DECIDUOUS Ornamental Trees for Home Gardens and Landscapes - UCCE Master Gardener Program of Tulare & Kings Counties Mature Water Growth Potential Common name Botanical name Flowers Tree Shape Comments Size needs rate Problems 25' T Rounded, Branches are a Native to China and Japan. Adapted to urban conditions. Boron tolerant. Red-orange fall color. Maple, Trident Acer buergerianum Low Fast Inconspicuous 25' W spreading little brittle Attractive, winged seed-pods. Tends to form branches low on trunk. 25'+ T Upright spreading, Native to China. Delicate leaves, dark green above, silvery below. Long-lasting, brilliant red fall color. Maple, Paperbark Acer griseum Moderate Moderate Inconspicuous 25' W rounded crown Reddish peeling bark provides winter interest. Attractive, winged seed pods. Native to Japan and Korea. Most airy and delicate of all maples. Best planted on north or east 20' T Varies, upright to Summer leaf burn Maple, Japanese Acer palmatum Moderate Slow Inconspicuous exposures or in partial shade. Fall color varies. Resistant to oak root fungus. Many varieties 20' W weeping is common available for red foliage and dissected leaves. Attractive, winged seed pods. Acer rubrum 'October Glory' 40' T Inconspicuous, Native to east coast USA, but listed cultivars are better adapted to hot summers. Showy bloom in Maple, Red Heavy Fast Oval Urban pollution 'Brandywine' 30' W small red flowers Red twigs, branches, and buds. Deep red fall color. 'Red Sunset' Acer rubrum x Maple 60' T Inconspicuous, Native to eastern North America. Very good fall color even in warm climates. Light green upper freemanii Heavy Fast Dense oval 'Autumn Fantasy' 40' W small red flowers leaves, and silvery underneath. 'Autumn Fantasy' Native to California. Leaves palmately divided into 5 leaflets. Spectacular late spring bloom. Summer 20-30' T Slow to 6-8" plumes of Summer dormancy is typical in nature with complete leaf drop. Pear-shaped fruit continue to develop California Buckeye Aesculus californicus Low Rounded dormancy; floral, 30-40' W Moderate white blossoms on tree, husks split to drop hard, shiny brown 3" diameter seeds. Water in summer to avoid dormancy leaf, and fruit litter and associated leaf drop. Tassel-like catkins, 40' T Alder, Italian Alnus cordata Heavy Fast followed by 1" Upright oval Native to southern Italy. Heart-shaped 4" leaves move in wind. Plant in lawns where roots are cool. 25' W woody cones Tassel-like catkins, 50-90'T Alder, White Alnus rhombifolia Heavy Fast followed by woody Pyramidal Native to California. Grows in riparian areas. Tolerant of heat and wind. 40' W cones Betula nigra Native to eastern North America. Prefers riparian habitat. Diamond-shaped leaves, glossy green 40' T Moderate Average lifespan River Birch 'Dura-Heat' Fast Inconspicuous Broadly pyramidal above and silver below. Yellow fall color. The most troublefree birch. Resistant to bronze birch 30' W to heavy is 20 years. 'Heritage' borer. Attractive feature is the peeling bark in tan to brown colors. Clusters of 2" 40-60' T Moderate trumpet shaped Litter from leaves, Native to central US. Large heart-shaped leaves 6-12 inches long. Flowers in summer and the long Catalpa Catalpa speciosa Moderate Rounded 20-40' W to heavy white flowers with flowers, and pods seed pods drop in autumn. Tolerates temperature extremes and variety of soils. color marks Native to deserts of California, Arizona, and Baja Mexico. Green bark, delicate branches, filtered 15-35' T Low to Yellow flower shade. Bluish-green leaves. Flowers in spring. Tolerates heat and drought. Prune only to enhance Palo Verde, Blue Cercidium floridum Fast Upright rounded Spiny branches 20-30' W moderate clusters, 2-4" form. Lesser known is Little-leaf Palo Verde (Cercidium microphyllum ), smaller in size, slower growing, pale yellow flowers. Cercidium A hybrid that combines best traits of all three parents. Pale green bark, delicate branches, filtered Palo Verde, 20' T Low to Large, 1" individual 'Desert Museum' Fast Upright rounded shade. Light green stems and leaves. Flowers in spring. Tolerates heat and drought. Prune only to 'Desert Museum' 20' W moderate yellow flowers a 3-way hybrid enhance form. This hybrid is thornless, produces few seed pods, and drops very little litter. Native to eastern US. Fastest growing redbud. Single or multi-trunk forms. Glossy, attractive heart- Cercis canadensis shaped leaves. Flowers on bare branches in very early spring. Yellow fall color. Tolerates more 25-30' T Rosy pink, small Redbud, Eastern 'Forest Pansy' Moderate Moderate Rounded water than native Western redbud. 'Forest Pansy' (20' T, 25' W) has purple leaves and needs 25-30' W and abundant 'Lavender Twist' afternoon shade. 'Lavendar Twist' (5-6' T, 6-8' W) has pinkish-purple flower with weeping contorted branches, needs afternoon shade. Cercis canadenisis Redbud, Eastern 15' T Purple-red, small Native to Texas and Oklahoma. Single or multi-trunk forms. Thick, glossy heat resistant, heart- var. texensis Moderate Moderate Rounded 'Oklahoma' 15' W and abundant shaped leaves. Flowers on bare branches in very early spring. Yellow fall color. 