Shade Tree

Gardening Guide

Shade Tree

Bracken’s Brown Beauty Magnolia

Magnolia grandiflora ‘Bracken’s Brown Beauty’
An improved form of Magnolia with lustrous, leathery foliage which is dark green above and cinnamon brown beneath. Fragrant, large, white flowers in summer. It is more compact and has better cold tolerance than other forms.

20-30' tall x 15-25' wide

Full sun

Zone 5 / Hardy to -10ºF

D. D. Blanchard Magnolia

Magnolia grandiflora ‘D. D. Blanchard’
Upright evergreen tree with a pyramidal branching form. Dark green leaves have rich orange-brown undersides. Attractive form with showy white flowers in summer. Makes an excellent specimen tree.

40-50' tall x 30' wide

Full sun

Zone 7 / Hardy to 10ºF

Autumn Blaze™ Red Maple

Acer x ‘Jeffersred’
Fast growing, rounded deciduous tree with shiny green leaves, and brilliant orange-red fall color. Excellent lawn or street tree. Stronger branching than Silver Maple. Tolerates some drought when established.

50' tall x 30-40' wide

Full sun

Zone 4 / Hardy to -20ºF

Bigtooth Maple

Acer grandidentatum
The only Texas native maple tree, this rare relic of the last ice age is found in the Lost Maples State Natural Area, where the seedlings are collected and cultivated. Bigtooth Maples thrive in limestone and alkaline soils and is relatively drought tolerant. It has lovely red and/or yellow fall color. A beautiful, upright to spreading, underutilized tree. Deciduous.

50' tall x 30-40' wide

Full sun

Zone 5 / Hardy to -10ºF

Brandywine Red Maple

Acer rubrum ‘Brandywine’
This selection of red maple features wonderful, long-lasting fall color that is red changing to red-purple. It has an oval growth habit. This is a male tree and will not produce seedlings.

40' tall x 20' wide

Full sun

Zone 4 / Hardy to -20ºF

Shantung Maple

Acer truncatum
A lovely medium-sized tree with a rounded habit. Hardy, adaptable tree that is tolerant of heat and drought, with no serious pests. Grows well in acidic and alkaline soils. Good fall foliage color. Fast growing.

35' tall x 25' wide

Full sun

Zone 4 / Hardy to -20ºF

Summer Red® Maple

Acer rubrum ‘Summer Red’
A very colorful deciduous tree with red new growth that changes to green as it matures. Foliage takes on yellow shades in autumn. An excellent medium-sized tree for any landscape.

40-50' tall x 35-40' wide

Full sun

Zone 5 / Hardy to -10ºF

Trident Maple

Acer buergerianum
An excellent, under-used, smaller tree with a rounded habit. It has distinctive, 3-lobed, dark green leaves that turn yellow, orange and red in fall. Grows well in most any soil, including those that are alkaline. Interesting bark.

25-35' tall x 20-30' wide

Full sun

Zone 5 / Hardy to -10ºF

Bur Oak

Quercus macrocarpa
Large, deciduous tree with an upright open oval form. Dark green lobed leaves turn shades of yellow in fall. Large acorns attract wildlife. Drought resistant, hardy variety. Grows well in most soils.

60-80' tall x 50-60' wide

Full sun

Zone 3 / Hardy to -30ºF

Chinquapin Oak

Quercus muehlenbergii
Stately deciduous tree with oval, toothed green leaves and ash gray, rough and flaky bark. Open, rounded growth habit. An outstanding tree for rocky, alkaline soils.

70' tall x 40-50' wide

Full sun

Zone 5 / Hardy to -10ºF