Very similar to sugar maple with greater heat and drought tolerance; possibly adaptable to western Neb.; ‘Greencolumn’ is a common cultivar; native to western Iowa; 40’ spread.

Traditional shade tree; often suffers from scorching and frost cracks; limited success with cultivars in zones D and E; suggested cultivars include:

Purple leaf variety; better than ‘Crimson King’; can sun scorch; 45’ spread.

Uncommon in the landscape; 35’ spread.

Nice landscape/specimen tree with good fall color; does not tolerate dry soils; 35’ spread; choose from hardy cultivars including:

Can sunscald on open sites; selected for fall color; 35’ spread.

Native to eastern Neb. waterways; overplanted in eastern Neb.; limited use only; breaks up easily in storms; 70’ spread.

A beautiful tree when properly sited; some cultivars show promise for the western part of the state; nice fall color; does not tolerate dry soils; 40’ spread. Cultivars include:

Glossy dark green leaves; good fall color

Acer x freemanii

Similar to ‘Celebration’ maple but with red fall color; 40’ spread.

Needs some protection; fastest growing hickory; good tree for attracting wildlife; native to southeast Neb.; 40’ spread.

pignut hickory

Good nut tree; plant in protected area; tolerates shade; 40’ spread.

Under-utilized in the landscape; makes a nice yard or street tree; use tested cultivars; ‘Hican’ is a cross with hickory; 30’ spread.

May need protection; prefers bottom land soils; 40’ spread.

Edible nut; needs protection; distinguishing exfoliating bark; tolerates shade; native to southeastern Neb.; 60’ spread.

Nearly extinct in eastern U.S., still a good tree for eastern Neb.; site carefully, spiny fruit; 40’ spread.

Similar to C. dentata, but lower growing, produces large, edible nuts; messy; site carefully - spiny fruit.

Not for formal landscapes; profuse white flowers in late spring; large seed pods; naturalized in eastern Neb.; grows tall and narrow; 35’ spread.

Southern relative to common hackberry; less hardy; prefers floodplains and wet areas; 45’ spread.

Excellent tree for urban use and difficult sites; interesting warty bark; native to much of Neb.; sensitive to herbicides; 55’ spread.

Very few in Neb. but can be a beautiful landscape tree; provide some protection; 50’ spread.

Similar to American beech; difficult to grow in Neb.; 40’ spread.

More ornamental than green ash; all ashes are susceptible to insect and disease problems; ‘Autumn Purple’ is a very nice cultivar with purple fall foliage; 40’ spread.

Very uncommon tree with fine foliage; dark green; clean; ‘Kimberly’ is the most common cultivar; 40’ spread.

Uncommon ash worth trying across Neb.; proven hardy in Colorado; 40’ spread. ‘Mancana’ is a common cultivar.

Native; avoid heavy clay soils; 40’ spread; suitable cultivars include:

Interesting tree with square twigs and scaly bark; ‘True Blue’ is a common cultivar.

Gleditsia triacanthos var. inermis

Fast growing; insect resistant; thornless; native; 55’ spread; many nice cultivars including:

More compact; good selection; dark green foliage; 55’ spread.

Nice native tree; large seed pods; pest free; good fall color and coarse winter habit; 55’ spread.

Good native tree for parks and wildlife; site carefully, juglone from roots may inhibit growth of other plants; prefers rich, loamy soil; 55’ spread.

Deciduous conifer; unique foliage; prefers consistent moisture and protected site; 30’ spread.

Deciduous conifer; excellent fall color; unique spring flowers; needs early spring protection; 35’ spread.

Nice tree with good fall color; unusual spiny fruit; may have die back in severe winters; ‘Moraine’ is a hardier, northern selection; 40’ spread.

tuliptree (yellow poplar)

Unusual tree with tulip-like spring flowers; good in groups; 40’ spread.

Majestic native planetree; unusual mottled bark; anthracnose a minor problem in wet springs; grows very tall when sited properly; 75’+ tall by 50’ wide.

