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Liriodendron tulipifera

Tuliptree is a large, fast-growing, flowering, wildlife-friendly deciduous tree. Yellow-and-orange bicolor flowers blooming May-June are valued by bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Flowers lead to ornamental, cone-shaped fruits bearing numerous winged seeds. Large, tulip-shaped leaves give this tree its common name. It is favored by wildlife for nest sites, cover, and food. Tuliptree is a host plant for butterfly and moth larvae (caterpillars), including Tuliptree Silkmoth (Callosamia angulifera) and Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus). Use it as a specimen tree or shade tree for your large yard or landscape.

Liquidambar styraciflua

Sweet Gum is a large, low-maintenance, wildlife-friendly deciduous tree. It is monoecious; yellow-green male and female flowers bloom separately on the same tree, April-May. Female flowers are followed by “gum balls” — hard, spherical, pointy seed pods, which house seeds that are an attractive food source for birds and wildlife. The seed pods may be considered unsightly litter by some, but the benefits to wildlife far outweigh this minor nuisance. Sweet Gum trees also provide nesting sites and cover for birds and wildlife. Select its placement carefully, as it is intolerant of alkaline soils and shade. Use it as a specimen tree or shade tree in your yard. It can also be used as a stately street tree; however, clean-up of the gumballs must be managed.

Juniperus virginiana

Eastern Red Cedar is a wildlife-friendly evergreen tree. This dioecious species (separate male and female trees) has a pyramidal shape when young. Female trees produce small, round, gray to light-blue berry-like cones consumed by many birds and small mammals. Its aromatic wood is used in furniture, fences, and building materials. Use it as a specimen, grouping, or screening plant; good for windbreaks and hedges.

Juglans nigra

Black Walnut is a large deciduous tree with fragrant leaves and furrowed bark. It produces round, edible nuts in the fall; nuts can be messy when they fall to the ground. Black Walnut is the preferred host of luna and regal moths. Its roots produce chemicals called juglones, which deter growth of certain other plants; avoid planting it near fruit trees, flower beds, and vegetable gardens. Black Walnut wood is highly prized for furniture. Use it as a shade tree.

Juglans cinerea

Butternut is a medium-large, deciduous tree similar to Black Walnut, but it is usually a smaller, more cold-tolerant tree. This tree has sweet, edible, oval-shaped nuts. The roots produce chemicals called juglones, which are toxic to certain other plants; avoid planting it near fruit trees, flower beds, and vegetable gardens. Butternut is susceptible to canker, a fungal disease that is devastating this species in the wild. Use it as a shade tree.

Ilex opaca

American Holly is a wildlife-friendly evergreen tree with dark green, spine-tipped leaves and light gray bark. Its tiny, greenish-white flowers blooming May-June provide a nectar source for honeybees and butterflies. This tree is also a host plant for butterfly and moth larvae (caterpillars), including Henry’s Elfin (Callophrys henrici). Since it is dioecious (separate male and female plants), a male must be in the area to pollinate females for fruit production. The female trees bear bright red, berry-like fruits, which persist through the winter and provide winter food for birds. The red fruits and evergreen leaves add winter color to the yard, and cuttings make excellent holiday decorations. Use American Holly as a specimen tree or plant in groups in woodland gardens or hedges.

Ilex montana

Mountain Holly is a deciduous holly, which grows well at high elevations. Its spineless leaves are larger than other holly species’ leaves. Mountain Holly usually grows as a shrub, but can reach 30-40 feet. Its tiny, greenish-white flowers bloom in the spring. Since it is dioecious (separate male and female plants), a male must be in the area to pollinate the female flowers for fruit production. Its red, berry-like fruits ripen in fall and persist only for a short time. Use Mountain Holly on slopes and in woodland gardens. This holly may be difficult to find commercially. Tell your local garden center or nursery about your interest in this plant.

Halesia tetraptera

Carolina Silverbell is a large shrub or medium tree with a rounded crown. Drooping clusters of showy, white, bell-shaped flowers bloom in early spring. The flowers are followed by four-winged fruits, which turn tan in the fall. This plant prefers moist, well-drained, organic soils, and grows well with Rhododendrons and Azaleas. Use it in the shrub border or woodland garden, as an accent tree near decks or patios, or as a specimen tree for the lawn.

Gymnocladus dioicus

Kentucky Coffeetree is a deciduous tree that has large, compound leaves and brown bark with distinctive scale-like ridges. It is dioecious (separate male and female trees), with greenish-white flowers blooming in the late spring. The female trees bear reddish-brown seed pods that persist into winter. Use Kentucky Coffeetree in large yards or parks. Its tolerance for drought and air pollution makes it a good urban tree.

Gleditsia triacanthos var. inermis

Thornless Honeylocust is a large, fast-growing, urban-tolerant deciduous tree. Its small leaflets and open crown cast a light shade that permits shade-tolerant grasses and perennials to grow underneath, making it a good choice for filtered shade. The seed pods are a food source for birds and other wildlife. Protect the bark of young trees, since white-tailed deer and rabbits may eat the soft bark in winter. Use Thornless Honeylocust as a street tree, on slopes for erosion control, or for windbreaks.