Redwood Barn Nursery, Inc., 1607 Fifth Street, Davis, Ca 95616
www.redwoodbarn.com
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Created 2-2000 -- page URL: http://www.redwoodbarn.com/shadechart.html