Shumard Oak
Quercus shumardii A tough urban tree with brownish-red fall foliage, the shumard oak is an excellent shade tree for any yard. Size and Light Requirements This oak prefers full sun, …
Trees
Information on urban hardy species that have been tested for success.
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Swamp White Oak
Quercus bicolor A favorite choice of professional arborists, the swamp white oak is a grand shade tree with distinct leaves that are a dark green color above while being silvery-white …
White Oak
Quercus alba The sturdy white oak is a shade tree with a beautiful silhouette, dark green leaves, and distinct grayish-white furrowed bark. It is known for its wood that is …
Loblolly Pine
Pinus taeda The loblolly pine is a relatively fast-growing evergreen known for its straight trunk, upright form, and distinctive bark. Its narrow form allows it to occupy a variety of …
Pin Oak
Quercus palustris Before modern fasteners, pin oak wood was used to join, or “pin” construction timbers together, and so it was named. This a strong, upright shade tree commonly planted …
Scarlet Oak
Quercus coccinea The scarlet oak, the District of Columbia’s state tree, is prized for its rich, red fall foliage from which it gets its name. Once established, the scarlet oak …
Ginkgo
Ginkgo biloba A throwback to prehistoric times, the gingko is a beautiful shade tree with unique fan-shaped leaves that turn a beautiful yellow in fall, and distinctly furrowed corky bark …
Pond Cypress
Taxodium ascendens The pond cypress is a graceful pyramid-shaped tree with dark, shaggy bark and light-green leaves that turn orange-red in the fall. Size and Light Requirements The pond cypress …
Honey Locust
Gleditsia triacanthos A beautiful and enduring small to medium shade tree, honey locusts have light, attractive leaves resembling ferns that turn a brilliant yellow in fall. Its leaves degrade quickly …
Osage Orange
Maclura pomifera Osage orange, or “hedge maple,” is a unique small to medium sized shade tree. Its orange colored wood is strong and extremely rot-resistant, and its bark furrowed with …
Tuliptree
Liriodendron tulipifera With its unusually straight trunk, tuliptree logs were hollowed out by Native Americans for use as canoes. Its beautiful flowers, furrowed bark, and tulip-shaped leaves make it a …
Shingle Oak
Quercus imbricaria As the name implies, the shingle oak was once commonly used for shingle production. This medium-sized shade tree has beautiful rounded leaves more closely resembling a laurel than …
Southern Magnolia
Magnolia grandiflora This elegant tree has large fragrant flowers that bloom from March to June, striking seed pods that drop bright red seeds in the fall, and bold, beautiful leaves. …
Overcup Oak
Quercus lyrata With its straight trunk and round top, the overcup oak is a relatively unknown small to medium-sized shade tree that fits well into many small yards in Washington …
Dawn Redwood
Metasequoia glyptostroboides The dawn redwood is prehistoric by any measure – thought to be extinct until discovered in a small portion of China in the 1940s. Smaller than its cousin …