Quick Overview: Tree Comparison Chart
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TREES AT A GLANCE |
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Species |
Light |
Preferred Soils* |
Height (in feet) |
Growth Rate |
Benefits |
Extreme weather (after established) |
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Black Walnut |
Full sun |
Alkaline, moist, well drained |
50-75 |
Medium |
Wildlife, pollinators, edible, lumber, dye |
Semi drought/flood tolerant, cold/heat tolerant |
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Bur Oak |
Full sun |
Adaptable; moderate moisture |
70-80 |
Slow |
Wildlife, pollinators, long-lived |
Semi flooding tolerant; drought/cold/heat tolerant |
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Swamp White Oak |
Full sun to partial shade |
Moist to wet soils, adaptable |
50-70 |
Moderate to fast |
Wildlife, pollinators, rehab degraded soils, ash replacement |
Semi drought/flooding tolerant; semi compaction/ pollution tolerant |
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Paper Birch |
Full sun to partial shade |
Acidic, loamy, moist, well-drained |
50-70 |
Moderate to fast |
Wildlife, soil stabilization, crafts |
Salt tolerant, pollution intolerant, heat intolerant |
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Sugar Maple |
Adaptable |
Average, medium to moist soils |
50-80 |
Slow to moderate |
Pollinators, wildlife, edible |
Cold tolerant; drought/flooding intolerant |
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Black Elderberry |
Sun to partial shade |
Moist soils with high organic matter |
5-12 |
Moderate to fast |
Pollinators, wildlife, edible, rain gardens |
Semi drought tolerant |
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American Hazelnut |
Sun to partial shade |
Moist, well drained |
6-15 |
Moderate to fast |
Wildlife, windbreak, pollinators, edible |
Semi drought tolerant |
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Pin Cherry |
Full sun |
Rocky/sandy well drained, moist soils |
20-35 |
Fast |
Pollinators, wildlife, edible, soil control, nurse tree |
Drought resistant |
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Red Osier Dogwood |
Sun to partial shade |
Moist, well- drained, wet soils |
6-9 |
Fast |
Wildlife, erosion, pollinators, crafts |
Cold, shade, drought, flooding tolerant |
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Winterberry |
Sun to partial shade |
Acidic, moist to wet |
6-12 |
Moderate to fast |
Wildlife, erosion control, low maintenance, few diseases |
Cold, shade tolerant, semi-drought tolerant |
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White Cedar |
Sun to partial shade |
Wet or moist rich soil |
25-40 |
Slow |
Wildlife, windbreak, long-lived |
Semi drought/flooding tolerant |
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Balsam Fir |
Sun to partial shade |
Well drained, acidic, moist |
40-60 |
Slow |
Wildlife, windbreak |
Cold/flooding tolerant; fire/ drought intolerant |
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Fraser Fir |
Sun to partial shade |
Rich, moist, slightly acidic, well drained |
30-50 |
Slow |
Wildlife, windbreak |
Cold tolerant; drought intolerant |
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Red Pine |
Full sun |
Light, sandy, well drained, poor fertility |
60-80 |
Fast, moderate |
Wildlife, windbreak, reforestation |
Cold/drought tolerant; flooding intolerant |
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White Pine |
Sun to partial shade |
Acidic, medium moisture soils |
80-100 |
Fast |
Wildlife |
Semi drought tolerant; flooding intolerant |
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Black Spruce |
Full sun |
Poorly drained, nutrient poor |
30-40 |
Slow |
Wildlife |
Semi drought/flooding tolerant |
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White Spruce |
Full sun |
Well-drained (acidic, moist, sandy, clay) |
60-80 |
Moderate |
Wildlife, windbreak, soil stabilization, long lived |
Semi drought/cold tolerant; salt intolerant |
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*Note: some species have tolerance for a wider soil range than listed; see individual descriptions |
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