Trees

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

AlmondPrunus dulcisOffer it full sun, deep well-drained soil, and a frost-free bloom, and your almond will thank you with many seasons of nuts.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicDemandingAmerican BasswoodTilia americanaA big, forgiving shade tree crowned with fragrant summer flowers the bees adore.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyAmerican BeechFagus grandifoliaOffer it rich, acidic, moist soil and plenty of elbow room, and the American beech will grow into a shade tree your grandchildren can sit beneath.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeModerateAmerican ElmUlmus americanaA quick-growing vase-shaped shade tree that came back from the brink of extinction and now returns in resistant form.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeModerateAmerican HornbeamCarpinus carolinianaGive it moist soil and a little shade, and this easygoing native tree will keep its shape for decades.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasyAmerican Smoketree (Tree Form)Cotinus obovatusHand it lean, dry soil and plenty of sun, and the American smoketree rewards you with its soft summer haze and a warm rush of fall color.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–21 daysPet & child safeEasyAmerican SycamorePlatanus occidentalisGive it room and moist ground, and the American sycamore will reward you, growing into one of the largest shade trees in the East.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeModerateAppleMalus domesticaOffer it full sun, a pollination partner, and a yearly prune, and an apple tree feeds you for decades.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicModerateApricotPrunus armeniacaOffer it full sun, sharp drainage, and shelter from late frost, and an apricot tree will hand you sweet golden fruit by early summer.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicModerateAsian PearPyrus pyrifoliaOffer it full sun, a pollinator partner, and an open frame, and the Asian pear will reward you with crisp, juicy fruit for decades.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicModerateAvocadoPersea americanaOffer it full sun, sharp drainage, and a little frost shelter, and your avocado can shade the yard for decades.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysMildly toxicModerateBald CypressTaxodium distichumA swamp native so forgiving of flood, drought, and city soil that almost anyone can grow it, and it glows rust-orange each fall.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyBlack LocustRobinia pseudoacaciaA tough, forgiving tree that asks little and grows fast for the new gardener.☀️ Full sun · 💧 14–30 daysToxicEasyBlood OrangeCitrus × sinensisGive it full sun and cold winter nights, and your blood orange will ripen flesh the color of garnet.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicModerateBloodgood Japanese MapleAcer palmatumA forgiving red-leaf maple that rewards a little kindness with seasons of color.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeModerateBradford PearPyrus calleryanaQuick to grow and wonderfully tough, the Bradford pear also splits in storms and spreads as an aggressive invasive, so it is one you are better off skipping.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyBur OakQuercus macrocarpaPlant a bur oak and you give the future a gentle giant that quietly endures cold, drought, and rough city ground.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicModerateCalamondin OrangeCitrus × microcarpaA pot-friendly citrus that gives you sweet-scented blooms and tart little oranges at the same time, right on a sunny windowsill.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysMildly toxicModerateCashewAnacardium occidentaleOne generous tropical tree, two harvests in a single season, the cashew apple and the nut, as long as its roots stay warm, sunny, and well drained.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicModerateCherryPrunus aviumOffer it full sun, deep soil, and good airflow, and a cherry tree will thank you with fruit for decades to come.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicModerateChestnutCastanea sativaGive it acidic, well-drained ground and a pollen partner, and the sweet chestnut will reward you with a generous crop of roasting nuts.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–21 daysPet & child safeModerateChinese ElmUlmus parvifoliaA kind, fast-growing shade tree that forgives poor soil, drought, and city grit while it grows.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyCoconut PalmCocos nuciferaOffer it full tropical sun, steady warmth, and sandy coastal soil, and the coconut palm will thank you for decades.☀️ Full sunPet & child safeModerateColorado Blue SprucePicea pungensSettle it into full sun, cool air, and well-drained ground, and your blue spruce will keep its silver glow for decades.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeModerateCommon FigFicus caricaPlant it in full sun with steady summer water, and a fig will reward you with sweet fruit for years to come.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicEasyCrepe MyrtleLagerstroemia indicaGive it sun and a gentle hand, and the crepe myrtle rewards you with summer-long blooms and beautiful peeling winter bark.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyDate PalmPhoenix dactyliferaOffer it full sun, sharp drainage, and desert heat, and the date palm will thank you with sweet fruit for decades.☀️ Full sunPet & child safeModerateDawn RedwoodMetasequoia glyptostroboidesA living fossil that warms to russet-bronze each fall and grows fast enough to watch.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–10 daysPet & child safeEasyDeodar CedarCedrus deodaraSet it in full sun with soil that drains, and this Himalayan cedar will reward you with a soft, sweeping evergreen that lasts for decades.