17 US-Native Trees to Plant for Arbor Day

Why should you plant a native tree rather than a non-native one? You may have heard that native plants are better than non-native ones, but why is that so? For starters, U.S. native trees offer valuable nectar and pollen to specialist pollinators. 

Specialist pollinators rely on specific plants for pollen and nectar; when none are present, they must migrate to find the plants or risk dying out. They differ from generalist pollinators, which can gather nectar and pollen from a variety of plant species. 

The bigleaf maple is one of the biggest maples! It grows best with lots of space and room to spread; plant it as a shade tree in the front yard or as a focal point in a lawn. It tolerates the excess moisture common to the Pacific Northwest and is a superb choice for moist, rainy climates. 

Red Maple

	common name Red Maple
	botanical name Acer rubrum
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 40-120’
	hardiness zones 2-9

Red maples are larger than bigleaf maples! They’re native to the eastern and northern states, where winters are frosty and summers are full of warmth and sunshine. Though they originate from the eastern part of the country, they thrive outside their original range in many temperate regions.

Red maples are dependable and adaptable—they’re ideal for streets, yards, and mass plantings. Though they can grow up to 120 feet tall, they often remain under 70 feet, with a round and well-developed canopy. Many cultivars exist, too, that offer unique fall colors, shorter statures, and columnar shapes. 

Silver Maple

	common name Silver Maple
	botanical name Acer saccharinum
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 50-80’
	hardiness zones 3-9

Silver maples deserve a spot on this list because of their quick-growing nature and their tolerance to a wide range of conditions. They’re native trees of the eastern states, though they excel throughout the country. I have one in my backyard, and it’s gigantic! Squirrels, birds, and insects fill its canopy each growing season.

Silver maples’ quick-growing nature is also their downfall—their branches and trunks are weaker than those of other maples. Avoid planting them near houses or structures to avoid damage from falling limbs. 

California Black Oak

	common name California Black Oak
	botanical name Quercus kelloggii
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 40-80’
	hardiness zones 7-11

Plant an oak tree if you want to help future generations! Oak trees last hundreds of years; they grow slowly and fill sunny sites. Their gnarled, contorted limbs grow thicker with each decade. Drought-resistant and sunshine-loving, the California black oak is an excellent species for western growers with mild winters.

Though this oak has California in its name, it also grows in the southern parts of Oregon and the northernmost regions of Baja California. It’s a perfect selection for areas prone to wildfires—mature trees are fire-resistant, and burnt ones often regrow from their stumps. The fire also causes the seeds to sprout, helping new oaks establish themselves in gardens and natural landscapes.

Northern Red Oak

	common name Northern Red Oak
	botanical name Quercus rubra
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 50-70’
	hardiness zones 4-8

Eastern growers are in luck, as dozens of oaks originate in those states. The northern red oak has one of the widest ranges of any U.S. native oak tree; it thrives from Canada south through Louisiana. It sports pointy-toothed green leaves that turn blood red in the fall. 

Oak acorns are a major reason why many species are valuable to wildlife. They feed squirrels, birds, deer, and bears as they ripen and fall to the ground. Many moths prefer oaks for their young; they’ll lay eggs on the leaves that hatch into starving, wormy larvae. The larvae eat the leaves and metamorphose into full-grown adult moths. 

Pussy Willow

	common name Pussy Willow
	botanical name Salix discolor
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 10-25’
	hardiness zones 2-7

Pussy willows decorate gardens in early spring before most other species awake from their winter dormancy. Their velvety male flowers appear around the same time that daffodils, tulips, and snowdrops emerge from the ground. Many willows are native to the U.S., though a select few have the furry, soft, and decorative catkins characteristic of pussy willows.

Willows are tough, hardy, and aggressive! Though gorgeous, they’re best for remote regions of the yard, away from drains, plumbing, and sewage systems. Willow roots tend to grow toward water sources and penetrate pipes and drains. Plant yours away from the house to avoid future issues with the roots. 

Pacific Dogwood

	common name Pacific Dogwood
	botanical name Cornus nuttallii
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 15-40’
	hardiness zones 7-9

Dogwoods are one of the showiest flowering trees native to the country! The Pacific dogwood is a choice selection for gardens in California, Oregon, Washington, and southern British Columbia. You’ll see the species growing along roadsides, forest edges, and gardens near the West Coast. 

Plant the Pacific dogwood to enjoy its bright white blooms. Each flower is a composite flower, meaning it contains multiple, tiny blossoms in what looks like a single bloom. Decorating the central bloom cluster are petal-like bracts that act as landing pads for pollinating insects.

Though this dogwood excels in moist, western gardens, it dislikes growing outside its native range. The flowering dogwood, Cornus florida, grows better in warm, eastern gardens with harsh winters. 

Flowering Dogwood

	common name Flowering Dogwood
	botanical name Cornus florida
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 15-25’
	hardiness zones 5-9

Flowering dogwoods grow well in most states! They’re lovely ornamental trees that shade sunny yards. Unlike the Pacific dogwood, they thrive outside their native range. Many growers offer varieties and cultivars with different flower colors, brilliant fall foliage, or varying mature heights. 

This is an excellent specimen for wildlife. It offers edible leaves for moth and butterfly larvae, edible fruits for birds and mammals, and nectar-rich blooms for pollinators. Though valuable, this species may face pests and diseases in urban or suburban settings. Protect it by covering its roots with mulch in the fall and spring. 

Bigleaf Magnolia

	common name Bigleaf Magnolia
	botanical name Magnolia macrophylla
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 30-40’
	hardiness zones 5-8

Bigleaf magnolias are choice specimens! They have the largest flowers and leaves of any North American tree and are incredibly showy. The white blooms have many white petals that unfurl in spring. After pollination by insects or hummingbirds, the flowers morph into pod-like fruits that resemble cones. 

Though showy, this magnolia needs some care to grow its best. It may be evergreen in warm, southern climates, though it’s deciduous in most temperate regions. It prefers moist, rich soil that’s well-drained and neutral or slightly acidic in pH. Protect your specimen from afternoon sunlight if summers are hot in your garden. 

Eastern Redbud

	common name Eastern Redbud
	botanical name Cercis canadensis
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 20-30’
	hardiness zones 4-9

Redbuds are some of the most brilliant trees that bloom in spring. They flower early, blooming alongside deciduous magnolias and maples in most states. Before their leaves emerge, bright pink-magenta flowers open on naked limbs. When in bloom, the entire canopy looks pink!

After blooming and feeding pollinators, redbuds grow heart-shaped leaves and bean-like pods during the rest of the growing season. Their small height and narrow width make them ideal for small and medium-sized gardens. 

Tuliptree

	common name Tuliptree
	botanical name Liriodendron tulipifera
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 60-120’
	hardiness zones 4-9

Tuliptrees are gigantic! They’re quick-growing and perform well outside their original habitat, like silver maples. They have the name tuliptree because of their tulip-like blooms that decorate their branches in late spring. Yellow petals have orange bands on their inner portions, creating a lovely contrasting effect. 

Because of their large stature, these specimens work best in open spaces where their limbs can reach tall and wide. Use them for shade in open sites, or plant them in lawns to add structure and height to the landscape. 

Baldcypress

	common name Baldcypress
	botanical name Taxodium distichum
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 50-70’
	hardiness zones 4-9

The baldcypress is unlike any other tree! It grows well in standing water; you’ll see it decorating swamps, bogs, and wetlands throughout the southeastern portions of the country. The baldcypress uses knobby root outgrowths that poke above the soil to breathe, allowing the specimen to thrive despite soggy, wet conditions.  

Baldcypress specimens have long-reaching taproots that penetrate deep into the earth. Locate yours in a moist site away from structures like houses or sheds. Though the species appreciates moist soil, it’ll tolerate dry soil in landscapes and cultivated gardens. 

Chokecherry

Chokecherries get their name from the fact that they make you choke! The cherries are extremely bitter; they’re better for birds and wildlife than gardeners. Plant this cherry not to enjoy its fruits but to help the local animals in your region. Bears love the fruits, and deer love the leaves. 

This cherry species has two subspecies that thrive across the states. Plant the subspecies endemic to your zone, as it’ll grow better than the other type. Choose the western form, Prunus virginiana var. demissa, or the eastern form, Prunus virginiana var. virginiana. 

Pawpaw

	common name Pawpaw
	botanical name Asimina triloba
	sun requirements Full sun to full shade
	height 15-30’
	hardiness zones 5-9

Pawpaws sprout edible and delicious fruits for you to harvest and enjoy! They’re one of the few native fruiting trees with value for home gardeners. They’re shade-tolerant, slow-growing, and ideal for small or large sites in various climates. 

Keep pawpaws happy with moist, well-drained, and slightly acidic soil. You’ll need two different trees for fruit production, as the species uses cross-pollination rather than self-pollination. Grow two different varieties or start two saplings from seeds. 

Persimmon

	common name Persimmon
	botanical name Diospyros virginiana
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 30-80’
	hardiness zones 4-9

Persimmons also produce fruit, like pawpaws! Their fruits are orange, round, and fleshy, with exceptional sweetness. They’re one of the best-tasting fruits when ripe. Don’t eat them before they’re ripe, though, as they’re incredibly astringent when unripe.

Like many of these options, the American persimmon has incredible value for wildlife. Its flowers feed pollinators, its fruits feed birds and mammals, and its leaves host moths. 

For fruit, you’ll need a male and a female persimmon tree. Choose two different cultivars that flower around the same time as each other. You may not need a male cultivar if your neighbor has a male specimen; the pollen can drift from their yard to yours. 

Western Red Cedar

	common name Western Red Cedar
	botanical name Thuja plicata
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 50-70’
	hardiness zones 5-8

Flowering, fruiting, and shade-giving types aren’t the only kinds available! Coniferous, evergreen species are perfect for cold, northern regions with frosty winters. They often change color during the winter in response to freezing temperatures. 

The western red cedar graces maritime landscapes and gardens throughout the West. It’s a lovely, fragrant specimen that may live for hundreds of years. Plant one today so you and generations of future gardeners can enjoy it. 

Alaska Cedar

	common name Alaska Cedar
	botanical name Callitropsis nootkatensis
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 20-120’
	hardiness zones 4-7

Alaska cedars are one of the showiest conifers in the country. They have pendulous branches with upturned ends, decorative cones, and evergreen foliage. Many varieties exist with narrow or pendulous forms; try ‘Green Arrow’ or ‘Pendula’ for a narrow structure that tucks nicely in tight corners or pathways. 

Though conifers offer less value to pollinators, their branches create valuable habitats for songbirds, raptors, and squirrels. Tuck a few Alaska cedars around your yard for structure, wildlife value, and ornamental beauty.