Platanus x acerifolia

Large spreading tree; nice bark; similar to the American sycamore; 70’+ tall by 45’ wide.

Very hardy, wide spreading tree; dark green leaves with a fuzzy white underside; disease prone with weak wood; use carefully; 50’ spread.

balsam poplar

Fragrant, resinous buds with strong balsam odor; short lived; 30’ spread.

Can grow very large; state tree of Neb.; seedless varieties available including: ‘Mighty Mo’, ‘Ohio Red’ & ‘Platte’, avoid ‘Siouxland’; 70’+ tall by 60’ wide.

Eurasian oak with unique, sawtooth leaves; 45’ spread.

Slow growing, long-lived tree; good fall color; nearly native to southeastern Neb.; 50’ spread.

An excellent selection; good on poorly drained or compacted sites; shows chlorosis on high pH soils; 50’ spread.

scarlet oak

Nice fall color; avoid alkaline soils; needs protection; 40’ spread.

One of the nicest oaks; interesting narrow leaves persist into winter; nearly native to southeastern Neb.; 40’ spread.

One of finest native trees; majestic; good winter form; very large; good strong branch structure; 55’ spread.

chinkapin oak

Nice tree that should be planted more; native to southeast Neb.; 45’ spread.

Should be limited to undisturbed acid soils or severe chlorosis may be a problem; 40’ spread.

Nice oak for southeast Neb.; fairly fast growing; 45’ spread.

Nice oak with smaller leaves; reasonably fast growing; 45’ spread; many cultivars; ‘Fastigiata’ is an upright selection (to 15’ wide) with unusual acorn coloration.

red oak

Excellent fall color; pest resistant; one of the best native oaks; 50’ spread.

Similar to red oak; nice fall color; avoid alkaline soils; 45’ spread.

Nice native oak; lustrous green leaves; prefers rich, well-drained soils; may need protection; 50’ spread.

Good for wet sites where little else will grow; ‘Cardinal Red’ is a common cultivar; 45’ spread.

Salix x ‘Tristis’

The standard weeping willow; good on wet sites; willows are short-lived trees; 45’ spread.

Deciduous conifer; good on both wet and dry sites when established; may be more adaptable than previously thought; 30’ spread.

American linden

Fragrant flowers in the spring; nice native shade tree; 45’ spread. The cultivar ‘Redmond’ is a Nebraska selection of unclear origin; very similar in habit to T. americana.

Small leaves, formal shape; pest resistant; common cultivars include ‘Chancellor’, ‘Glenhaven’ and ‘Greenspire’; 35’ spread.

Beautiful formal tree; very dense canopy; 45’ spread.

Beautiful silver underside to the leaves; 40’ spread.

Tilia x euchlora

Similar to littleleaf linden; 30’ spread.

Native tree that was the pride of most Neb. communities until Dutch elm disease nearly wiped it out. New cultivars such as ‘Liberty’ show promise of disease resistance.

Ulmus x ‘Homestead’

Cross between smoothleaf elm and Siberian elm; Dutch elm disease resistant; 45’ spread.

Ulmus x ‘Pioneer’

Cross between scotch elm and smoothleaf elm; resistant to Dutch elm disease; growing well in some locations; 50’ spread.

Good on dry sites; dark green summer color; look for a northern seed source; good for screening; 25’ spread.

Small to medium landscape tree with beautiful orange to orange-red fall color; native to the Rocky Mountain region; needs more testing in Neb.; 25’ spread.

Decent park tree; native along creeks; susceptible to storm damage; limited use; ‘Flamingo’ is a variegated cultivar; 60’ spread.

Similar to Ohio buckeye; yellow flowers; smooth fruit; nice pumpkin color in the fall; 35’ spread.

Nice white flowers in the spring; large prickly fruit; native to S.E. Neb.; 35’ spread.

Dark green summer foliage; large, spiny fruit; nice pyramidal form; "Baumannii’ is a fruitless cultivar with double white flowers; 40’ spread.

Adaptable to wet sites; cone-like fruit; may winterkill on exposed sites; 35’ spread.

Similar to common alder; short-lived; 30’ spread.

Excellent tree for multiple purposes; beautiful peeling bark; often chlorotic on disturbed sites; 30’ spread.

White bark; borers a serious problem; can be useful in sheltered areas; ‘Niobrara’ is a native Neb. selection; 40’ spread.

Lovely weeping habit; white bark; chlorosis and borers are serious problems; short-lived; spread 30’; ‘Gracilis’ is a cutleaf form that grows 20’ tall.

Asian white birch

Wide variety of cultivated forms; usually an upright formal tree; 30’ spread.

Smaller, less hardy relative of northern catalpa; 30’ spread.

Lovely spreading tree; has some difficulty in our climate; 40’ spread.

American yellowwood

Nice informal tree; profuse white, fragrant flowers in June; 25’ spread.

Good but uncommon landscape tree; prefers well-drained, loamy soil; can withstand hot sites; drought tolerant; 35’ spread.

Nice informal shape; edible fruit; needs protection; 25’ spread.

Silver summer leaf color; short-lived; good for difficult sites where little else grows; has invaded Neb. waterways; 25’ spread.

Unusual and uncommon tree; compound leaves similar to ash; nice specimens at Arbor Lodge; 25’ spread.

black ash

Very resistant to pests; unusual leaves; male preferred (female seed malodorous); 30’ spread; ‘Sentry’ is a columnar variety (10’-15’ wide).

Plant in well-drained, bottomland soil; needs protection in western Neb.; 30’ spread.

English walnut

Good nut tree for home use; can winterkill in extreme winters; 30’ spread.

Unusual tree with yellow flowers in late May; prolific raindrop-like yellow fruit in late summer; makes a nice specimen tree; 30’ spread.

Deciduous conifer; excellent fall color; needs protection; 20’ spread.

Spurs and large fruit; good for wildlife but not an ideal landscape tree; ‘Park’ is a thornless variety more suited to the landscape; 35’ spread.

Unusual tree for Neb.; pale green flowers in the spring; 35’ spread.

Birds love the fruit; should be limited to wildlife and natural plantings; 45’ spread.

Native Neb. mulberry; better than white mulberry; limited use recommended; can be invasive and weedy; 45’ spread.

Beautiful fall color; does not tolerate alkaline soils; hard to transplant; 45’ spread.

Very large simple leaves similar to catalpa; needs protection; more of an oddity than a useful tree; 30’ spread.

amur corktree

A good specimen tree with unusual bark and attractive leaves; 30’ spread.

Native to the Pine Ridge area; nice yellow fall color; good as multi-stemmed form; some insect problems common; short-lived; 25’ spread.

One of the best large cherry tress for general landscape use; 30’ spread.

Good for birds; native to southeastern Neb.; mid-spring flowers and fruit; 25’ spread.

Very formal; lustrous dark green leaves; white flowers; good fall color; overplanted. Suitable cultivars include: ‘Aristocrat’, ‘Chanicleer’ and ‘Redspire’; avoid ‘Bradford’; 25’ spread.

blackjack oak

Very informal tree; small thorns; fragrant flowers; use on tough sites and for naturalizing; 30’ spread.

Shiny green foliage; good for wet sites; short-lived; 30’ spread.

Good summer flowering habit; can die back in severe winters; canker can be a problem; 30’ spread.

Bright orange berries in fall; fireblight can be a severe problem; short-lived; 25’ spread.

A nice mountainash with oak-like leaves; seems to be less susceptible to fireblight; 30’ spread.

Unusual mottled bark; can winterkill in Neb.; very nice tree when established; 45’ spread.

Close relative of the American elm; native to eastern Neb.; not readily available; susceptible to Dutch elm disease; 50’ spread.

