We do not bother to rate the deer resistance for trees for the obvious reason that they will exceed the browsing height range eventually. We do, though, recommend protecting the trunks of trees in early fall when deer are in their “rut.”
N
Acer rubrum 'Franksred'
Red Maple 'Franksred'
Size:
40-50'
Hardiness: Zones 3-9
Growth Habit: Fast growth rate. Dense, upright, and branching.
Bright green, heavy-textured foliage. Brilliant red autumn color. Good choice for shade or street side. Attracts birds.
N
Acer rubrum 'October Glory®'
Red Maple 'October Glory®'
Size:
40-50'
Hardiness: Zones 3-9
Growth Habit: Fast growth rate. Oval, rounded, and dense.
Blazes crimson red when it colors in fall. Lush foliage crown attracts birds. Last of the Red Maple cultivars to color in fall. Good as a shade tree or specimen.
Amelanchier gran. ‘Robin Hill'
Shadbush, Apple Serviceberry
Size: 15' to 20'
Hardiness: Zones 4-9
Growth Habit: Multiple stems are upright and highly branched.
Forms a dense, large shrub, or small tree. It suckers less than other Amelanchier species, and is adapted to a wide range of soils. Tolerates some drought. The main ornamental feature is the flowers borne in early spring; they are at first pink but later fading to white. The young leaves are purplish and the edible fruit attracts birds. Well-adapted for planting beneath power lines due to their small size.
N
Betula nigra ‘Heritage'
Heritage River Birch
Size:
40-50'
Hardiness: Zones 4-9
Growth Habit: Fast growth rate. Upright, broadleaf.
Handsome, quick growing tree. Useful as a specimen or in groups. Resistant to temperature extremes, most diseases, and Bronze Birch Borer. Tolerates low soil oxygen, flooding, clay soil, and drought once established, but prefers moist conditions. Cinnamon-colored, shaggy, peeling barks. Golden fall foliage.
Carya glabra
Pignut Hickory
Size: 60-100'
Hardiness: Zones 4-9
Growth Habit: Open, oval head.
Pignut Hickory is a common species mixed with Oaks in our Eastern forest. Foliage in summer is yellow-green changing to a beautiful yellow-brown in fall. Its strong wood is important timber for tool handles.
N
Cornus florida
Flowering Dogwood
Size:
20-30'
Hardiness: Zones 5-9
Growth Habit: Upright, umbrella shaped tree. Average
growth rate.
This is a small tree with a short trunk, full, rounded crown, and often umbrella shaped, horizontal branches in layered tiers. Mid-green leaves turn red and purple in autumn. Blooms in spring as new leaves emerge and usually remains for 2-3 weeks. Clusters of bright red fruits follow. Attracts birds.
N
Crataegus viridis 'Winter King'
Green Hawthorn 'Winter King'
Size:
25-35'
Hardiness: Zones 4-7
Growth Habit: Average growth rate. Rounded, vase shape.
This drought tolerant tree has glossy, green leaves, which turn red to purple in fall. Profuse, white, cherry-like flowers appear in May. Stems are an attractive silver-gray, and spineless with occasional small thorns. Attracts birds and butterflies. Crabapple-like fruits remain through the winter, great year round attributes and character. Older trees have beautiful exfoliating bark with grays, tans, and cinnamon browns.
Larix decidua ‘Pendula'
Weeping European Larch
Size: 8' to 12'
Hardiness: Zones 3-6
Growth Habit: Average growth rate.
Very bright green in spring becoming a deeper green in summer and finally turning ochre yellow in fall. Fall color can be spectacular. Graceful, attractive, weeping branches. Tolerates only slight alkalinity.
N
Liriodendron tulipifera
Tulip Tree, Yellow Poplar
Size:
50-90'+
Hardiness: Zones 5-9
Growth Habit: Fast growth rate. Pyramidal when young, large oval-rounded
canopy with age.
Saddle-shaped, bright green leaves, golden yellow in fall. Cup-shaped, pale green flowers, orange marked at the base in early summer. Majestic, handsome, large shade tree for great, open areas.
N
Magnolia virginiana
Laurel Magnolia, Sweetbay
Size:
15-20'
Hardiness: Zones 5-9
Growth Habit: Average growth rate. Upright, spreading.
Dark green, lustrous leaves with silver undersides. Has a creamy white, deliciously fragrant, lemon-scented flower. One of the best floral scents that must be experienced! Will live in swampy areas, but does well in average, acidic soils. Very handsome, smaller, most often multi-stem tree; makes an excellent specimen or accent.
N
Nyssa sylvatica
Black Gum, Tupelo
Size: 30-50' + Up to 75'
Hardiness: Zones 4-9
Growth Habit : Pyramidal when young and rounded to flat-topped with age.
Not enough can be said about the beauty of this native tree. To start, the shiny, dark green foliage of summer turns to the most beautiful, fluorescent yellow-orange, with scarlet to purple colors in autumn. Few rival this consistent foliar display. Seeing several trees in the wild can be breathtaking. Here, in our coastal environment, the older trees often have gorgeous twisted and contorted trunks and limbs and remind us of something out of Africa. Young trees have a distinctive, horizontal, branching pattern that set them aside from others. This tree is adaptable to many acidic, soil moisture levels, from very moist to rather dry. Once established, Tupelos are drought tolerant, wind, salt , and flood tolerant. An absolute favorite with great winter character! Attracts birds. Bluish-black fruit.
Quercus coccinea
Scarlet Oak
Size: 50-75'
Hardiness: Zone 5
Growth Habit: Open canopy shade tree. Upright, oval to rounded.
Scarlet oak is a common native to our Oak, Hickory forests. Fall color is scarlet red, summer foliage is a crisp, bright green. One of the last to color or drop its leaves in fall. This species is highly valued for a food source for songbirds, upland game birds, small mammals, and those hoofed browsers. Prefers dry soils once established and is wind, salt, and drought tolerant.
N
Quercus palustris
Pin Oak
Size:
35-50'
Hardiness: Zones 4-8
Growth Habit: Average growth rate, although fast for an Oak.
Pyramidal form.
Prefers moist, rich, acidic soil, but is dry/wet site tolerant. Also tolerant of drought, heat, pollution, and thin soil. Scarlet fall color. Nice, horizontal to somewhat upright branching pattern, very distinctive. Popular street or roadside tree, great design elements.
Quercus prinus (montana)
Chestnut Oak
Size: 60-70'
Hardiness: Zone 5
Growth Habit: Rounded, canopy shade tree.
Chestnut Oak is a less common species on Eastern Long Island, but an interesting find on a hike. The handsome leaves are a lustrous yellow green in summer changing to orangish-yelow then to brown in fall. It's acorns are sweet and this Oak also has a high wildlife value. Prefers upland, dry soils where it may dominate in pole stands or be mixed with Scarlet and Black Oaks and Pignut Hickory.
Quercus stellata
Post Oak
Size: 30-50'
Hardiness: Zones 5-9
Growth Habit: Dense, round-topped crown; stout branches.
Post Oak has unique shaped, smaller leaves than other golden species. Leaves are dark green in summer and golden yellow-brown in fall. Prefers dry soils, and is very adaptable to coastal conditions. Tolerant of drought, wind, and salt. Also, a favorite of our wildlife as a food source. We are at the Northern-most coastal habit for this species.
N
Sassafras albidum
Sassafras
Size: 25' to 35'
Hardiness:
Zones 4-9
Growth Habit: Pyramidal to rounded, irregular form.
Very ornamental native with large leaves that vary considerably in shape. Stems and trunks develop a unique, contorted character. Leaves are yellow green in color, turning beautiful, brilliant yellow, orange, and red in fall. Richer fall colors are displayed on the trees grown in full sun. Twigs, bark, and roots have a spicy aroma; used to make candy or tea. Growing plant repels mosquitoes and other insects. Common Sassafras can be grown on moist, well-drained acid soil but it will tolerate drier, rocky sites, where it is often found in the wild. Reportedly difficult to transplant due to its long taproot on well-drained soils and few but large-diameter lateral roots. This problem can be somewhat overcome by purchasing trees grown in containers but even container-grown plants can have a sparse root system. Prune early in the life of the tree to form a single trunk suitable for urban landscape planting, or grow with multiple trunks for a dramatic specimen. Good companion plant for gardens.
N
Taxodium distichum
Bald Cypress
Size:
25-35'
Hardiness: Zones 4-9
Growth Habit: Moderate growth rate. Pyramidal form.
Green to yellow, linear, small branches. Large tree with fluted or buttressed base. A beautiful accent tree of stately distinct character and form. Wonderful effect when planted in groups as it naturally occurs. Great, mellow, orange-brown fall color. Good for wet areas where it occurs naturally, but will thrive in average to drier soils as well. Native to mid-Atlantic region and southeastern half of the U.S.