Find the Right Tree for You
There are a variety of native trees that do well in suburban environments. Here are a few to get you started. All of the following are available for purchase at our Nature Center - please call ahead for availability.
Long-leaf Pine (Pinus palustris):
This evergreen keeps its foliage year-round, providing shade as well as food and cover for wildlife, including squirrels, quail, brown-headed nuthatches, turkeys, and the now-endangered red-cockaded woodpecker. Legendary among Southern flora.
Native Habitat: Open, dry habitats; sand ridges; coastal plains
Sun Preference: Sun, Part Shade
Soil Preference: Alkaline, loamy, rich and clay soils; it is drought-tolerant once established
Height: 60-100 ft
Spread: 30-40 ft
Growth Rate: Medium to fast; 13” to more than 24” per year with a new level of branches added each year
Attributes: Flexible green needles up to 18” long; Produces 6-10” long cones
Wildlife: Provides food and cover for wildlife, including squirrels, quail, brown-headed nuthatches, turkeys, and the now-endangered red-cockaded woodpecker (Leuconotopicus borealis)
White Oak (Quercus alba):
A large canopy makes this a perfect shade tree, and in the fall it turns a striking shade of burgundy. The acorns are a great source of food for wildlife and are gathered, hoarded, and eaten by birds, deer, and rodents.
Native Habitat: Mesic to dry woods; warm, southwest slopes; rocky hillsides; dry upland slopes to well drained loam in bottomlands
Sun Preference: Sun, Part Shade
Soil Preference: Slightly acidic to neutral, deep, moist, well-drained soil; tolerates moderate drought
Height: 60-100 ft
Spread: 50-90 ft
Growth Rate: Slow; 12-14” per year
Attributes: Produces acorns annually; Catkins 2-4” long; Leaves turn burgundy in fall
Wildlife: Acorns are gathered, hoarded, and eaten by birds, deer, and rodents; Attracts butterflies and is a larval host for Edwards’ hairstreak (Satyrium edwarsii) and many Lepidoptera species
Southern Red Oak (Quercus falcata):
Great for shade or near the street, this deciduous tree is winter hardy, and tolerates brief flooding. It provides food and cover for mammals, rodents, and deer, and serves as a nesting site and food source for birds.
Native Habitat: Dry upland sites of sandy or clay loam throughout the southeastern United States
Sun Preference: Part Shade
Soil Preference: Sandy, loamy or clay soils
Height: 60-80 ft
Spread: 60-70 ft
Growth Rate: Medium; 13-24” per year
Attributes: Produces acorns biennially; Leaves turn reddish-brown in fall
Wildlife: Provides food and cover for mammals, rodents, deer, and serves as a nesting site and food source for birds; Attracts butterflies and is a larval host for the banded hairstreak (Satyrium calanus) and white M hairstreak (Parrhasius m-album)
Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis):
Known as the harbinger of spring and featuring one of the season’s most dramatic displays, its flowers bloom in a profusion of pink, making it a bold addition to any yard or landscape. A great attractor of early-season butterflies and native birds.
Native Habitat: Open woods and woodland margins; rocky stream banks and bluffs; limestone glades
Sun Preference: Sun, Part Shade
Soil Preference: Acidic, alkaline, loamy, moist, rich, sandy, well-drained and clay soils
Height: 15-30 ft
Spread: 25-35 ft
Growth Rate: Medium; 13-24” per year
Attributes: Showy display of pink flowers in tight clusters; Yields 2-3” brownish-black pods in winter
Wildlife: Blooms attract nectar-seeking instects and songbirds eat the seeds; Provides nesting materials and serves as a nesting site for birds; Provides shelter for mammals
Blackgum (Nyssa sylvatica):
This shade tree is a big draw for native wildlife, featuring blooms that serve as a rich nectar source for pollinators and berries as a food source for birds and mammals. It also provides cavity and nesting sites for a variety of birds and mammals.
