Increasing Tree Diversity in Chicago’s Landscape Plant Native Non-Invasive Urban Tolerant Trees ChicagoChicago TopTop--1010 TreesTrees

American Sweetgum Village Green Zelkova Ginkgo / Maidenhair Tree Sassafras Shingle Oak (Liquidambar styraciflua) (Zelkova serrata‘Village Green') (Ginkgo biloba) (Sassafras albidum) (Quercus imbricaria) A large upright pyramidal tree, In the elm family, the Village Green A good urban tree because of its A native, medium sized tree with Shingle oak grows to a height of 65-80 native to Illinois, that can reach 75 Zelkova typically grows to 50-60’ tall ability to tolerate drought, heat, multiple shapes (polymorphic) of feet. Slow growing tree found in moist feet in height. The sweetgum tree with a spreading, upright vase- confined and poor soils. Grows leaves, which turn a scarlet purple in well drained soils, but also tolerant of earns its name from its sweet shaped crown. Performs well on City slowly at first but once established is the fall. Prefers moist acidic soil in a city conditions. The shingle oak was “gummy” sap. The tree has star streets. In older trees, the bark vigorous and can reach 100’ tall! sunny location but will also grow in once widespread in Chicago, but was shaped leaves which turn a brilliant exfoliates in patches exposing an Ginkgos have survived for millions of rocky soil. The traditionally the roots harvested extensively for making roofing orange to purplish red in the fall. attractive orangish inner bark. years. are used to make root beer. shingles and is no longer common.

Ironwood Nannyberry American Basswood London planetree Patriot American Elm (Ostrya virginiana) (Viburnum lentago) (Tilia americana) (Platanus x acerifolia) (Ulmus Patriot) A small to medium sized slow growing With showy flowers and delicious Also known as the American linden, A magnificent tree that can reach 90 American elm crossed with a Chinese tree, reaching 35 feet in height. The fruit, nannyberry can reach 25 feet this tree can grow up to 80 feet in feet in height, the planetree should be elm to produce a hybrid elm resistant fruit looks like the hops used in beer, high. Pleasing in a naturalistic height and is best suited to parks and planted on larger sites. Can well to Dutch elm disease. Fast growing hence the alternate common name of planting, this tree will tolerate full sun wide boulevards with ample rooting tolerate high alkaline soils common to medium size tree, quickly reaching 45 hophornbeam. Leaves are strikingly or partial shade and rarely requires space. Small yellow, fragrant flowers Chicago. The leaf is similar to a feet in height. Tolerates alkaline soils serrate like the teeth of a wicked- pruning. Its blue black berry-like appear in June. The basswood’s heart maple leaf, but the real eye-catching well and may finally offer a disease looking saw and the bark is coarsely drupes, often persist into winter and shaped leaves are toothed and have a characteristic of the planetree is its resistant American elm replacement in broken into narrow strips. are especially popular with birds. golden fall color. cream, olive, light brown bark. the urban landscape.

Photo Credit: Gary Kling/University of Illinois, Chicago’s Top-10 Trees are selected annually to highlight lesser Robert H. Mohlenbrock @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / USDA SCS. 1989. Midwest wetland flora: Paul Wray, Iowa State University, known trees suitable for planting in USDA Hardiness Zone 5 and Missouri Botanical Garden PlantFinder tolerant of urban conditions.