Trees

Cupressus sempervirens April 2011

Malus (Crabapple) April 2011

Arbutus menziesii in Seward Park April 2011

Magnolia x soulangeana March 2010

 Ginkgo biloba September 2010

Here is a list of trees for gardens in Seattle, the Pacific Northwest & USDA Zone 8. Many will tolerate colder climates.  They have good form, lovely flowers, colorful fall foliage & other characteristics that endear them to many gardeners. Most of these are deciduous.  Evergreen trees are noted.  Some may be difficult to find. When local nurseries fail, try mail-order nurseries.  Forest Farm is a good source for uncommon trees.  This list is not meant to provide detailed information on trees, but to introduce you to some you may not know, or remind you of those you have forgotten.  Basic characteristics are included to help you sort through the lists.  Be sure you know how widely these trees spread before you plant them, to allow enough space.  Narrow trees are listed separately here.  An abundance of detailed information is available on the web.  Good reference books on shrubs are The Hillier Gardener's Guide to Trees & Shrubs edited by John Kelly, Sunset Western Garden Book. 

Small Trees

Abies koreana (Korean Fir) Abies pinsapo (Spanish Fir): evergreen

Acer buergerianum (Trident Maple) Acer campestre (Hedge Maple) Acer circinatum (Vine Maple) Acer crataegifolium (Hawthorne Maple) Acer japonicum (Fullmoon Maple) Acer maximowiczianum (Nikko Maple) Acer palmatum (Japanese Maple) Acer pennsylvanicum (Moosewood): fall color

Aesculus pavia (Red Buckeye): flowers

Amelanchier alnifolia (Western Serviceberry) Amelanchier canadensis (Eastern Serviceberry) Amelanchier x grandiflora, Amelanchier laevis (Allegheny Serviceberry): flowers, fruit, fall color

Arbutus unedo (Strawberry Tree): evergreen, flowers, fruit can make a mess on pavement

Azara microphylla (Boxleaf Azara): evergreen, small flowers, narrow

Cercis canadensis 'Forest Pansy' (Eastern Redbud): purple leaves, flowers, fall color, Cercis siliquastrum (Judas Tree): flowers, fall color

Chamaecyparis pisifera ‘Boulevard’ (Boulevard Cypress): evergreen, slow growth

Cladrastis lutea (Yellow Wood): flowers, fall color

Cornus kousa (Korean Dogwood) Cornus mas (Cornelian Cherry): flowers, fruit

Crataegus laciniata, Crataegus laevigata ‘Rosea Flore Pleno’ (English Hawthorn) Crataegus phaenopyrum (Washington Hawthorn) Crataegus prunifolia: flowers, fruit, fall color

Cupressus arizonica var. glabra ‘Blue Ice’ (Arizona Cypress): evergreen

Franklinia alatamaha (Franklin Tree): flowers, fall color

Genista aetnensis (Mt Aetna Broom): flowers

Hamamelis x intermedia, Hamamelis mollis (Witch Hazel): fragrant flowers, fall foliage

Laburnum alpinum, Laburnum anagyroides, Laburnum x watereri (Goldenchain Tree): flowers

Magnolia ashei, Magnolia ‘Elizabeth’, Magnolia x soulangeana (Magnolia): flowers

Malus ‘Adams’, Malus ‘Dartmouth’, Malus ‘Katherine’, Malus ‘Thunderchild’ (Crabapple): & many other cultivars, flowers, fruit can make a mess on pavement

Oxydendron arboreum (Sourwood): flowers, fall color

Parrotia persica (Parrotia): fall color

Pinus cembra (Swiss Stone Pine) Pinus edulus (Pinyon Pine): evergreen

Podocarpus macrophyllus (Yew Pine): evergreen, not a pine

Prunus cerasifera ‘Thundercloud’ (Flowering Plum) Prunus mume (Japanese apricot) Prunus serrula, Prunus serrulata (Flowering Cherry): flowers

Pyrus calleryana ‘Bradford’ (Bradford Pear): flowers, fall color, Pyrus salicifolia 'Pendula' (Weeping Willow-leafed Pear): flowers, silver foliage, weeping form

Quercus gambelii (Gambel Oak): tolerates dryness

Rhododendron macabeanum, Rhododendron rex, Rhododendron sinogrande: evergreen, flowers

Rhus typhina (Staghorn Sumac): fall color

Sorbus cashmiriana (Kashmir Mountain Ash) Sorbus commixta (Japanese Mountain Ash) Sorbus hupehensis (Hupei Mountain Ash) Sorbus scalaris: flowers, fruit, fall foliage

Styrax japonica (Japanese Snowbell) Styrax obassia (Fragrant Snowbell): flowers

Taxus cuspidata (Japanese Yew): evergreen

Thuja standishii (Japanese Arborvitae): evergreen

Thujopsis dolabrata (False Arborvitae): evergreen

Trachycarpus fortunei (Chinese Windmill Palm): evergreen, the only reliable palm in Seattle

Ulmus japonica (Japanese Elm): fall color

Medium Trees

Abies amabilis (Cascade Fir): evergreen

Acer callipes, Acer davidii, Acer griseum (Paperbark Maple): fall color, interesting bark

Aesculus californica (California Buckeye) Aesculus x carnea (Red Horse Chestnut): flowers

Albizia julibrissin (Mimosa): flowers

Betula albo-sinensis (Chinese Red Birch) Betula jacquemontii (Himalayan Birch) Betula papyrifera (Paper Birch) Betula pendula (Silver Birch): fall color, beautiful bark, birches attract aphids which drip sticky excretions on patio furniture & cars

Carpinus caroliniana (American Hornbeam): fall color

Catalpa bignonioides (Southern Catalpa): flowers, pods

Cercidiphyllum japonicum (Katsura Tree): fall color

Chamaecyparis lawsoniana ‘Pembury Blue’ (Port Orford Cedar) Chamaecyparis nootkatensis ‘Pendula’ (Weeping Alaskan Cedar) Chamaecyparis obtusa ‘Gracilis’ (Slender Hinoki Cypress): evergreen

Crataegus mollis (Downy Hawthorne): flowers, fruit, fall color

Davidia involucrata (Dove Tree): flowers, fruit

Fraxinus pennsylvanica ‘Urbanite’ (Red Ash): fall color

Gymnocladus dioica (Kentucky Coffee Tree)

Idesia polycarpa (Idesia): inedible berries

Magnolia macrophylla (Bigleaf Magnolia): flowers, huge leaves

Nothofagus antarctica (Southern Beech): fall color

Nyssa sylvatica (Black Gum): fall color
Pawlonia tomentosa (Empress Tree): flowers, large leaves

Picea breweriana (Brewer Spruce): evergreen

Pinus contorta var. contorta (Shore Pine) Pinus leucodermis (Bosnian Pine) Pinus pinea (Italian Stone Pine) Pinus monticola (Western White Pine): evergreen

Quercus chrysolepis (Canyon Live Oak): evergreen, Quercus garryana (Garry Oak): shade tolerant

Robinia pseudoacacia ‘Frisia’ (Golden Locust): yellow foliage

Sciodopitys verticillata (Umbrella Pine): evergreen, not a pine

Sorbus alnifolia (Korean Mountain Ash) Sorbus aria (Whitebeam): flowers, fruit, fall color

Stewartia pseudocamellia (Japanese Stewartia): flowers, fall color

Taxus brevifolia (Pacific Yew): evergreen, fruit

Tilia americana (American Linden) Tilia cordata (Littleleaf Linden): fall color

Large Trees

Abies concolor (White Fir) Abies grandis (Giant Fir) Abies procera (Noble Fir): evergreen

Acer macrophyllum (Bigleaf Maple) Acer platanoides (Norway Maple): fall color

Aesculus hippocastanum (Horse Chestnut): flowers, big leaves, fall color

Araucaria araucana (Monkey Puzzle): evergreen, unique appearance, historic in Seattle

Arbutus menziesii (Madrona): evergreen, flowers, fruit, lovely bark, native in Seattle

Calocedrus decurrens (California Incense Cedar): evergreen, narrow

Carpinus betulus (European Hornbeam): fall color

Catalpa speciosa (Western Catalpa): flowers, pods

Cedrus atlantica (Atlas Cedar) Cedrus deodara (Deodar Cedar): both are common in Seattle, Cedrus libani (Cedar of Lebanon): evergreen

Cupressus sempervirens (Italian Cypress): evergreen, narrow

Fagus grandifolia (American Beech) Fagus sylvatica (European Beach): fall color

Fraxinus americana (White Ash) Fraxinus latifolia (Oregon Ash): fall color

Ginkgo biloba (Ginkgo): fall color, unique appearance

Gleditsia triacanthos (Honey Locust): pods, fall color

Larix decidua (European Larch) Larix kaempferi (Japanese Larch) Larix occidentalis (Tamarack): deciduous conifer, fall color
Liquidambar styraciflua (Sweetgum): fall color

Liriodendron tulipifera (Tulip Tree): flowers, fall color, very large distiguished tree

Magnolia grandiflora (Southern Magnolia): evergreen

Metasequoia glyptostroboides (Dawn Redwood): deciduous conifer, fall color, 'living fossil'

Picea abies (Norway Spruce) Picea oromika (Serbian Spruce) Picea sitchensis (Sitka Spruce): evergreen

Pinus densiflora (Japanese Red Pine) Pinus ponderosa (Ponderosa Pine) Pinus thunbergii (Japanese Black Pine): evergreen

Platanus x acerifolia (London Plane Tree) Platanus occidentalis (American Sycamore)

Platanus racemosa (California Sycamore): large leaves, beautiful bark

Pseudotsuga menziesii (Douglas Fir): evergreen, native in Seattle

Quercus coccinia (Scarlet Oak) Quercus lobata (Valley Oak) Quercus robur (English Oak) Quercus rubra (Red Oak)

Sequoia sempervirens (Coast Redwood): evergreen

Sequoiadendron giganteum (Sierra Redwood): evergreen, impressive

Stewartia monadelpha (Tall Stewartia): flowers, beautiful bark, fall color

Thuja plicata (Western Red Cedar): evergreen, sacred tree, native to Seattle

Tilia tomentosa (Silver Linden): fall color

Tsuga heterophylla (Western Hemlock): evergreen, native in Seattle

Narrow Trees

Acer circinatum (Vine Maple): fall color, native in Seattle

Azara microphylla (Boxleaf Azara): evergreen, small flowers

Calocedrus decurrens (California Incense Cedar): evergreen, narrow

Chamaecyparis lawsoniana ‘Ellwoodii’ (Port Offord Cedar): evergreen, formal

Cupressus sempervirens, Cupressus sempervirens ‘Green Pencil’ (Italian Cypress): evergreen

Ginkgo biloba ‘Tremonia’ (Ginkgo): fall color

Juniperus communis ‘Hibernica’ (Irish Juniper): evergreen, formal

Pinus ponderosa (Ponderosa Pine)

Prunus serrulata ‘Amanogawa’ (Flowering Cherry): flowers, fall color

Pyrus calleryana ‘Chanticleer’ (Chanticleer Pear): fall color

Quercus robur 'Fastigiata' (English Oak): fall color

Thuja plicata ‘Fastigiata’ (Hogan Cedar): evergreen

Thujopsis dolabrata (False Arborvitae): evergreen

Trachycarpus fortunei (Chinese Windmill Palm): evergreen,  the only reliable palm in Seattle