Tree of the Month Blog

     The Willow oak is a tough native tree found in low bottomlands and along stream and riverbanks from New York to Florida and west to Missouri and Texas.  Known to absorb large quantities of water, it is tolerant of...

The Carolina silverbell is native to the mid-Atlantic states down the Appalachians south to Florida. In the wild it is an understory tree growing 30-40 feet in height and 20-30 feet wide. Typically, it has a rounded to spreading pyramidal habit with a...

The Seven-son-flower is a highly underutilized small, summer flowering tree. First discovered in China and introduced to America back in 1907, it was mostly forgotten for over 70 years, and was rediscovered in 1980.  Since then, it has been...

Crape Myrtle (Lagerstroemia Indica) There are approximately 50 species of this genus originating in southeast Asia and around Oceania with some species growing to as large as 100 feet.  Crape myrtle, as grown in the United States, is generally...

  Chinese Chestnut (Castanea mollissima) The Chinese chestnut was originally introduced to cultivation in the US in 1853.  Its nut, while not as sweet as the American chestnut, is valuable for human consumption and is also good for...

A beautiful medium-sized ornamental tree that was introduced from China and Japan in 1903, and is now planted widely throughout the U.S. Its main attribute is its beautiful spring floral display.  Double, deep rose pink flowers appear with...

Introduced from Eurasia, the Callery Pear, named after French missionary Joseph Callery, who first collected the species in 1858, has become one of America’s most popular street and garden trees. Through nursery selection, its messy fruits and...

Saucer Magnolia (Magnolia x soulangiana) The Saucer Magnolia is a cross between two Chinese species, the Yulu and Lily Magnolias.  It is planted widely in the U.S. as an ornamental tree.  It is a medium growing tree to 30 feet in height...

    The Sawtooth oak is a native of China, Japan and eastern Asia.  It was first imported to North America in 1862 and was mainly used as a supplemental feed crop for wildlife and stock animals, but the acorns are bitter and are...

  European White Birch (Betula pendula) A beautiful and graceful specimen mainly prized for its white bark.  The tree starts with a pyramidal habit and becomes more rounded with age attaining heights of 80-100 feet in its native Europe,...

Maidenhair Tree (Ginkgo biloba) The Ginkgo is native to China but is planted in landscapes and streetscapes around the world.  It is one of the oldest trees identified in the fossil record. They are very hardy trees with few insect...

American Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua) Native to wet sites on the East Coast, this tree adapts well to lawn and park settings.  It is a medium to fast growing tree and will easily reach 50 to 75 feet or more and nearly as wide.  It...