Tree Species Recommendations for Your Yard

Recommended Native Trees List

The Shade Tree Commission strongly recommends native trees to help support the other species that depend on them as part of our ecosystem. Non-native options can be considered, but please do not plant invasive species or those that are currently susceptible to invasive infestation or disease. The following is a partial list of native trees in the region, recommended to be used on projects in our area. All are readily available nursery stock.

Medium to Large Deciduous Trees

Red Maple (Acer rubrum)

Suar Maple (Acer saccharum)

River Birch (Betula nigra)

American Hornbeam/Ironwood (Carpinus caroliniana)

Shagbark Hickory (Carya ovata)

Hackberry (Celtis occidentalis)

Yellowwood (Cladrastis kentukea)

American Beech (Fagus grandifolia)

Honey Locust (Gleditsia triacanthos)

Kentucky Coffee Tree (Gymnocladus dioicus)

Black Walnut (Juglans nigra)

Sourwood (Oxydendrum arboreum)

American Sycamore (Platanus occidentalis)

White Oak (Quercus alba)

Swamp White Oak (Quercus bicolor)

Shingle Oak (Quercus imbricaria)

Bur Oak (Quercus macrocarpa)

Willow Oak (Quercus phellos)

Common Bald Cyprus (Taxodium distichum)

American Linden/Bassweood (TIlia americana)

Ornamental Trees

Serviceberry (Amelanchier arborea)

Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis)

Fringe Tree (Chionanthus virginicus)

Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida)

American Smoke Tree (Cotinus obovatus)

Hawthorne species (Crataegus spp.)

Carolina Silverbell ( Halesia carolina)

Sweetbay Magnolia (Magnolia virginiana)

Big Leaf Magnolia (Magnolia macrophylia)

Crabapple species (Malus spp.)

Hophornbeam (Ostrya virginiana)

Evergreen Trees

False Cypress species (Chameacyparis spp.)

American Holly (Ilex opaca)

Common Juniper (Juniperus communis)

Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana)

Pitch Pine (Pinus rigida)

Eastern White Pine (Pinus strobus)

American Arborvitae. (Thuja occidentalis)

(Adapted from Princeton Shade Tree Commission)