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeModerateDouglas FirPseudotsuga menziesiiGive it room, moist soil, and a little patience, and the Douglas fir will reward you by growing into one of the tallest trees in the forest.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeModerateDwarf Alberta SprucePicea glaucaA neat, slow-growing cone of evergreen that simply asks for full sun, steady moisture, and air that moves.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeModerateDwarf Japanese MapleAcer palmatumGive it dappled shade, steady moisture, and a break from wind, and your dwarf Japanese maple will keep its lovely shape and color for many years.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeModerateEastern HemlockTsuga canadensisSettle it into cool, moist shade and the eastern hemlock will reward you with a soft, feathery evergreen that lasts for generations.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeModerateEastern Red CedarJuniperus virginianaA forgiving native evergreen that handles drought, hard soil, and brutal cold while you learn the ropes.☀️ Full sun · 💧 10–21 daysPet & child safeEasyEastern RedbudCercis canadensisWatch it set the bare spring woods aglow with rose-pink flowers clinging right to the branches before the first leaf ever shows.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyEastern White PinePinus strobusGive it room and acidic ground, and this tall, soft-needled pine grows fast into a gentle green giant you will be glad you planted.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeModerateEmerald Green ArborvitaeThuja occidentalisSettle it into full sun with steady moisture, look after it through deer season and snow, and it will reward you with 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 will thank you with spring bracts and red autumn fruit.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeModerateFranklin TreeFranklinia alatamahaEven though this tree disappeared from its wild home back in the early 1800s, it still rewards you with late-summer blooms and fiery autumn leaves.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeDemandingGinkgoGinkgo bilobaSlow-growing, forgiving, and wonderfully hard to kill, the ginkgo is a tree you can plant and grow into for a lifetime.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicEasyGolden Rain TreeKoelreuteria paniculataA forgiving shade tree that fills midsummer with sprays of yellow flowers and papery lantern pods.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyGrapefruitCitrus × paradisiGive it full sun, deep watering, and frost-free warmth, and your grapefruit tree will reward you with fruit right through winter.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicModerateGreen AshFraxinus pennsylvanicaA tough, fast-growing shade tree for tricky ground, now living under the shadow of the emerald ash borer.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyGreen Giant ArborvitaeThuja 'Green Giant'Give it full sun and plenty of elbow room, and this easygoing tree grows you a living privacy wall before you know it.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicEasyGuavaPsidium guajavaOffer it full sun, warmth, and shelter from frost, and your guava tree will thank you with fragrant fruit season after season.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasyHinoki CypressChamaecyparis obtusaGive it acidic soil, steady moisture, and a spot out of harsh wind, and this forgiving slow evergreen will hold its shape for a lifetime.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeModerateHoney LocustGleditsia triacanthosTough, quick, and wonderfully forgiving, the honey locust lays dappled shade over ground where little else will settle.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyItalian CypressCupressus sempervirensSet it once in full sun and dry, well-drained soil, and this slender green column will hold its shape for decades to come.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyJane MagnoliaMagnolia 'Jane'A forgiving little tree that opens tulip-shaped purple-pink flowers late enough to slip past the spring frost.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeEasyJapanese CedarCryptomeria japonicaGive it rich, moist soil and a little shelter from winter wind, and Japanese cedar will reward you by growing into a towering evergreen spire.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyJapanese MapleAcer palmatumGive it dappled shade, steady moisture, and a little shelter from wind, and the Japanese maple will reward you with color from spring right through fall.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeModerateJapanese StewartiaStewartia pseudocamelliaGive it a little time and it gives back generously, with summer flowers, glowing fall color, and patchwork bark.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeDemandingJapanese Umbrella PineSciadopitys verticillataA gentle living fossil with soft needles in easy whorls that asks for little more than your patience and steady moisture.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeModerateJapanese YewTaxus cuspidataA forgiving, shade-loving evergreen for hedges and topiary that also happens to be one of the deadliest plants you can grow.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 7–14 daysToxicEasyJuniperJuniperus chinensisGive it full sun and soil that drains, and juniper will forgive almost everything else across its long life.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyKey LimeCitrus × aurantiifoliaGive this thorny little citrus full sun, warmth, and free-draining soil, and it happily pays you back with sharp, aromatic limes.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysMildly toxicModerateKousa DogwoodCornus kousaA small, forgiving tree that gives you star-shaped blooms, edible fruit, and peeling bark through all four seasons.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeModerateKumquatCitrus japonicaGive it full sun, steady water, and cover from hard frost, and this little citrus will happily fruit right through winter.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysMildly toxicEasyKwanzan CherryPrunus serrulataGive it a spot in your yard for one unforgettable week of double pink bloom each spring, and it will reward the little care you offer.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysMildly toxicModerateLemonCitrus limonGive it full sun, deep but occasional water, and a little frost protection, and your lemon tree will reward you with fruit for years.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicModerateLeyland CypressCupressus × leylandiiGive it room to breathe and steady water, and this fast, forgiving evergreen raises a private green wall in just a few years.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeModerateLimeCitrus × latifoliaGive it full sun, sharp drainage, and steady warmth, and your lime tree will happily fruit for years.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysMildly toxicModerateLoquatEriobotrya japonicaGive it full sun and a frost-free spot, and this forgiving tree rewards you with sweet fruit when almost nothing else is ready.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicModerateLycheeLitchi chinensisGive it warmth, acidic soil, and a cool winter rest, and this tropical tree will reward your patience beautifully.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeDemandingMacadamiaMacadamia integrifoliaWith warmth, deep soil, and a pollination partner, your macadamia will reward a little patience with rich, buttery nuts.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysToxicDemandingMandarin OrangeCitrus reticulataGive it full sun, free-draining soil, and shelter from hard frost, and this forgiving little tree will thank you with sweet blossom and easy-peel fruit.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysMildly toxicModerateMangoMangifera indicaGive it heat, sun, and well-drained soil, and a mango tree will reward a warm garden with a whole summer of fruit.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeModerateMedlarMespilus germanicaA slow, forgiving fruit tree that asks for very little and sweetens only after the first frosts.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicModerateMeyer LemonCitrus × meyeriOffer it bright sun, even water, and a little shelter from frost, and this forgiving dwarf citrus thanks you with fragrant blooms and sweet fruit.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysMildly toxicModerateMugo PinePinus mugoA tough, forgiving mountain pine that wants only full sun and sharp drainage, then quietly looks after itself.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyMulberryMorus rubraGive it full sun and room to spread, and the mulberry will thank you with berries by the bucketful every early summer.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–21 daysPet & child safeEasyNectarinePrunus persica var. nucipersicaA nectarine is simply a peach without the fuzz, and it repays full sun and one yearly prune with sweet, smooth-skinned fruit you will be proud of.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysToxicDemandingNeem TreeAzadirachta indicaGive it heat, sun, and free-draining soil and the neem tree will forgive drought and poor ground and thrive for decades.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–21 daysMildly toxicEasyNorfolk Island PineAraucaria heterophyllaGive it bright light, cool air, and steady moisture, and this gentle living conifer will hold its tidy tiers indoors all year.☀️ Bright indirectMildly toxicModerateNorthern CatalpaCatalpa speciosaA forgiving native shade tree that puts on showy white flowers and grows fast almost anywhere you plant it.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–21 daysPet & child safeEasyNorthern Red OakQuercus rubraA forgiving native that pays you back with deep shade and brilliant red fall color for generations.☀️ 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 europaeaOffer it full sun, lean soil, and a dry root run, and the olive will thrive for generations to come.☀️ Full sun · 💧 14–30 daysPet & child safeModerateOrangeCitrus × sinensisGive it full sun, warmth, and well-drained soil, and a sweet orange tree will thank you with fruit for decades.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicModerateOsage OrangeMaclura pomiferaPlant it, then relax. The Osage orange is just about indestructible, thorns, hedge apples, and all.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–21 daysPet & child safeEasyPapayaCarica papayaGive it full sun, steady moisture, and frost-free warmth, and your papaya will reward you with fruit inside a year.☀️ Full sun · 💧 1–4 daysPet & child safeModeratePaper BirchBetula papyriferaGive it a cool, moist root run and the paper birch will thank you with bright white bark for many years to come.☀️ 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 one honest pruning a year, and a peach tree rewards you with summer fruit.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicModeratePearPyrus communisPlant two trees for cross-pollination, offer them sun and a little patience, and a pear tree will feed you for decades.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicModeratePecanCarya illinoinensisGive it room, full sun, and a pollination partner, and a pecan will shade your yard for generations to come.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicModeratePersimmonDiospyros kakiGive it full sun and a little patience, and the persimmon will hang your garden with fall color long after the leaves have gone.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicEasyPin OakQuercus palustrisA fast-growing shade tree that rewards you with fiery fall color, as long as its feet stay in acidic soil.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicEasyPindo PalmButia capitataA cold-hardy feather palm with arching gray-green fronds and fruit sweet enough for jelly.☀️ Full sunPet & child safeEasyPistachioPistacia veraOffer it long hot summers and a partner tree close by, and this patient pistachio pays you back in split-shell nuts.☀️ Full sun · 💧 10–21 daysMildly toxicDemandingPlumPrunus domesticaGive it full sun, deep soil, and a yearly pruning, and a plum tree will happily pay you back with baskets of fruit.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicModerateQuinceCydonia oblongaPatient and a little tart on the branch, quince pays back your care with fragrant golden fruit that shines in the kitchen.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicModerateRed MapleAcer rubrumQuick to grow and easy to please, red maple gives a first-time planter a fall canopy of red and orange.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysToxicEasyRiver BirchBetula nigraPlant it in moist, acidic soil with plenty of sun, and river birch will reward you with fast growth and peeling, cinnamon bark.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeEasySaguaroCarnegiea giganteaWith steady sun, sharp drainage, and time on your side, this desert giant rewards even a first-time grower.☀️ Full sun · 💧 14–30 daysPet & child safeDemandingSassafrasSassafras albidumGive this easygoing native room to spread and it rewards you with blazing fall color and playful mitten-shaped leaves.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicModerateSaucer MagnoliaMagnolia × soulangeanaGive the buds a spot where late frost can't reach them, and your saucer magnolia rewards you with goblet-shaped pink blooms before a single leaf appears.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeModerateSawara False CypressChamaecyparis pisiferaGive it full sun and free-draining soil and this forgiving conifer will reward you with steady color all year.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyScots PinePinus sylvestrisForgiving, fast, and content on dry, sandy ground, Scots pine asks for sunshine and little more.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeModerateServiceberryAmelanchier × grandifloraA gentle little tree that hands you white spring flowers, sweet June berries, and warm fall color without asking much back.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasySilver MapleAcer saccharinumForgiving and quick to give shade, the silver maple is a friendly first tree that loves damp ground and asks little in return.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasySouthern Live OakQuercus virginianaA sprawling, long-lived shade tree that asks for room to grow and little else once it has settled in.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicEasySouthern MagnoliaMagnolia grandifloraA grand, forgiving evergreen whose glossy leaves and lemon-scented white blooms will reward your garden for generations.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeModerateStar MagnoliaMagnolia stellataAmong the first trees to wake in spring, star magnolia greets you with a soft cloud of fragrant white stars while its branches are still bare.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysPet & child safeModerateSugar MapleAcer saccharumWith rich, evenly moist soil and space to stretch out, a sugar maple settles in and gives back generous shade and bright autumn leaves.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeModerateSweetgumLiquidambar styracifluaGive a sweetgum deep, acidic soil and plenty of sun, and this easygoing shade tree thanks you with star-shaped leaves and a blaze of fall color.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeEasyTamukeyama Japanese MapleAcer palmatumA gentle weeping maple that spills finely cut red leaves from the first warm days of spring to a blazing fall.☀️ Partial shade · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeModerateTangerineCitrus reticulataOffer it full sun, steady water, and a little shelter from frost, and a tangerine will thank you with sweet fruit right through winter.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicModerateTulip TreeLiriodendron tulipiferaA fast, towering shade tree that rewards a little patience with tulip-shaped flowers high overhead and warm golden color come fall.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeModerateWalnutJuglans regiaWith deep, rich soil and open sun, a walnut forgives your early mistakes, shades the yard for generations, and fills baskets each fall.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–21 daysMildly toxicModerateWeeping CherryPrunus subhirtellaGive it a sunny spot and the weeping cherry rewards you with a cascade of soft pink and white blossom every April.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysMildly toxicModerateWeeping WillowSalix babylonicaGive it water and room to spread, and this gentle giant will drape the ground in soft green.☀️ Full sun · 💧 3–7 daysPet & child safeModerateWhite FirAbies concolorGive it room, sun, and well-drained acidic soil, and the white fir will reward you with its silvery-blue pyramid for generations.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysPet & child safeModerateWhite OakQuercus albaGive a white oak room to settle in and it rewards you with a century of shade and acorns the wildlife will love.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicModerateWindmill PalmTrachycarpus fortuneiHardy right down to single digits, the windmill palm hands you a true tropical look in gardens far too cold for most palms.☀️ Partial shadePet & child safeModerateYoshino CherryPrunus × yedoensisGive a Yoshino cherry a home and you get clouds of white-to-pink spring blossom that turn your whole yard into a two-week celebration, year after year.☀️ Full sun · 💧 5–10 daysMildly toxicModerateYuzuCitrus junosThe toughest of the true citrus, yuzu asks only for patience and a warm, sheltered corner to call its own.☀️ Full sun · 💧 7–14 daysMildly toxicModerate