Trees

Maples

Norway Maples

Norway maples are excellent boulevard trees, and they are shade tolerant. 50 ft. by 50 ft. at maturity. Great yellow fall color. Medium to fast growing--new tips are red. Easier to grow than sugar maples and much more desirable than silver maples. Very tolerant. Considered hard-wooded.

Acer platanoides 'Princeton Gold'

Maple, Norway

A Norway Maple with very yellow foliage in spring holding well through summer. About 45 ft. tall by 40 ft. wide.

Acer platanoides 'Royal Red'

Maple, Red Norway

Dark red leaf all summer, 35-40 ft. tall with straight trunk and well-shaped crown. Improved 'Crimson King' type.

Acer platanoides 'Variegatum'

Maple, Variegated Norway

Like Norway Maple except for white variegation in leaf. Any branches with plain green leaves should be removed should they occur. Height 50 ft. at maturity.

Acer pseudosieboldiana

Korean Maple

Small stature, hardy maple. 15 ft. tall by 10 ft. Dark green leaves palmate shaped, turn yellow to red in fall. Tolerates part shade and most garden soils. Good substitute for the Japanese Maple, which isn't MN hardy.

Acer saccharinum

Maple, Silver

Fast growing tree for large areas. Light green leaves turn yellow for fall. Shade is not deep, but little will grow under this tree because of its ambitious root system: plant away from sidewalks and sewers. 40-65 ft. in Minnesota with a broad, round head. Very tolerant of clay, drought, and heat.

Acer saccharum

Maple, Sugar

Probably only 40-60 ft. in Minnesota. Hard-wooded and so not a fast grower. Of great value as a shade tree. Native. Fall color is legendary. Shade tolerant, often seen in the understory. Not for an infertile or clay soil, a hot dry area, or a small area.

Acer saccharum 'Bailsta' (Fall Fiesta™)

Maple, Sugar

Select Sugar Maple, a Bailey of MN introduction. Thick, leathery leaves are more tatter and scorch resistant. Great, flaming fall colors.

Acer x freemanii 'Jefersred' (Autumn Blaze™)

Maple

Hybrid of Silver Maple and Rubrum Maple, forms a dense oval head with ascending branches. Leaves are rich green and deeply lobed, turning an excellent red-orange in fall. 50-60 ft. tall by 40 ft. wide. Fast growth.

Amelanchier x grandiflora 'Autumn Brilliance'

Serviceberry

Small tree to 20 ft. tall by 15 ft. wide. White flower clusters in spring, purple berries late summer very attractive to birds. Persistent red-orange fall color. Tolerates moist, well-drained soil or dry soil. Interesting branch structure resists ice breakage, light gray bark.

Betula nigra 'Heritage'

Birch, River

A superior selection of a native birch with a peeling bark salmon-ivory in color; very rustic looking. Fairly fast growing, pyramidal shaped when young, more rounded at maturity; grows to 40 ft. Nicely used in a clump or as a single specimen. Tolerates drier soil, but does best in moist, acidic soil. Resistant to borers. Great winter texture. Keep roots cool and moist with a wide ring of mulch.

Betula platyphylla 'Whitespire'

Birch, Whitespire (Japanese)

Very similar to Paper Birch, perhaps a bit smaller (35 ft.). Shows borer resistance; tolerates hotter, drier sites. Bark is very white. Keep roots cool and moist with a wide ring of mulch.

Betula 'Crimson Frost'

Hybrid birch with near-white, peeling bark and burgundy leaves. 30 ft. tall by 20 ft. Tolerates heavy and wet soils.

Catalpa speciosa

Catalpa

This northern species is very tolerant and hardy. Soft-wooded and fast-growing to 35 ft. Large, light-green leaves provide a welcome, almost tropical texture. Very showy white and lavender flowers in June attract hummingbirds. Judicious pruning helps eliminate weak, narrow crotches.

Cercis canadensis

Redbud, Eastern

A handsome, vase-shaped small tree with small pink flowers before leaves appear in spring. 25 ft. tall by 20 ft. wide. Prefers moist soils and full to part sun. Fall color is a good yellow. Ours are, of course, of MN strain: seed was collected at the Arboretum in Chanhassen.

Fraxinus americana 'Autumn Blaze'

Ash

Hardy, Canadian introduction of White Ash with nice purple fall color and light seed crop. Good growth rate to 50-60 ft. tall but narrow, to only 30 ft. wide. Tolerates wet soils and moderately dry soils.

Fraxinus americana 'Autumn Purple'

Ash

Excellent street, lawn or shade tree, grows to 50 ft. tall by 35 ft. wide. Will tolerate moist soil. Rapid growth. Nice burgundy fall color. Seedless.

Fraxinus pennsylvanica 'Marshall’s Seedless’

Ash

Very useful shade tree for tough, dry or wet sites. 50 ft. tall by 40 ft. wide, broad oval shape. Yellow fall color. Fast grower.

Ginkgo biloba

Ginkgo

The Maidenhair Tree--ancient Chinese species with beautiful, distinctive, pale, sea-green leaves; sulfur-yellow fall color. May be male or female because these were grown from seed. Provides medium shade, grows 30-50 ft. Tolerates most sites and has great disease resistance.

Hydrangea paniculata 'Grandiflora'

Hydrangea, Tree Pee Gee

This is trained to tree form--not grafted. Prune hard early spring. Nice specimen tree. Large, very showy bloom-heads late in summer. Blossoms open white and change to peach with a very long life. Useful dried. Very hardy, best in moist, well-drained soil. Full sun to part shade.

Hydrangea paniculata 'Pink Diamond'

Hydrangea, Tree

Similar to Pee Gee tree form Hydrangea, the flowerheads are more open or lace-capped in form, and droop less. Flowers begin cream colored and gradually turn a rich pink.

Magnolia kobus var. loebneri 'Leonard Messel'

Magnolia

Small stature tree (18 ft. tall by 22 ft.) with 4-6 inch flowers early spring. Large, dark green leaves. Protected site. Moist, well-drained soil, but tolerant and adaptable.

Magnolia kobus var. stellata 'Royal Star'

Magnolia

Tree form by pruning. Hardiest of the Magnolias, this one grows 8-10 ft. tall and becomes a dense, small tree or medium shrub of equal spread. Wonderful display of 3 inch fragrant, white flowers early in spring. Dark, shiny green leaves are evergreen. Plant in protected site which warms slowly in spring so flowers are not too early and susceptible to frost. Can take a dry site once established. Likes an acid soil with plenty of peat or organic matter. Takes light shade. Great against brick.

Crabapples

Malus sargentii 'Candymint'

Crabapple

A short and slow-growing crab to only 8 ft. tall, but ultimately spreading to 15 ft. wide with irregular, horizontal branch lines. Gnarly. Pink flowers, berries are small, persistent and deep purple. Leaves have a purple tinge early and bronze in autumn. Bark develops to red-orange and resembles cherry bark. Good disease resistance.

Malus sargentii

Crabapple

Great branch architecture on this dwarf crab to 8 ft. tall and wider than tall. Fragrant white flowers followed by small, red, persistent fruit. Berries are good winter food for birds.

Malus x Lollizam 'Lollizam' (Lollipop™)

Crabapple

10 ft. tall and wide with very regular, upright, candelabra-form branching. Rounded shape on-a-stick. Heavy flush of white bloom in spring, small gold berries in fall. Good disease resistance.

Malus 'Lanzam' (Lancelot™)

Crabapple

Dwarf variety (10 ft. tall by 8 ft.) with a very dense form. Red buds open to white flowers, followed in late summer with small persistent yellow berries. Grafted on a 40 in. standard, so makes a lollypop shape.

Malus 'Prairie Fire'

Crabapple

Nearest to true red in bloom color. A 15-20 ft. crab with excellent disease resistance. Small, red fruits are persistent. Interesting, glossy bark.

Malus 'Profusion'

Crabapple

Small tree, about 15 ft. with excellent structure and shape: upright and round. Flowers are a good medium pink, fruit about ½ inch, red, and persistent.

Malus 'Red Jade'

Crabapple

Smaller (12 ft. by 12 ft.) crab with weeping form. White to light pink flowers. Bright red, ½ inch sized, persistent berries. Interesting specimen plant.

Malus 'Sutyzam' (Sugar Tyme™)

Crabapple

A new disease resistant crab with crisp green foliage. Showy white flowers cover the tree in spring and ½ inch rich red fruits persist long into winter. Nice upright oval shape, 18 ft. tall by 15 ft. wide.

Populus x canadensis 'Robusta'

Cottonwood

Cottonless, rapid growing tree to 60 ft. tall by 40 ft. wide. Introduced by the U of MN. Tolerates wet soils.

Prunus cerasifera 'Newport'

Plum, Newport Red

Hardiest of the purple-leafed plums. Upright habit to 15 ft. Young leaves are red, turning burgundy. Pink flowers in May are very showy. Fruit is sparse. Likes a well-drained site.

Prunus x cistena

Purpleleaf Sand Cherry

Maroon-red leaves on what can be either a small tree or a shrub by pruning. Fast growing to 6-8 ft. Attractive pink flowers in May followed by small purple berries in fall. Any well-drained soil will do; full sun for best color.

Quercus alba

Oak, White

A large tree often wider than tall at maturity. Native, very disease and drought tolerant. Great purple to red fall color. Medium growth rate when small. A spectacular tree when well sited.

Quercus macrocarpa

Oak, Bur

Native with spectacular form. Matures at over 50 ft. Fall color is mostly brown. Tolerates wide range of soil including clay and dry soil. Can be a medium rate grower when young if favored with added watering and fertilization.

Quercus rubra

Oak, Northern Red

Fastest growing native oak. Useful for street, shade, and landscape but give it enough room: grows to 70 ft. tall by 50 ft. wide. Dense, lusterous foliage turns rich red late in fall and holds into winter cardboard brown. Prefers a well-drained sandy loam, but not as particular as Pin Oak.

Salix alba 'Tristis'

Willow, Weeping

AKA: Golden Weeping Willow or ‘Niobe.’ This is not Salix babylonica (Wisconsin Weeping Willow). Familiar and very popular for the cascade of golden branchlets; can quickly become very large and so deserves care in placement. Nice (and also happy) near water.

Salix caprea 'Pendula'

Willow, Pussy

Strongly weeping and grafted on an upright standard. Silky catkins in spring, great architecture for small area. Full sun, tolerates moist site.

Salix matsudana 'Tortuosa'

Willow, Corkscrew

Corkscrew bent stems and branches that are limey in summer and scarlet in winter. Prune yearly and use branches in arrangements, or let grow to 25 ft. as a tree or large bush. More drought tolerant than most willows.

Syringa meyer 'Palabin'

Lilac, Meyer Tree

A miniature lilac (Meyer) budded onto a 42 inch trunk. Excellent globe shape, with a fine texture (small leaves). Abundant lavender blooms in May. Very nice used as an accent in a flower garden.

Syringa reticulata

Lilac, Japanese Tree

For use as a large, multi-stemmed shrub or small tree, up to 20 ft. tall. Very showy white flowers mid-June. Fragrant. Otherwise similar to the Common Lilac without the suckering. Seed capsules provide winter interest and shiny, lenticiled bark is a plus in all seasons.

Syringa reticulata 'Golden Eclipse'

Lilac, Variegated Japanese Tree

Variegated form of Japanese Tree Lilac. Leaf edges turn golden yellow as summer begins. Flowers same as standard Japanese Tree Lilac. 18-24 ft. tall by 8-14 ft. wide.

Ulmus 'Morton' (Accolade™)

Elm

index

Trees

Maples

Norway Maples

Crabapples