Trees

Everything you need to grow and care for trees: light, water, troubleshooting, and pet & child safety, all in one place.

AlmondPrunus dulcisMatch it to full sun, deep well-drained soil, and a frost-free bloom, and the almond returns decades of kernels.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicDemandingAmerican BasswoodTilia americanaA broad native shade tree carrying fragrant summer flowers that draw heavy bee traffic.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyAmerican BeechFagus grandifoliaProvide rich, acidic, moist soil and ample room to spread, and the American beech matures into a shade tree that persists for generations.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeModerateAmerican ElmUlmus americanaA fast-growing vase-shaped shade tree brought back from near-collapse through breeding for resistance.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeModerateAmerican HornbeamCarpinus carolinianaGive it moist soil and a little shade, and this tough, slow-growing native holds its form for decades.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasyAmerican Smoketree (Tree Form)Cotinus obovatusGrown on poor, dry ground in full sun, the American smoketree produces its hazy summer plumes and its strongest fall color.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–21 daysPet & child safeEasyAmerican SycamorePlatanus occidentalisGive it room and moist ground and the American sycamore matures into one of the East's largest shade trees.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeModerateAppleMalus domesticaProvide full sun, a pollination partner, and an annual prune, and an apple tree will feed you for decades.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicModerateApricotPrunus armeniacaSite it for full sun, sharp drainage, and shelter from late frost, and an apricot tree will set sweet golden fruit by early summer.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicModerateAsian PearPyrus pyrifoliaProvide full sun, a pollination partner, and an open framework, and the Asian pear delivers crisp, juicy fruit for decades.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicModerateAvocadoPersea americanaWith full sun, sharp drainage, and frost protection, an avocado will hold a canopy over a yard for decades.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysMildly toxicModerateBald CypressTaxodium distichumA bottomland conifer that withstands flood, drought, and alkaline-free urban soil and colors rust-orange before leaf drop.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyBlack LocustRobinia pseudoacaciaA tough, nitrogen-fixing tree with brittle wood and a serious toxic streak.☀️ Full sun · 💧 14–30 daysToxicEasyBlood OrangeCitrus × sinensisPair full sun with cold winter nights, and the blood orange lays down flesh the color of garnet.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicModerateBloodgood Japanese MapleAcer palmatumThe why behind keeping a Bloodgood maple healthy, from soil moisture to leaf color.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeModerateBradford PearPyrus calleryanaFast and adaptable, the Bradford pear pairs storm-prone branch unions with aggressive invasive spread, which is why it no longer belongs in the landscape.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyBur OakQuercus macrocarpaBur oak is the white oak group's iron candidate, a slow, long-lived shade tree built to hold ground others cannot.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicModerateCalamondin OrangeCitrus × microcarpaA container citrus that carries fragrant bloom and sour fruit simultaneously, year round in a sunlit window.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysMildly toxicModerateCashewAnacardium occidentaleA tropical tree that pays out twice over, cashew apple and nut, as long as its roots stay warm, sunny, and well drained.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicModerateCherryPrunus aviumGiven full sun, deep soil, and moving air, a cherry tree will return fruit for decades.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicModerateChestnutCastanea sativaSet it in well-drained, acidic soil with a compatible pollen source, and this beech-family tree will reward the grower with a heavy yield of roasting nuts.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–21 daysPet & child safeModerateChinese ElmUlmus parvifoliaA fast, adaptable shade tree that performs through poor soil, drought, and urban stress.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyCoconut PalmCocos nuciferaMatch its native conditions with full tropical sun, warmth, and sandy coastal soil, and Cocos nucifera performs for decades.☀️ Full sunPet & child safeModerateColorado Blue SprucePicea pungensSite it for full sun, cool air, and well-drained ground, and Picea pungens holds its silver color for decades.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeModerateCommon FigFicus caricaSite it for full sun and steady summer water, and Ficus carica fruits reliably for decades.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicEasyCrepe MyrtleLagerstroemia indicaSite it in full sun with open airflow and prune lightly, and Lagerstroemia indica flowers all summer before exfoliating into mottled winter bark.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyDate PalmPhoenix dactyliferaProvide full sun, sharp drainage, and desert heat, and the date palm returns sweet fruit for decades.☀️ Full sunPet & child safeModerateDawn RedwoodMetasequoia glyptostroboidesA living fossil conifer that colors russet-bronze each fall and gains height fast enough to track season to season.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–10 daysPet & child safeEasyDeodar CedarCedrus deodaraSet in full sun on free-draining ground, this Himalayan cedar develops into a soft, sweeping evergreen that persists for decades.