Native Habitat: Low, wet woods; drier, sandy sites
Sun Preference: Sun, Part Shade
Soil Preference: Acidic, loamy, moist, rich, sandy, silty loam and well-drained soils
Height: 30-50 ft
Spread: 20-30 ft
Growth Rate: Slow to medium; less than 12” to 24” per year
Attributes: Leaves turn bright scarlet in fall; Produces small, blue berries; Very small greenish-white flowers form in clusters at the top of a long stalk
Wildlife: Berries are a favorite of birds and serve as an important food source for birds migrating in fall; Provides cavity and nesting sites for squirrels, raccoons, and opossums; Flower clusters attract native pollinators
Black Cherry (Prunus serotina):
Handsome in spring, summer, and fall, this is one of the larger members of the cherry family and a great habitat for birds. A fine landscaping addition.
Native Habitat: Moist or dry, open woods; fence rows; roadsides; old fields
Sun Preference: Sun, Part Shade, Shade
Soil Preference: Well-drained soils; pH preference depends on variety and region
Height: 50-80 ft
Spread: 30-60 ft
Growth Rate: Fast; 12-24” or more
Attributes: Aromatic; Edible fruit can be pitted and eaten raw or used in jellies, jams, and pies; Leaves turn yellow to red in fall; Racemes of small, white flowers give rise to edible reddish-black berries
Wildlife: Fruit is consumed by a wide variety of bird and mammal species, as well as some insects; Attracts moths and butterflies and is a larval host for many species, including the eastern tiger swallowtail (Papilio glaucus), viceroy (Limenitis archippus), promethea moth (Callosamia promethea), and banded tussock moth (Halysidota tessellaris)
Persimmon (Diospyros virginiana):
When mature, the fruit of the persimmon may be eaten right off the tree. Even in winter, its distinctive gray bark, in its block-like pattern, sets it apart in any landscape.
Native Habitat: Dry woods; old fields; clearings
Sun Preference: Part Shade
Soil Preference: Variable, growing best in moist, rich soil
Height: 15-60’
Spread: 10-35’
Growth Rate: Medium; 13-24” per year
Attributes: Sweet, orange edible fruit in fall; Fragrant, white to greenish-yellow flowers bloom in late spring
Wildlife: Fruit provides a food source to birds and mammals including opossums, raccoons, skunks, and deer; Flowers attract pollinators; Hosts the luna moth (Actias luna)
Southern Pecan (Carya illinoinensis):
Known across the South for the nuts it produces, when mature the southern pecan can be a downright imperial presence in the yard or landscape.
Native Habitat: Wooded bottomlands; stream banks
Sun Preference: Sun
Soil Preference: Rich, moist, well-drained soils
Height: 70-120 ft
Spread: 40-70 ft
Growth Rate: Fast; 12-24” or more
Attributes: Largest of the hickories; Edible nuts can be collected when ripe in fall and, after removing the husk, can be eaten raw or used in cooking
Wildlife: Nuts provide food source to a wide range of insects, birds, and mammals; Attracts butterflies and is a larval host for the gray hairstreak (Strymon melinus)
Red Maple (Acer rubrum):
This tree will bring beauty and aesthetic interest to any yard or garden, with its explosive red color in autumn, red buds in winter, red flowers in spring, and red leafstalks in summer.
Native Habitat: Moist soils along stream banks; moist to drier woodlands
Sun Preference: Sun, Part Shade
Soil Preference: Moist, slightly acidic soils
Height: 40-60 ft
Spread: 30-50 ft
Growth Rate: Medium to fast; 13” to more than 24” per year
Attributes: Red clusters of small flowers winter to spring; Decorative red, two-winged samaras; Leaves turn red to yellow in fall
Wildlife: Fruits (samaras) provide food for squirrels and other small mammals; Rabbits and deer eat the tender shoots and leaves; Larval host for the cecropia moth (Hyalaphora cecropia); Attracts several other moths as a place to lay their eggs
Shagbark Hickory
(Carya ovata):
This tree is known for its hardy wood and “shaggy” bark, making it particularly valuable to native bats. It provides food and cover to a variety of birds and mammals.
Native Habitat: Shaded woods; river banks and bottoms; swamps; flood plains and wet bottomlands; rocky hillsides and limestone outcrops
Sun Preference: Sun
Soil Preference: Well-drained, fertile soils
Height: 60-100 ft
Spread: 25-50 ft
Growth Rate: Slow; less than 12” per year
Attributes: Produces large nut; Develops a thick, shaggy bark, with ends curving outward
Wildlife: Provides cavity and nesting sites for birds and bats; Nuts are a food source for squirrels, chipmunks, foxes, rabbits, ducks, and turkey.