'Oklahoma' Native to Mexico. Most widely distributed is a single trunk form. Leathery blue-green, heart-shaped 15' T Pinkish purple, Redbud, Mexican Cercis mexicana Moderate Moderate Rounded leaves. Flowers on bare branches in very early spring. Yellow fall color. Very hardy (tolerates heat 15' W small and abundant and frost). Native to southwest US, prolific in CA foothills. Usually multi-trunked. Large heart-shaped leaves. 10-18' T Brilliant magenta, Redbud, Western Cercis occidentalis Low Moderate Rounded Flowers on bare branches in very early spring. Yellow fall color. Seed pods persist on tree in winter. 10-18' W small and abundant Resistant to oak root fungus. Very drought tolerant. Mature Water Growth Potential Common name Botanical name Flowers Tree Shape Comments Size needs rate Problems White, pink, or Native to Southwest and Mexico. Wispy, open growth. Long, narrow 2-5" leaves. Fragrant flowers Desert Willow, 15-30' T Low to Rounded, Chilopsis linearis Fast purple trumpet from spring to fall. Develops shaggy bark and twisting trunk. Drops leaves early. Persistent 10-20' W moderate spreading Desert Catalpa shape seedpods through winter. Several varieties available. Narrow, fringe like Native to China. Female and male trees. Both bear flowers in late spring; only females bear fruit. 20' T Fringe, Chinese Chionanthus retusus Moderate Slow white flowers borne Upright rounded Fringe type flowers last about 3 weeks in spring before dropping, but not real messy. Handsome 15-20' W in lacey clusters gray-brown bark provides winter interest. Good patio tree. Clusters of pink, anthracnose? Chitalpa Hybrid of Catalpa and Chilopsis trees, provides a tough drought tolerant tree with attractive flower white or lavender, Powdery mildew? tashkentensis 20-30' T Low to Rounded, clusters and long bloom period from spring through fall. Leaves 4-5 inches long, 1 inch wide. Rapid Chitalpa Fast frilly trumpet Constant blossom 'Pink Dawn' 20-30' W moderate spreading growth sometimes causes bark to split and weep, but usually recovers. Avoid overwatering. 'Pink shaped large and leaf drop in 'Morning Cloud' Dawn' pink flowers. 'Morning Cloud' white flowers. flowers summer Native from southern Europe to central China. Round leaves; purple leaf varieties are available. 15-20' T Rosy beige "smoke Smoke Tree Cotinus coggygria Moderate Moderate Broad urn shape Flowers in spring. Inflorescence resembles smoke puff and is long lasting. Needs fast drainage. 15-20' W puffs" Resistant to oak root fungus. Naturally multi-stemmed, bushy growth habit. Fall color. Ginkgo biloba Native to China. Select male trees; fruit from female trees are foul smelling. Fan-shaped leaves. Ginkgo, 'Fairmount' 40-50' T Female trees with Moderate Very slow Plant male trees Pyramidal Light green leaves of spring and summer turn gold in fall, eventually dropping all at once. 'Magyar' 25-35' W foul smelling fruit Maidenhair Tree 'Fairmount', 'Magyar' and 'Saratoga' are good varieties. 'Autumn Gold' is least desirable. 'Saratoga' Gleditsia triacanthos Thorny branches Native to Central and Eastern North America. Bright yellow green, fern like leaves to 10" long, late to 35-70' T Moderate Upright oval, with Honey Locust inermis Fast Inconspicuous & trunks leaf out; yellow fall color. Trees provide filtered shade. "Inermis" selections are thornless with few or 25-35' to heavy arching branches 'Shademaster' 1' long seed pods no pods. 'Shademaster' has more desirable upright branch structure. Native to eastern Asia. Attractive lantern-like papery seed pods in shades of orange, red or salmon Koelreuteria 20-40' T Moderate Yellow flower Self-sown form quickly after flowers and persist into fall. More attractive seedpods than Goldenrain Tree. Chinese Flame Tree Moderate Upright spreading bipinnata 20-40' W to heavy clusters seedlings Deep, non-invasive roots. Adapted to many soils as long as drainage is good. Good tree to plant under. Koelreuteria Native to eastern Asia. Open branching gives light shade. Buff colored lantern-like papery seed pods Fragrant, bright paniculata 20-35' T Moderate Open, upright, Self-sown can hang on tree into winter. Adapted to different soils. Takes wind, cold, heat and drought. Prune Goldenrain Tree Moderate yellow, showy 'Fastigata' 'Rose 25-40' W to heavy rounded seedlings to shape. 'Fastigata' (25' T, 3' W) is columnar, 'Rose Lantern' has pinkish seed pods, 'September' flower clusters Lantern' 'September' blooms 1 month later others. Basal suckers, large seedpods, Native to central and southern Europe. 'Vossii' is most widely grown and graceful variety with flower Laburnum x watereri 15-30' T Moderate Fragrant, bright Open, upright, Golden Chain Tree Moderate all parts are toxic clusters 20" long. Does better with afternoon shade. Bright green leaves divided into three leaflets. 'Vossii' 10-20' W to heavy yellow vase shape expecially Tendency to be a shrub, but usually pruned to single trunk. seedpods Powdery mildew, Native to China.