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeModerateDouglas FirPseudotsuga menziesiiProvide room, deep moist soil, and decades of patience, and the Douglas fir develops into one of the tallest trees in the forest.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeModerateDwarf Alberta SprucePicea glaucaA slow, densely conical evergreen whose health hinges on full sun, steady moisture, and moving air.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeModerateDwarf Japanese MapleAcer palmatumProvide dappled shade, consistent moisture, and wind shelter, and a dwarf Japanese maple holds its form and color for decades.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeModerateEastern HemlockTsuga canadensisSited in cool, moist shade, eastern hemlock develops into a soft, feathery evergreen that persists for generations.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeModerateEastern Red CedarJuniperus virginianaA drought-hardened native conifer whose deep adaptability and long life make it a workhorse of difficult sites.☀️ Full sun · 💧 10–21 daysPet & child safeEasyEastern RedbudCercis canadensisIt sets the leafless spring woods alight with rose-pink flowers borne straight on the wood well before any leaf unfolds.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyEastern White PinePinus strobusA fast-growing, soft-wooded conifer, eastern white pine forms a five-needled evergreen framework where acidic, well-drained ground gives its roots room.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeModerateEmerald Green ArborvitaeThuja occidentalisSited in full sun with steady moisture and protected from deer and snow load, it delivers a dense green screen for decades.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysMildly toxicEasyFlowering DogwoodCornus floridaGive it part shade and moist, acidic soil, and the flowering dogwood returns spring bracts and red autumn fruit.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeModerateFranklin TreeFranklinia alatamahaA small tree grown for its late-summer flowers and vivid fall foliage, absent from the wild since roughly the early 1800s.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeDemandingGinkgoGinkgo bilobaSlow, durable, and near indestructible, the ginkgo is a specimen tree planted for the long term.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyGolden Rain TreeKoelreuteria paniculataA resilient shade tree, peaking in midsummer, hung with papery lantern pods and loose yellow panicles.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyGrapefruitCitrus × paradisiGive it full sun, deep watering, and frost-free warmth, and a grapefruit tree carries fruit through winter.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicModerateGreen AshFraxinus pennsylvanicaA rugged, quick-growing shade tree that thrives on difficult ground, though its future now hinges on the emerald ash borer.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyGreen Giant ArborvitaeThuja 'Green Giant'Give it full sun and room to spread, and this tree throws up a living privacy wall fast.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicEasyGuavaPsidium guajavaMeet its needs for full sun, warmth, and frost protection, and a guava tree returns fragrant fruit for years.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasyHinoki CypressChamaecyparis obtusaGive it acidic soil, steady moisture, and shelter from harsh wind, and this slow evergreen holds its shape for a lifetime.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeModerateHoney LocustGleditsia triacanthosFast, hardy, and adaptable, the honey locust casts a light dappled shade across difficult urban soils.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyItalian CypressCupressus sempervirensSited once in full sun and dry, well-drained soil, this slim green column keeps its architectural form for decades.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyJane MagnoliaMagnolia 'Jane'A compact tree whose tulip-shaped purple-pink flowers open late enough to clear the spring frost.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasyJapanese CedarCryptomeria japonicaSupply rich, moist soil and shelter from drying winter wind, and Japanese cedar develops into a towering evergreen spire.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyJapanese MapleAcer palmatumGive it dappled shade, steady moisture, and shelter from wind, and the Japanese maple returns color from spring through fall.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeModerateJapanese StewartiaStewartia pseudocamelliaA slow, exacting tree that repays correct siting with summer flowers, fall color, and exfoliating bark.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeDemandingJapanese Umbrella PineSciadopitys verticillataA living fossil whose soft needles borne in whorls repay steady moisture and a patient hand.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeModerateJapanese YewTaxus cuspidataA rugged, shade-tolerant evergreen suited to hedging and topiary, and at the same time among the most lethal plants that can be grown in a landscape.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 7–14 daysToxicEasyJuniperJuniperus chinensisSite it in full sun with sharp drainage and juniper demands little else across a long, hardy life.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyKey LimeCitrus × aurantiifoliaProvide full sun, warmth, and free-draining soil, and this thorny citrus repays the effort with sharp, aromatic limes.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysMildly toxicModerateKousa DogwoodCornus kousaA small tree that delivers star-shaped bracts, edible fruit, and exfoliating bark across all four seasons.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeModerateKumquatCitrus japonicaProvide full sun, even moisture, and shelter from hard frost, and this compact citrus fruits through the winter.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysMildly toxicEasyKwanzan CherryPrunus serrulataA tree grown for one unforgettable week of double pink bloom each spring, sound care carrying it through the rest of the year.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysMildly toxicModerateLemonCitrus limonSupply full sun, deep but infrequent water, and frost protection, and a lemon tree crops for decades.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicModerateLeyland CypressCupressus × leylandiiSited with room to breathe and steady water, this fast evergreen throws up a privacy wall in just a few years.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeModerateLimeCitrus × latifoliaSupplied with abundant sunlight, sharp drainage, and consistent warmth, a lime tree stays productive for years.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysMildly toxicModerateLoquatEriobotrya japonicaSited in full sun and clear of late frost, the loquat ripens sweet fruit when few other trees are cropping.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicModerateLycheeLitchi chinensisGive it heat, acidic soil, and a cool winter rest, and this tropical evergreen repays the discipline it asks for.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeDemandingMacadamiaMacadamia integrifoliaMatch its needs for warmth, deep soil, and a pollination partner, and the macadamia sets a rich crop.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysToxicDemandingMandarin OrangeCitrus reticulataProvide full sun, free-draining soil, and shelter from hard frost, and a mandarin tree returns fragrant blossom and easy-peel fruit.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysMildly toxicModerateMangoMangifera indicaSupply warmth, direct sun, and sharply drained soil, and a mango rewards a warm-climate garden with months of ripening fruit.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeModerateMedlarMespilus germanicaA slow, cold-hardy fruit tree of modest demands that ripens only after the first frosts.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicModerateMeyer LemonCitrus × meyeriSupply it strong light, even moisture, and shelter from frost, and this dwarf citrus returns fragrant blooms and sweet fruit.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysMildly toxicModerateMugo PinePinus mugoA hardy evergreen mountain pine that needs only full sun and sharp drainage, then largely maintains itself.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyMulberryMorus rubraGive it full sun and room to spread, and the mulberry returns berries by the bucketful every early summer.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–21 daysPet & child safeEasyNectarinePrunus persica var. nucipersicaA nectarine is a fuzzless peach, and it converts full sun and disciplined annual pruning into sweet, smooth-skinned fruit.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicDemandingNeem TreeAzadirachta indicaGive it heat, sun, and free-draining soil, and the neem tree withstands drought and poor ground for decades.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–21 daysMildly toxicEasyNorfolk Island PineAraucaria heterophyllaBright light, cool air, and even moisture are what let this living conifer hold its neatly whorled tiers indoors through the year.☀️ Bright indirectPet & child safeModerateNorthern CatalpaCatalpa speciosaA tough native shade tree that carries showy white flowers and lays on fast growth almost anywhere.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–21 daysPet & child safeEasyNorthern Red OakQuercus rubraA fast native oak that delivers deep shade and brilliant red fall color across a long lifespan.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicEasyNorway SprucePicea abiesTough, fast, and cold-hardy down to -40°F (-40°C), the Norway spruce grows into a towering evergreen with sweeping, pendulous branches.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyOliveOlea europaeaGive it full sun, lean soil, and a dry root run, and the olive thrives for generations.☀️ Full sun · 💧 14–30 daysPet & child safeModerateOrangeCitrus × sinensisGive it full sun, warmth, and well-drained soil, and a sweet orange tree rewards you with fruit for decades.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicModerateOsage OrangeMaclura pomiferaPlant it once and let it run. The Osage orange is just about indestructible, thorns, hedge apples, and all.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–21 daysPet & child safeEasyPapayaCarica papayaWith full sun, consistent soil moisture, and a frost-free site, Carica papaya progresses from transplant to ripe fruit in under a year.☀️ Full sun · 💧 1–4 daysPet & child safeModeratePaper BirchBetula papyriferaGive it a cool, moist root run and paper birch holds its brilliant white bark for decades.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeModeratePawpawAsimina trilobaNorth America's largest native fruit, rich as custard and tasting of banana and mango, ripens on a tree few gardeners know.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–7 daysMildly toxicModeratePeachPrunus persicaGive it full sun, sharp drainage, and a hard yearly pruning, and a peach tree pays you back in summer fruit.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicModeratePearPyrus communisSite two compatible cultivars for cross-pollination, provide full sun, allow time, and a pear will crop for decades.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicModeratePecanCarya illinoinensisGive it room, full sun, and a pollination partner, and a pecan shades the yard for generations.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicModeratePersimmonDiospyros kakiUnder full sun and an unhurried timeline, persimmon rewards the grower with bright orange fruit persisting on leafless wood well into fall.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicEasyPin OakQuercus palustrisA fast-growing shade tree that delivers fiery fall color wherever the soil stays acidic.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicEasyPindo PalmButia capitataA feather palm of unusual cold hardiness, producing recurved gray-green fronds and sweet, jelly-suited fruit.☀️ Full sunPet & child safeEasyPistachioPistacia veraGive it hot, dry summers and a male tree nearby, and the pistachio repays the wait with split-shell nuts.☀️ Full sun · 💧 10–21 daysMildly toxicDemandingPlumPrunus domesticaSite it in full sun with deep soil and an annual prune, and a plum crops heavily for years.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicModerateQuinceCydonia oblongaSlow-growing and astringent on the branch, quince converts patient care into fragrant golden pomes rich in the pectin that sets jelly.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicModerateRed MapleAcer rubrumA fast-growing eastern native that carries red through every season and ends in incandescent fall foliage.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysToxicEasyRiver BirchBetula nigraSited in acidic, consistently moist soil under full sun, river birch grows fast and develops its signature peeling, cinnamon bark.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeEasySaguaroCarnegiea giganteaFull sun, mineral drainage, and long dormancy build the water-storing column that lets the saguaro reach desert-giant scale.☀️ Full sun · 💧 14–30 daysPet & child safeDemandingSassafrasSassafras albidumA fast native valued for three leaf shapes and orange-red-purple fall color, driven by clonal roots that colonize open ground.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicModerateSaucer MagnoliaMagnolia × soulangeanaSite it beyond the reach of late frost and the saucer magnolia carries goblet-shaped pink blooms on bare wood before leaf-out.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeModerateSawara False CypressChamaecyparis pisiferaSited in full sun and free-draining soil, false cypress sustains its foliar color through every season.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyScots PinePinus sylvestrisAdapted to poor, dry, acidic ground, Scots pine trades rich soil for full sun and sharp drainage.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeModerateServiceberryAmelanchier × grandifloraA four-season landscape tree offering white spring bloom, sweet June pomes, and strong fall color.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasySilver MapleAcer saccharinumFast-growing and flood-adapted, the silver maple builds shade quickly but pays for that speed in weak, brittle wood.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasySouthern Live OakQuercus virginianaA sprawling, long-lived shade tree that wants room to grow and little else once it settles in.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicEasySouthern MagnoliaMagnolia grandifloraA long-lived broadleaf evergreen prized for glossy foliage and lemon-scented white blooms that anchor a landscape for generations.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeModerateStar MagnoliaMagnolia stellataStar magnolia flowers ahead of nearly every hardy tree, opening fragrant white stars on bare wood before the foliage breaks.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeModerateSugar MapleAcer saccharumRooted in deep, moist, fertile soil with room to spread, sugar maple returns dense summer shade and strong red, orange, and gold fall color.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeModerateSweetgumLiquidambar styracifluaGive it deep, acidic soil and full sun, and Liquidambar styraciflua rewards the site with star-shaped leaves and strong fall color.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyTamukeyama Japanese MapleAcer palmatumA weeping laceleaf cultivar prized for finely dissected purple-red foliage that colors from spring to a scarlet fall.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeModerateTangerineCitrus reticulataSite it in full sun with sharp drainage and frost protection, and Citrus reticulata sets a heavy crop of sweet winter fruit.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicModerateTulip TreeLiriodendron tulipiferaA fast, towering shade tree of the magnolia family that carries tulip-shaped flowers high in its canopy and colors gold in fall.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeModerateWalnutJuglans regiaSited in deep soil and full sun with room to spread, a walnut builds a broad crown that shades a yard for generations and crops each fall.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–21 daysMildly toxicModerateWeeping CherryPrunus subhirtellaGrafted for form and grown for the moment, the weeping cherry drapes light pink to white blossom across the garden each April.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysMildly toxicModerateWeeping WillowSalix babylonicaSited by water with room to spread, the weeping willow drops its long branches to sweep the ground.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeModerateWhite FirAbies concolorGiven room, sun, and well-drained acidic soil, the white fir carries its silvery-blue pyramid for generations.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeModerateWhite OakQuercus albaA slow, structural native that repays the patient grower with a century of shade and a heavy acorn crop for wildlife.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicModerateWindmill PalmTrachycarpus fortuneiHardy down to single digits, the windmill palm brings a true tropical form to gardens far colder than most palms will endure.☀️ Partial shadePet & child safeModerateYoshino CherryPrunus × yedoensisA Yoshino cherry exists for one horticultural set piece: clouds of white-to-pink spring blossom that hold the whole yard for two weeks.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysMildly toxicModerateYuzuCitrus junosThe most cold-hardy of the true citrus, yuzu exchanges quick fruit for patience and a sheltered, sunny site.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicModerate