Tree Guide > Shade Trees (61)
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Ash 'Autumn Blaze'
Growth Rate:medium
Height/Spread (ft):55/25
Growth Form:oval
Plant Hardiness:excellent
Fall Color:good/purple
Aesthetic Value:common/average
Comments:good hardy ash with good fall color; light seed crop
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Ash 'Fall Gold'
Growth Rate:medium
Height/Spread (ft):50/20
Growth Form:upright
Plant Hardiness:excellent
Fall Color:good/bright yellow
Aesthetic Value:common/average
Comments:retains fall color longer into fall than any other ash
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Ash 'Golden Desert'
Growth Rate:slow
Height/Spread (ft):25/12
Growth Form:round
Plant Hardiness:good
Fall Color:good/bright gold
Aesthetic Value:attractive
Comments:golden bark all year with golden foliage in spring with preceding black buds; great small ornamental tree
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Ash 'Northern Blaze'
Growth Rate:medium
Height/Spread (ft):50/25
Growth Form:oval
Plant Hardiness:good
Fall Color:good/purple
Aesthetic Value:common/average
Comments:first hardy ash with good fall color; seedless
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Ash 'Mancana'
Growth Rate:medium
Height/Spread (ft):45/25
Growth Form:dense/oval
Plant Hardiness:excellent
Fall Color:good/yellow
Aesthetic Value:common/average
Comments:male;seedless selection
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Ash 'Patmore'
Growth Rate:medium
Height/Spread (ft):45/25
Growth Form:dense/oval
Plant Hardiness:excellent
Fall Color:good/yellow
Aesthetic Value:common/average
Comments:male;seedless selection
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Aspen 'Prarie Gold'
Growth Rate:fast
Height/Spread (ft):35-40/20-30
Growth Form:oval
Plant Hardiness:good
Fall Color:good/yellow
Aesthetic Value:common/average
Comments:shiny, dark leaves contrast against cream colored bark; silver catkins in spring; disease resistant
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Aspen 'Quaking'
Growth Rate:medium
Height/Spread (ft):55/45
Growth Form:pyramidal
Plant Hardiness:good
Fall Color:excellent/pretty yellow
Aesthetic Value:attractive
Comments:small leaves with beautiful gray bark; unique tree that will add interest to the landscape; available in clumps
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Bald Cypress
Height/Width (ft.):60/30
Exposure:full sun
Leaf Color:green delicate feathery leaves (conifer that loses its leaves in fall)
Comments:excellent conifer for streambanks or the edge of ponds; pyramidal form; foliage turns bright orange-brown in fall before dropping
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Birch 'Cutleaf Weeping'
Growth Rate:fast
Height/Spread (ft):30/25
Growth Form:weeping
Plant Hardiness:good
Fall Color:good/yellow
Aesthetic Value:above average
Comments:pendulous branches with attractive dark green cutleaf foliage; bark is brown in youth maturing to grayish-white
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Birch 'Heritage'
Growth Rate:fast
Height/Spread (ft):45/30
Growth Form:oval
Plant Hardiness:good
Fall Color:good/yellow
Aesthetic Value:above average
Comments:exfoliating bark is lighter than the 'river' birch; resistant to 'bronze birch borer'; available in clump forms
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Birch 'Jacuemontii'
Growth Rate:fast
Height/Spread (ft):40/30
Growth Form:pyramidal
Plant Hardiness:good
Fall Color:good/yellow
Aesthetic Value:above average
Comments:white bark shows on birch at early age; shown resistance to 'bronze birch borer'
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Birch 'Renaissance Reflection Paper'
Growth Rate:fast
Height/Spread (ft):60/25
Growth Form:pyramidal
Plant Hardiness:good
Fall Color:good/yellow
Aesthetic Value:above average
Comments:heat & birch borer resistant; attractive brilliant white exfoliating bark
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Birch 'River'
Growth Rate:fast
Height/Spread (ft):30/40
Growth Form:oval
Plant Hardiness:good
Fall Color:good/yellow
Aesthetic Value:above average
Comments:cinnamon-colored exfoliating bark; shown resistance to 'bronze birch borer'; native tree also available in clumps
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Birch 'Royal Frost'
Growth Rate:medium
Height/Spread (ft):30/15
Growth Form:loosely upright
Plant Hardiness:good
Fall Color:good/yellow to orange-red
Aesthetic Value:attractive
Comments:burgundy foliage from spring through summer on contrasting cinnamon to white bark; very unique tree
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Birch 'Whitespire'
Growth Rate:medium-fast
Height/Spread (ft):40-5-/30-35
Growth Form:upright shape
Plant Hardiness:good
Fall Color:good/yellow
Aesthetic Value:above average
Comments:excellent landscape accent with its attractive white bark
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Birch 'Youngs Weeping'
Growth Rate:medium
Height/Spread (ft):15/15
Growth Form:weeping
Plant Hardiness:good
Fall Color:good/yellow
Aesthetic Value:above average
Comments:pendulous branches with attractive white exfoliating bark
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Buckeye 'Ohio'
Growth Rate:medium
Height/Spread (ft):25/25
Growth Form:round
Plant Hardiness:excellent
Fall Color:good/yellow-orange,red-brown
Aesthetic Value:common/average
Comments:unusual; attractive leaves have a wide range of fall color; brown fruit follows greenish-yellow flowers; adds diversity to your landscape
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Catalpa
Growth Rate:medium-fast
Height/Spread (ft):50/30
Growth Form:upright oval
Plant Hardiness:good
Fall Color:good/yellow-green
Aesthetic Value:common/average
Comments:huge greenish-yellow leaves produce beautiful, fragrant white flowers; long bean-like seedpods
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Coffeetree 'Kentucky'
Growth Rate:medium-slow
Height/Spread (ft):50/40
Growth Form:open spreading
Plant Hardiness:excellent
Fall Color:good/yellow
Aesthetic Value:common/average
Comments:deeply furrowed bark is attractive in winter; bluish-green foliage produces long, leathery seedpods
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Cottonwood 'Nor'Easter'
Growth Rate:fast
Height/Spread (ft):65/35
Growth Form:round
Plant Hardiness:excellent
Fall Color:good/yellow
Aesthetic Value:common/average
Comments:very fast growing; sterile female with improved disease resistance; a Nebraska introduction
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Cottonwood 'Siouxland'
Growth Rate:fast
Height/Spread (ft):40-50/25-30
Growth Form:irregular vase shape
Plant Hardiness:excellent
Fall Color:good/yellow
Aesthetic Value:common/average
Comments:very fast growing; rust resistant
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Cottonwood 'Robusta'
Growth Rate:fast
Height/Spread (ft):50/35
Growth Form:broad oval
Plant Hardiness:excellent
Fall Color:good/yellow
Aesthetic Value:common/average
Comments:very fast growing
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Elm 'Accolade'
Growth Rate:medium-fast
Height/Spread (ft):60/70
Growth Form:round spreading
Plant Hardiness:excellent
Fall Color:good/golden yellow
Aesthetic Value:common/average
Comments:similar to the American Elm; resistant to Dutch Elm Disease and Elm-leaf beetles
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Elm 'Discovery'
Growth Rate:medium-fast
Height/Spread (ft):35-40/35-40
Growth Form:upright, vase shaped
Plant Hardiness:excellent
Fall Color:good/yellow
Aesthetic Value:common/average
Comments:resistant to Dutch Elm Disease and Elm-leaf beetles; good cold hardiness
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Elm 'Homestead'
Growth Rate:medium-fast
Height/Spread (ft):60/35
Growth Form:conical shape
Plant Hardiness:excellent
Fall Color:good/yellow
Aesthetic Value:common/average
Comments:highly resistant to Dutch Elm Disease
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Hackberry
Growth Rate:slow-medium
Height/Spread (ft):65/45
Growth Form:round spreading
Plant Hardiness:excellent
Fall Color:good/soft yellow
Aesthetic Value:common/average
Comments:tough, hardy, adaptable tree; bark is rough and corky; leaves will get nipple gall
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Honeylocust 'Shademaster'
Growth Rate:slow-medium
Height/Spread (ft):55/35
Growth Form:round symmetrical
Plant Hardiness:excellent
Fall Color:good/yellowish-green
Aesthetic Value:common/average
Comments:thornless; essentially fruitless; good resistance to drought
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Honeylocust 'Skyline'
Growth Rate:medium
Height/Spread (ft):50/30-35
Growth Form:broadly pyramidal
Plant Hardiness:good
Fall Color:good/golden yellow
Aesthetic Value:above average
Comments:thornless, seedless; great, ideal tree for light-filtering shade
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Honeylocust 'Sunburst'
Growth Rate:medium
Height/Spread (ft):35/30
Growth Form:irregularly rounded
Plant Hardiness:good
Fall Color:good/golden yellow
Aesthetic Value:above average
Comments:foliage emerges bright-golden yellow and fades to green as it matures; thornless, seedless; great, ideal tree for light-filtering shade; stikingly beautiful in early spring
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Linden 'American Sentry'
Growth Rate:medium
Height/Spread (ft):40/25
Growth Form:pyramidal
Plant Hardiness:excellent
Fall Color:good/yellow
Aesthetic Value:above average
Comments:distinctive bark is silvery-gray, especially when young and is very attractive; great shade tree for small spaces
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Linden 'Boulevard'
Growth Rate:medium
Height/Spread (ft):60/30
Growth Form:pyramidal
Plant Hardiness:excellent
Fall Color:good/yellow
Aesthetic Value:above average
Comments:narrow, pyramidal growth habit; attractive specimen; ideal in sites where height is needed but width is limited
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Linden 'Frontyard'
Growth Rate:medium
Height/Spread (ft):60/40
Growth Form:rounded
Plant Hardiness:excellent
Fall Color:good/yellow
Aesthetic Value:above average
Comments:selected for its excellent branching habit; broadly pyramidal when young and nicely rounded with age; dense foliage
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Linden 'Greenspire'
Growth Rate:medium
Height/Spread (ft):45/32
Growth Form:oval
Plant Hardiness:excellent
Fall Color:good/yellow
Aesthetic Value:above average
Comments:veratile tree; 1998 Iowa tree of the year; more rounded in shape than 'shamrock' or 'redmond'
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Linden Redmond'
Growth Rate:medium
Height/Spread (ft):50/32
Growth Form:pyramidal, uniform
Plant Hardiness:excellent
Fall Color:good/yellow
Aesthetic Value:above average
Comments:largest leaves of the lindens; dense foliage; very pyramidal shape; excellent shade tree; dormant buds are bright red
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Linden 'Shamrock'
Growth Rate:medium
Height/Spread (ft):45/30
Growth Form:broad,conical
Plant Hardiness:excellent
Fall Color:good/yellow
Aesthetic Value:attractive
Comments:a terrific tree (our favorite!); compared to the 'greenspire,' the 'shamrock' has a more open canopy and larger leaves; has smaller leaves than 'redmond' or 'american' lindens; beautifully shaped tree
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Locust (Robinia) 'Purple Robe'
Growth Rate:medium
Height/Spread (ft):40/25
Growth Form:ascending open
Plant Hardiness:good
Fall Color:good/yellow
Aesthetic Value:above average
Comments:beautiful globe locust has dark, rose-pink flowes in spring; unique attractive foliage; used more as an ornamental than a shade tree
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Londonplane Tree 'BloodGood'
Growth Rate:fast
Height/Spread (ft):90/60-70
Growth Form:wide-spreading, rounded
Plant Hardiness:good
Fall Color:good/yellow
Aesthetic Value:above average
Comments:tolerates heat & drought; a rapid growing tree for parks, golf courses, and campuses; has beautiful, cream, olive, and brown exfoliating bark
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Maple 'Autumn Blaze'
Growth Rate:fast
Height/Spread (ft):50/40
Growth Form:dense oval
Plant Hardiness:good
Fall Color:excellent/orange-red
Aesthetic Value:above average
Comments:one of the first hybrid maple crosses; outstanding tree; fast growing; hardy; great fall color
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Maple 'Autumn Fantasy'
Growth Rate:fast
Height/Spread (ft):40/30
Growth Form:broadly oval
Plant Hardiness:good
Fall Color:excellent/ruby red
Aesthetic Value:above average
Comments:excellent shaped tree; slightly smaller than 'Autumn Blaze' Maple
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Maple 'Celebration'
Growth Rate: medium-fast
Height/Spread (ft):45/20
Growth Form:compact, upright
Plant Hardiness:good
Fall Color:excellent, gold
Aesthetic Value:attractive
Comments:excellent hybrid maple with gold fall color; seedless
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Maple 'Columnare'
Growth Rate:medium
Height/Spread (ft):50/18
Growth Form:narrow, columnar
Plant Hardiness:good
Fall Color:good/yellow
Aesthetic Value:attractive
Comments:most practical columnar tree; perfect for street use
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Maple 'Crimson King'
Growth Rate:slow
Height/Spread (ft):35/35
Growth Form:oval
Plant Hardiness:good
Fall Color:non factor
Aesthetic Value:attractive
Comments:dense foliage remains excellent maroon-red color all season; spring flowers of maroon-yellow are an added bonus
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Maple 'Deborah'
Growth Rate:fast
Height/Spread (ft):40-60/40-60
Growth Form:broadly oval
Plant Hardiness:good
Fall Color:good/bronze yellow
Aesthetic Value:attractive
Comments:brilliant red foliage turns to a dark bronze-green in summer; vigorous grower
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Maple 'Emerald Lustre'
Growth Rate:medium-fast
Height/Spread (ft):55/50
Growth Form:rounded oval
Plant Hardiness:good
Fall Color:good/yellow
Aesthetic Value:above average
Comments:outstanding branching habit; hardy and vigorous grower; immature foliage displays an attractive red tinge before turning a glossy, deep green
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Maple 'Emerald Queen'
Growth Rate:fast
Height/Spread (ft):50-60/40-45
Growth Form:upright, broadly oval
Plant Hardiness:good
Fall Color:good/bright yellow
Aesthetic Value:above average
Comments:ascending branches that give it its attractive shape; attractive glossy foliage
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Maple 'Fall Fiesta'
Growth Rate:fast
Height/Spread (ft):60/50
Growth Form:upright, rounded
Plant Hardiness:good
Fall Color:excellent/ orange, red, yellow
Aesthetic Value:attractive
Comments:deep green, leathery leaves are resistant to leaf tatter; new sugar for our area!