Native to eastern Neb.; very tough wood; not readily available; susceptible to Dutch elm disease; 50’ spread.

Interesting bark; can be susceptible to frost damage and winterkill; closely related to the elm family; 40’ spread.

Native to the Pine Ridge area; tolerates alkaline, rocky soils; prefers higher elevations; 25’ spread.

Exfoliating bark reveals a trunk of beautiful cinnamon color; 25’ spread.

Lovely smaller tree; needs protection; 15’ spread.

Very similar to Amur maple; may be better for western Neb.; 15’ spread.

Lovely spring and fall color; needs protection in western Neb.; 25’ spread.

downy serviceberry

Amelanchier x grandiflora

Nice small tree with edible fruit and good fall color. ‘Autumn Brilliance’ and ‘Robin Hill’ are nice cultivars with good fall color; 15’ spread. 1998 Nebraska Tree of the Year.

Interesting tree with unusual banana-like fruit and brown-red flowers; cultivar ‘Sunflower’ has better fruit production; 15’ spread.

Handsome, reddish brown bark; nice tree; especially good for western Neb.; native to the Pine Ridge area; 25’ spread.

American hornbeam

Shade tolerant; understory tree; very interesting, sinewy bark; 20’ spread.

Eastern Neb. native with beautiful rosy-pink flowers in early spring; lovely natural habit; prefers some shade; 25’ spread.

Chinese fringetree

Similar to C. reusus but hardier; very refined with beautiful, fragrant flowers; needs protection from desiccating winter winds; 15’ spread.

Large shrub or small tree; nice layered habit; prefers some shade; 20’ spread.

flowering dogwood

Common in eastern U.S.; limited use in Neb.; must have protection; shade tolerant; 10’ spread.

Large shrub or small tree; beautiful when in flower but needs protection in Neb.; hardier than C. florida; 15’ spread.

Large shrub or small tree; one of the earliest to flower (yellow); good for foundation plantings; attractive bark; 15’ spread.

Large shrub/tree; showy, smoke-like flowers June through August; limited use; several cultivars with purple leaves and purple-red flowers; 15’ spread.

American smoketree

Similar to C. coggygria; very ornamental leaves; 15’ spread.

Very thorny; avoid in areas where children may play; nice flowers and shiny foliage; 20’ spread.

Crataegus crusgalli var. inermis

thornless cockspur hawthorn

Thornless variety of the species; good throughout the state; 20’ spread.

English hawthorn

Flowers in spring; persistent fruit; ‘Crimson Cloud’ and ‘Paul’s Scarlet’ are good cultivars; 20’ spread.

Crataegus laevigata var. superba

crimson glory hawthorn

Brilliant crimson flowers; fine texture; unusual upright habit; 20’ spread.

Crataegus x lavallei

Dense crown with orange to red fall color; good screen/border plant; 20’ spread.

Crataegus x mordenensis ‘Snowbird’

snowbird hawthorn

‘Snowbird’ is a selection with double white fragrant flowers in spring; good screen/border plant; 20’ spread.

Very thorny; dense crown; nice flowers and showy fruit; good tree for screening and fall color; 25’ spread.

‘Winterking’ is a selection with good fall color and fruit; may need protection in western Neb.; 25’ spread.

Rich pink fruit; very hardy small tree; scale can be a problem; 15’ spread.

Large shrub or small tree; interesting yellow flowers in late fall; needs consistent moisture; 15’ spread.

Nice small tree; flowers in late summer; attractive bronze colored bark; 20’ spread.

Magnolia x soulangiana

One of the best large magnolias for Neb.; large, early white flowers; 25’ spread.

Magnolia x loebneri

Finer texture than saucer magnolia; early white flowers; can die back in severe winter; 20’ spread. ‘Dr. Merrill’ is a common cultivar.

Many crabapple cultivars are available for the landscape. Select from disease resistant varieties that include: