Tree & Shrub Descriptions

Conifers

Balsam Fir

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Abies balsamea

Height: 40-85"
Light: Very shade tolerant
Site Conditions: Can grow in poorly-drained swamps to well-drained uplands
Notes: Needles are persistent, aromatic, don't shed readily; common Christmas tree

Norway Spruce

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Picea abies

Height: 50-85'
Light: Shade tolerant
Site Conditions: Prefers moist, fertile soils; does not thrive on dry or sand-gravelly soils
Notes: Winter cover for wildlife; shallow root system in clay or poorly-drained soils

Red Cedar

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Juniperus virginiana

Height: 30-50'
Light: Shade intolerant
Site Conditions: Well adapted for most soils; found in well drained, sandy, gravelly soils in open areas
Notes: Excellent wildlife value, providing food, protective cover and nesting cover

Red Pine

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Picea abies

Height: 65-100'
Light: Shade intolerant
Site Conditions: Prefers well-drained, dry, very acid, sandy soils of outwash plains and gravely ridges
Notes: Provides cover and food for deer, small mammals, and songbirds

Northern White Cedar

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Thuja occidentalis

Height: 30-50'
Light: Very shade tolerant
Site Conditions: Grows on a wide variety of soils; common in cool, moist, nutrient-rich sites
Notes: Foliage and twigs eaten by deer; fruit eaten by birds; good for screens and hedges

White Pine

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Pinus strobus

Height: 65-100'
Light: Moderately shade intolerant
Site Conditions: Adaptable to most soils; prefers well-drained, sandy soils
Notes: Great for windbreaks; soft needles; a preferred deer food

White Spruce

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Picea glauca

Height: 50-85'
Light: Shade tolerant
Site Conditions: Able to establish on wet sites; can grow on moderately moist soils
Notes: Winter cover for wildlife; can grow on edges of swamps, rivers, lakes etc.

Deciduous

Basswood

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Tilia americana

Height: 60-80'
Light: Shade tolerant
Site Conditions: Occurs on rich, mesic sites such as lower slopes, river bottoms; well-drained soils
Notes: Prolific nectar producer and is valued by honeybees

Bitternut Hickory

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Carya cordiformis

Height: 50-80'
Light: Moderately shade tolerant
Site Conditions: Grows best on fertile, moist soils, cool sites and mesic hardwood forests
Notes: Dense root system provides good soil stability; wildlife eat nuts bur are bitter for human consumption

Northern Catalpa

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Catalpa speciosa

Height: 30-50'
Light: Shade intolerant
Site Conditions: Grows on most mineral soils including dry upland soils
Notes: Planted in urban areas; green seedpods are 10-24" long in summer, dark brown in fall

Paper Birch (Canoe)

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Betula papyrifera

Height: 40-65'
Light: Shade intolerant
Site Conditions: Grows on a variety of soils and best in well-drained acid, sandy, or silty loam
Notes: Striking coloration; snowshoe hare and deer browse; birds and small mammals eat the buds, calkins and seeds

Black Cherry

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Prunus serotina

Height: 40-65'
Light: Shade intolerant
Site Conditions: Prefers moist, well-drained soils; does not do well in very wet or very dry sites
Notes: Clusters of white flowers in early spring; berries provide food for wildlife

Bur Oak

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Quercus macrocarpa

Height: 60-80'
Light: Moderately shade tolerant
Site Conditions: Does well in most soil types; prefers well draining to moist soils but not flooded
Notes: Fringed caped acorns are eaten by squirrels, ducks, and other wildlife

Red Maple

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Acer rubrum

Height: 50-70'
Light: Shade tolerant
Site Conditions: Well adapted to most soil and site conditions
Notes: Seeds provide food for wildlife; leaves brilliant red in fall; flowers early in spring

Red Oak

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Quercus rubra

Height: 65-100'
Light: Moderately shade intolerant
Site Conditions: Characteristic of mesic forests on moist, cool, well drained sites
Notes: Provides cover, nesting sites, and food for a vareity of birds and mammals

Sugar Maple

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Acer saccharum

Height: 60-100'
Light: Very shade tolerant
Site Conditions: Prefers moist, well-drained soils; fertile soil to clay
Notes: Beautiful fall colors; main source of maple syrup; a preferred food for deer

Swamp White Oak

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Quercus bicolor

Height: 50-70'
Light: Moderately shade tolerant
Site Conditions: Tolerant of poorly drained soils; often in floodplains, swamps and stream edges
Notes: Acorns are eaten by squirrels, ducks, and other wildlife

Sycamore

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Platanus occidentalis

Height: 60-100'
Light: Shade intolerant
Site Conditions: Moist soils, especially near rivers, floodplains, etc; also open, moist upland sites
Notes: Food tolerant; fast growing, bark flakes off giving trunk interesting appearance

Tulip Poplar

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Liriodendron tuliopfera

Height: 50-100'
Light: Shade intolerant
Site Conditions: Best on moderately moist, deep, well drained, loose textured soils
Notes: In magnolia family; fragrant greenish-yellow, tulip-like flowers May-June

White Oak

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Quercus alba

Height: 60-85'
Light: Moderately shade intolerant
Site Conditions: Found on many soil types, best on coarse, deep, moist, well drained soils; not on poorly drained soils
Notes: Fairly drought resistant after established; acorns eaten by wildlife; excellent ornamental tree

Shrubs

Black Elderberry

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Sambucus canadensis

Height: 4-12'
Light: Shade tolerant
Site Conditions: Well drained, slightly acid soils along streams; gray forest soils; muck soils
Notes: Flowers in June-July; edible fruit September-October; berries are excellent wildlife food

Highbush Cranberry

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Viburnum trilobum

Height: 8-15'
Light: Moderately shade tolerant
Site Conditions: Tolerates a wide range of soil types, also tolerates occasional flooding
Notes: Produces flat-top clusters of showy white flowers and red berries which birds enjoy

Mapleleaf Viburnum

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Viburnum acerifolium

Height: 4-6'
Light: Very shade tolerant
Site Conditions: Best in well-drained, moist soils with partial shading; however, tolerant of acid soils, dry sites and deep shade
Notes: Attractive clusters of white flowers late spring to summer; birds eat the berry-like drupes; red, pin, or purple foliage in the fall

Nannyberry

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Viburnum lentago

Height: 13-22'
Light: Moderately shade intolerant
Site Conditions: Grows on wide variety of soil conditions; characteristic of mesic and wet-mesic sites
Notes: Creamy-white flowers early to mid May; red/blue fragrant edible berry

Thimbleberry

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Rubus parviflorus

Height: 3-8'
Light: Shade tolerant
Site Conditions: Tolerates a wide range of conditions, best in moist, nutrient-rich soils with good drainage
Notes: Fragrant white flowers; large star-shaped leaves; thornless; attracts pollinators

Winterberry

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Ilex verticillata

Height: 5-15'
Light: Moderately shade intolerant
Site Conditions: Low, moist, cool, basic or acidic habitats with high water tables
Notes: Small greenish or yellowish-white flowers; red berries in fall/winter; wildlife food

Witch Hazel

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Hamamelis virginiana

Height: 8-20'
Light: Shade intolerant
Site Conditions: May be found in rich deciduous forests, but more often in sandy dry forest and savanna with oak, hickory, aspen, or pine
Notes: Winter shrub that produces yellow flowers from October to December

Tree & Shrub Descriptions

Conifers

Balsam Fir

Abies balsamea

Height: 40-85" Light: Very shade tolerant Site Conditions: Can grow in poorly-drained swamps to well-drained uplands Notes: Needles are persistent, aromatic, don't shed readily; common Christmas tree

Norway Spruce

Picea abies

Height: 50-85' Light: Shade tolerant Site Conditions: Prefers moist, fertile soils; does not thrive on dry or sand-gravelly soils Notes: Winter cover for wildlife; shallow root system in clay or poorly-drained soils

Red Cedar

Juniperus virginiana

Height: 30-50' Light: Shade intolerant Site Conditions: Well adapted for most soils; found in well drained, sandy, gravelly soils in open areas Notes: Excellent wildlife value, providing food, protective cover and nesting cover

Red Pine

Picea abies

Height: 65-100' Light: Shade intolerant Site Conditions: Prefers well-drained, dry, very acid, sandy soils of outwash plains and gravely ridges Notes: Provides cover and food for deer, small mammals, and songbirds

Northern White Cedar

Thuja occidentalis

Height: 30-50' Light: Very shade tolerant Site Conditions: Grows on a wide variety of soils; common in cool, moist, nutrient-rich sites Notes: Foliage and twigs eaten by deer; fruit eaten by birds; good for screens and hedges

White Pine

Pinus strobus

Height: 65-100' Light: Moderately shade intolerant Site Conditions: Adaptable to most soils; prefers well-drained, sandy soils Notes: Great for windbreaks; soft needles; a preferred deer food

White Spruce

Picea glauca

Height: 50-85' Light: Shade tolerant Site Conditions: Able to establish on wet sites; can grow on moderately moist soils Notes: Winter cover for wildlife; can grow on edges of swamps, rivers, lakes etc.

Deciduous

Basswood

Tilia americana

Height: 60-80' Light: Shade tolerant Site Conditions: Occurs on rich, mesic sites such as lower slopes, river bottoms; well-drained soils Notes: Prolific nectar producer and is valued by honeybees

Bitternut Hickory

Carya cordiformis

Height: 50-80' Light: Moderately shade tolerant Site Conditions: Grows best on fertile, moist soils, cool sites and mesic hardwood forests Notes: Dense root system provides good soil stability; wildlife eat nuts bur are bitter for human consumption

Northern Catalpa

Catalpa speciosa

Height: 30-50' Light: Shade intolerant Site Conditions: Grows on most mineral soils including dry upland soils Notes: Planted in urban areas; green seedpods are 10-24" long in summer, dark brown in fall

Paper Birch (Canoe)

Betula papyrifera

Height: 40-65' Light: Shade intolerant Site Conditions: Grows on a variety of soils and best in well-drained acid, sandy, or silty loam Notes: Striking coloration; snowshoe hare and deer browse; birds and small mammals eat the buds, calkins and seeds

Black Cherry

Prunus serotina

Height: 40-65' Light: Shade intolerant Site Conditions: Prefers moist, well-drained soils; does not do well in very wet or very dry sites Notes: Clusters of white flowers in early spring; berries provide food for wildlife

Bur Oak

Quercus macrocarpa

Height: 60-80' Light: Moderately shade tolerant Site Conditions: Does well in most soil types; prefers well draining to moist soils but not flooded Notes: Fringed caped acorns are eaten by squirrels, ducks, and other wildlife

Red Maple

Acer rubrum

Height: 50-70' Light: Shade tolerant Site Conditions: Well adapted to most soil and site conditions Notes: Seeds provide food for wildlife; leaves brilliant red in fall; flowers early in spring

Red Oak

Quercus rubra

Height: 65-100' Light: Moderately shade intolerant Site Conditions: Characteristic of mesic forests on moist, cool, well drained sites Notes: Provides cover, nesting sites, and food for a vareity of birds and mammals

Sugar Maple

Acer saccharum

Height: 60-100' Light: Very shade tolerant Site Conditions: Prefers moist, well-drained soils; fertile soil to clay Notes: Beautiful fall colors; main source of maple syrup; a preferred food for deer

Swamp White Oak

Quercus bicolor

Height: 50-70' Light: Moderately shade tolerant Site Conditions: Tolerant of poorly drained soils; often in floodplains, swamps and stream edges Notes: Acorns are eaten by squirrels, ducks, and other wildlife

Sycamore

Platanus occidentalis

Height: 60-100' Light: Shade intolerant Site Conditions: Moist soils, especially near rivers, floodplains, etc; also open, moist upland sites Notes: Food tolerant; fast growing, bark flakes off giving trunk interesting appearance

Tulip Poplar

Liriodendron tuliopfera

Height: 50-100' Light: Shade intolerant Site Conditions: Best on moderately moist, deep, well drained, loose textured soils Notes: In magnolia family; fragrant greenish-yellow, tulip-like flowers May-June

White Oak

Quercus alba

Height: 60-85' Light: Moderately shade intolerant Site Conditions: Found on many soil types, best on coarse, deep, moist, well drained soils; not on poorly drained soils Notes: Fairly drought resistant after established; acorns eaten by wildlife; excellent ornamental tree

Shrubs

Black Elderberry

Sambucus canadensis

Height: 4-12' Light: Shade tolerant Site Conditions: Well drained, slightly acid soils along streams; gray forest soils; muck soils Notes: Flowers in June-July; edible fruit September-October; berries are excellent wildlife food

Highbush Cranberry

Viburnum trilobum

Height: 8-15' Light: Moderately shade tolerant Site Conditions: Tolerates a wide range of soil types, also tolerates occasional flooding Notes: Produces flat-top clusters of showy white flowers and red berries which birds enjoy

Mapleleaf Viburnum

Viburnum acerifolium

Nannyberry

Viburnum lentago

Height: 13-22' Light: Moderately shade intolerant Site Conditions: Grows on wide variety of soil conditions; characteristic of mesic and wet-mesic sites Notes: Creamy-white flowers early to mid May; red/blue fragrant edible berry

Thimbleberry

Rubus parviflorus

Height: 3-8' Light: Shade tolerant Site Conditions: Tolerates a wide range of conditions, best in moist, nutrient-rich soils with good drainage Notes: Fragrant white flowers; large star-shaped leaves; thornless; attracts pollinators

Winterberry

Ilex verticillata

Height: 40-85"
Light: Very shade tolerant
Site Conditions: Can grow in poorly-drained swamps to well-drained uplands
Notes: Needles are persistent, aromatic, don't shed readily; common Christmas tree

Height: 50-85'
Light: Shade tolerant
Site Conditions: Prefers moist, fertile soils; does not thrive on dry or sand-gravelly soils
Notes: Winter cover for wildlife; shallow root system in clay or poorly-drained soils

Height: 30-50'
Light: Shade intolerant
Site Conditions: Well adapted for most soils; found in well drained, sandy, gravelly soils in open areas
Notes: Excellent wildlife value, providing food, protective cover and nesting cover

Height: 65-100'
Light: Shade intolerant
Site Conditions: Prefers well-drained, dry, very acid, sandy soils of outwash plains and gravely ridges
Notes: Provides cover and food for deer, small mammals, and songbirds

Height: 30-50'
Light: Very shade tolerant
Site Conditions: Grows on a wide variety of soils; common in cool, moist, nutrient-rich sites
Notes: Foliage and twigs eaten by deer; fruit eaten by birds; good for screens and hedges

Height: 65-100'
Light: Moderately shade intolerant
Site Conditions: Adaptable to most soils; prefers well-drained, sandy soils
Notes: Great for windbreaks; soft needles; a preferred deer food

Height: 50-85'
Light: Shade tolerant
Site Conditions: Able to establish on wet sites; can grow on moderately moist soils
Notes: Winter cover for wildlife; can grow on edges of swamps, rivers, lakes etc.

Height: 60-80'
Light: Shade tolerant
Site Conditions: Occurs on rich, mesic sites such as lower slopes, river bottoms; well-drained soils
Notes: Prolific nectar producer and is valued by honeybees

Height: 50-80'
Light: Moderately shade tolerant
Site Conditions: Grows best on fertile, moist soils, cool sites and mesic hardwood forests
Notes: Dense root system provides good soil stability; wildlife eat nuts bur are bitter for human consumption

Height: 30-50'
Light: Shade intolerant
Site Conditions: Grows on most mineral soils including dry upland soils
Notes: Planted in urban areas; green seedpods are 10-24" long in summer, dark brown in fall

Height: 40-65'
Light: Shade intolerant
Site Conditions: Grows on a variety of soils and best in well-drained acid, sandy, or silty loam
Notes: Striking coloration; snowshoe hare and deer browse; birds and small mammals eat the buds, calkins and seeds

Height: 40-65'
Light: Shade intolerant
Site Conditions: Prefers moist, well-drained soils; does not do well in very wet or very dry sites
Notes: Clusters of white flowers in early spring; berries provide food for wildlife

Height: 60-80'
Light: Moderately shade tolerant
Site Conditions: Does well in most soil types; prefers well draining to moist soils but not flooded
Notes: Fringed caped acorns are eaten by squirrels, ducks, and other wildlife

Height: 50-70'
Light: Shade tolerant
Site Conditions: Well adapted to most soil and site conditions
Notes: Seeds provide food for wildlife; leaves brilliant red in fall; flowers early in spring

Height: 65-100'
Light: Moderately shade intolerant
Site Conditions: Characteristic of mesic forests on moist, cool, well drained sites
Notes: Provides cover, nesting sites, and food for a vareity of birds and mammals

Height: 60-100'
Light: Very shade tolerant
Site Conditions: Prefers moist, well-drained soils; fertile soil to clay
Notes: Beautiful fall colors; main source of maple syrup; a preferred food for deer

Height: 50-70'
Light: Moderately shade tolerant
Site Conditions: Tolerant of poorly drained soils; often in floodplains, swamps and stream edges
Notes: Acorns are eaten by squirrels, ducks, and other wildlife

Height: 60-100'
Light: Shade intolerant
Site Conditions: Moist soils, especially near rivers, floodplains, etc; also open, moist upland sites
Notes: Food tolerant; fast growing, bark flakes off giving trunk interesting appearance

Height: 50-100'
Light: Shade intolerant
Site Conditions: Best on moderately moist, deep, well drained, loose textured soils
Notes: In magnolia family; fragrant greenish-yellow, tulip-like flowers May-June

Height: 60-85'
Light: Moderately shade intolerant
Site Conditions: Found on many soil types, best on coarse, deep, moist, well drained soils; not on poorly drained soils
Notes: Fairly drought resistant after established; acorns eaten by wildlife; excellent ornamental tree

Height: 4-12'
Light: Shade tolerant
Site Conditions: Well drained, slightly acid soils along streams; gray forest soils; muck soils
Notes: Flowers in June-July; edible fruit September-October; berries are excellent wildlife food

Height: 8-15'
Light: Moderately shade tolerant
Site Conditions: Tolerates a wide range of soil types, also tolerates occasional flooding
Notes: Produces flat-top clusters of showy white flowers and red berries which birds enjoy

Height: 13-22'
Light: Moderately shade intolerant
Site Conditions: Grows on wide variety of soil conditions; characteristic of mesic and wet-mesic sites
Notes: Creamy-white flowers early to mid May; red/blue fragrant edible berry

Height: 3-8'
Light: Shade tolerant
Site Conditions: Tolerates a wide range of conditions, best in moist, nutrient-rich soils with good drainage
Notes: Fragrant white flowers; large star-shaped leaves; thornless; attracts pollinators

Height: 5-15'
Light: Moderately shade intolerant
Site Conditions: Low, moist, cool, basic or acidic habitats with high water tables
Notes: Small greenish or yellowish-white flowers; red berries in fall/winter; wildlife food

Height: 8-20'
Light: Shade intolerant
Site Conditions: May be found in rich deciduous forests, but more often in sandy dry forest and savanna with oak, hickory, aspen, or pine
Notes: Winter shrub that produces yellow flowers from October to December