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Maple 'October Glory'
Growth Rate:medium
Height/Spread (ft):50-60/35-40
Growth Form:broad,oval
Plant Hardiness:good
Fall Color:good/crimson red
Aesthetic Value:attractive
Comments:fall color lasts much longer than other Red Maples; wings of samara display an attractive reddish tinge
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Maple 'Paperbark'
Growth Rate:slow
Height/Spread (ft):20-30/10-15
Growth Form:upright oval
Plant Hardiness:good
Fall Color:good/varies every year
Aesthetic Value:attractive
Comments:rich red-brown exfoliating bark is beautiful all year long, especially in the winter against the snow
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Maple 'Princeton Gold'
Growth Rate:medium
Height/Spread (ft):45/40
Growth Form:oval
Plant Hardiness:good
Fall Color:good/yellow
Aesthetic Value:attractive
Comments:foliage is a bright yellow, especially when young; holds color well during summer; stunning accent plant
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Maple 'Red Sunset'
Growth Rate:medium
Height/Spread (ft):50/30-40
Growth Form:upright/dense
Plant Hardiness:good
Fall Color:good/brilliant red
Aesthetic Value:attractive
Comments:thick foliage and dense upright habit make this tree a great choice for street and lawn use
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Maple 'Royal Red'
Growth Rate:medium
Height/Spread (ft):35/25
Growth Form:broadly oval
Plant Hardiness:tempermental
Fall Color:non-factor/brown
Aesthetic Value:attractive
Comments:striking tree with maroon red color all season; thought to be hardier than 'Crimson King' and 'Schwedler'; can be a difficult tree to grow; susceptible to sunscald and frost cracks; needs to be planted in a protected area, mulched heavily and tree-wrapped in winter months
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Maple 'Ruby Frost'
Growth Rate:medium
Height/Spread (ft):45/40
Growth Form:upright,oval
Plant Hardiness:good
Fall Color:excellent/ red
Aesthetic Value:above average
Comments:red fall color maple that is selected for its cold hardiness; excellent drought resistance; excellent ruby-red fall color
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Oak 'Burr'
Growth Rate:slow
Height/Spread (ft):65/55
Growth Form:rounded, open
Plant Hardiness:excellent
Fall Color:non-factor/yellow-brown to purple
Aesthetic Value:common/average
Comments:a native and hardy tree; very adaptable; attractive corky bark adds winter interest
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Oak 'Northern Red'
Growth Rate:slow-medium
Height/Spread (ft):70/50
Growth Form:pyramidal in youth, rounded in maturity
Plant Hardiness:excellent
Fall Color:excellent/red to reddish brown
Aesthetic Value:attractive
Comments:the fastest growing oak; dense foliage; shiny leaves which hang on tree into winter; beautifully shaped tree with gorgeous fall color
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Oak 'Pin'
Growth Rate:slow-medium
Height/Spread (ft):65/40
Growth Form:pyramidal
Plant Hardiness:excellent
Fall Color:excellent; bright bronze to red
Aesthetic Value:very attractive
Comments:a cadillac of a shade tree; not a fast grower; may need to feed iron supplements to optimize growth and deep green foliage; shiny leaves hang onto tree into winter; stunning fall color
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Oak 'Regal Prince'
Growth Rate:fast
Height/Spread (ft):40-60/20-25
Growth Form:upright, columnar
Plant Hardiness:good
Fall Color:good/yellow-brown
Aesthetic Value:average
Comments:glossy dark green leaves with silver beneath
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Oak 'Scarlet'
Growth Rate:medium
Height/Spread (ft):75-90/50-60
Growth Form:broadly pyramidal
Plant Hardiness:good
Fall Color:good/brilliant scarlet
Aesthetic Value:above average
Comments:foliage is lustrous & pinately lobed; similar to Pin Oak but with more of a globe shape; retains its red foliage into winter
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Oak 'Swamp White'
Growth Rate:medium
Height/Spread (ft):55/45
Growth Form:narrow, rounded, open
Plant Hardiness:excellent
Fall Color:good/yellow-brown to red
Aesthetic Value:above average
Comments:great tree with a misleading name; does well in both wet and upland soils; dark green leaves with "felty" white undersides
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Weeping Hornbeam
Growth Rate:medium
Height/Spread (ft):50/40
Growth Form:weeping
Plant Hardiness:good
Fall Color:good/yellow
Aesthetic Value:above average
Comments:graceful pendulous branches; bark has a muscle-like appearance; dark-green foliage

