Choosing the right landscaping trees for your front lawn, backyard, or around the perimeter of your house, is an extremely important task that can be an interesting and frustrating process at the same time.
Are you looking to plant some trees as ornamentation to add splashes of color, or erect them in rows as privacy screens, or create a relaxing shaded area for a haven on hot summer days?
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Trees planted around the house are also a great way to reduce energy use in the home. They provide shade in the summer but allow winter sunlight to shine-in during cold days, which helps reduce your energy costs and emissions all year round.
This guide outlines 50 types of landscaping trees, by category, that may help you to decide which ones will offer the solution to your landscaping goals, based on the type of tree that can grow in your particular growing zone.
What Tree Types Are Best for Large Landscapes?
If your landscape can accommodate trees with canopies that are as wide as they are tall, then a wider selection of trees will be available to you as the entire forest will be your hunting ground.
If you make the wrong choice, it could detract from the overall aesthetic appeal of your home, and invasive roots of the wrong big tree choice can bring your house down around your ears.
Take a look at these examples that are tall, wide, very attractive, and will keep their long-limbed roots away from your property.
1. Tulip Tree
(Liriodendron tulipifera)
The Tulip Tree attracts both humans and pollinators with its beautiful spring blossoms and colorful autumn foliage of yellow and burnt brown.
Reaching heights of 70-130ft and widths of 30-60ft, it’ll need a big yard to hold its big frame.
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2. Yoshino Cherry
(Prunus x yedoensis)
Cherry Trees are well-known for their abundant flowering, providing an annual display of sweet pink blossoms. Yoshino Cherry Trees are beautiful hybrids that bloom a delicate pink or a dazzling white and can be 30 feet tall by 40 feet wide.
3. Silver Wattle
(Acacia dealbata)
The Silver Wattle, an Acacia Tree, blooms fluffy golden flowers at the end of winter/beginning of spring. It thrives in sunny locations with well-drained, sandy soil.
One of the most resilient Acacia Trees, it is as wide as it is tall at 40-50 feet.
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4. Sugar Maple
(Acer saccharum)
Sugar Maple is a wonderful choice for a backyard tree if you want to increase the visual appeal of your property in the autumn.1
It will gladly grow up to 75 feet in height with a wide 40-50 foot canopy.
It’s easy to see why this tree is so popular across America when it puts on a colorful show in the fall when the helicopter seeds take off from the bare branches.
Small Trees for Landscaping (Ornamental Trees)
If you have a large landscaping dream but a tiny yard, don’t despair. Many small evergreen trees for landscaping projects are equally stunning.
Some of these contemporary modern trees or trees that don’t grow tall, may be placed in containers or in small areas to make them more noticeable, add a burst of color, or draw attention to a particular feature.
5. Hawthorn
(Crataegus spp.)
One of the few trees with flowers worth keeping around is a Hawthorn Tree since its blossoms hang around late into the summer. Bright pink, white, or red flowers decorate this tree in late spring and early summer.
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6. Higan Cherry
(Prunus x subhirtella)
The Higan Cherry Tree is a stunning flowering Cherry Tree, perfect for use as a decorative focal point in any outdoor space. The bright pink flowers that emerge against the dark, rough bark are a stunning contrast to the dark green foliage that turns vibrant reds, yellows, and golds in the fall.
7. Wintersweet
(Chimonanthus praecox)
Typically viewed as a shrub, wintersweet (Chimonanthus praecox) can be successfully trained into small patio trees with practice and patience.
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They mature to heights of 10-15 feet, making them an excellent choice for a patio or deck in the fall, a perfect time for when their fragrant golden blossoms may be appreciated to their fullest extent.
8. Flowering Almond Tree
(Prunus triloba ‘Multiplex’)
As they are more resistant to the cold, Almond Trees are a viable substitute for Cherry Trees in areas that experience harsh winters.
They may just be little trees or humble-looking shrubs, but in either guise, they have stunning springtime displays of pink blooms every year that are well worth the wait.
9. Harlequin Gloryblower
(Clerodendrum trichotomum)
The Harlequin Gloryblower’s flowers are just one of its many amazing features when combined with the purple,4 almost iridescent fruits. But what’s truly unusual are the leaves.
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Give them a little squeeze and you’ll be surprised when you recognize the smell of peanut butter in the air.
Dwarf Trees for Landscaping (Dwarf Garden Trees)
Tree landscaping ideas have to be carefully sketched and planned to the nearest foot to avoid future conflicts, and to take into consideration the size of one plant next to another to ensure that they complement each other, rather than compete for every drop of water.
One of the first rules in how to group trees in landscaping is spacing, not only when the plants are young but the size of their foliage as they mature, and that applies to even small-sized trees.
10. Mountain Witch Alder
(Fothergilla latifolia)
This slow-growing Mountain Witch Alder will grow multiple trunks if allowed to grow freely, yet it can be pruned into a single-trunked dwarf tree, and to a maximum height of about 10 feet.
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In spring it will be fully loaded with fragrant flowers, while in the fall it will give an equally impressive display when its leaves change to brilliant reds, oranges, and yellows.
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11. Hinoki Cypress
(Chamaecyparis obtusa)
It grows in a spreading manner up to 4-5 feet, with horizontal branches that droop at its tips. Instead of needles, the leaves, a golden yellow in the fall, are more like flattened scales and this type of tree is particularly suited as a great bonsai or potted tree.
12. Flowering Almond
(Prunus glandulosa)
Adored for its showy double flowers with bright pink or white petals that appear in the spring. With a multi-stemmed trunk, it doesn’t grow much taller than 5 feet but can be trimmed smaller for containers or used as a tree edging feature around the garden.
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13. Dwarf Alberta Spruce
(Picea glauca ‘Conica’)
The Dwarf Alberta Spruce is a well-liked white spruce cultivar that has been specifically developed to mature at a height of just 10 to 13 feet.
It’s perfect for spaces where a larger evergreen, like a pine, might look out of place. Due to its slow growth rate, it is often used as a live Christmas tree and as a potted patio tree.
14. Dawn Redwood
(Metasequoia glyptostroboides)
The miniature tree cultivar ‘Miss Grace’ grows at a one-legged snail’s pace.
In a decade, it will only reach a maximum height of about 8 feet.
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15. Spanish Fir
(Abies pinsapo)
The Abies pinsapo ‘Fastigiata’ dwarf tree variety grows to a maximum height of about 10 feet. The blue-green evergreen needles are short and stiff, and the very large seed cones start out looking an impressive purple before turning brown.
Tree Landscape Design: Espalier Trees
The types of landscaping trees available can vary substantially and don’t necessarily have to be traditional trees or shrubs.
An example is espalier trees.
In the realm of tree landscape design, an espalier is a tree with multiple horizontal branches that have been trained to grow against a fence. Some serious pruning is required the first year after planting to get the desired effect, and then religiously every year after that.
The value is that growing espaliers in pots or along a brick wall adds visual interest and color to a garden setting, incorporating height without the need to sacrifice floor space.
In principle, any large shrub or tree might be trained into an espalier, it is crucial to choose a species that will thrive in the given environment and surprisingly some apple and pears trees are excellent common candidates for espalier training.
It will take a little extra effort and time to coax the limbs into the right positions and maintain them, but they can make excellent privacy tree screens.
Flowering Trees (Types of Landscaping Trees)
Designed by nature to spruce up your outdoor living area because of its striking appearance, flowering landscaping trees are among the most valued additions to any yard.
Magnolia Tree and Crepe Myrtle Tree are normally at the top of the list of colorful must-have titans as they import eye-catching red, white, blue, and purple flowers every year.
16. Eastern Redbud
(Cersis canadensis)
The Eastern Redbud is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful spring flowering landscape trees to have in your garden.
The blossoms themselves are not particularly large, but when the flashy pink petals open wide on a sunkist day, the entire landscape will be transformed beautifully.
17. Star Magnolia
(Magnolia stellata)
The white flowers of the Magnolia stellata are famous for their size and star-like shape but they are just as mesmerizing in the other hues of yellow,8 pink, red, and purple.
But more than just adding color to the landscape, each distinct flower is wrapped in its own special fragrance.
18. Crepe Myrtle
(Lagerstroemia indica)
Crepe Myrtle is a great option if you want to continue the display of color from spring throughout the summer. A popular choice in the South, they bloom for a long time to keep your garden vibrant and buzzing.
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19. Flowering Dogwood
(Cornus florida)
The glossy green leaves of Flowering Dogwoods turn appealing shades of crimson in the fall and winter, adding visual interest to the landscape with the brilliant spring blossoms.
Once their leaves have fallen in the winter, their unmistakable branching patterns become more pronounced and dramatic.
Weeping Trees for Landscaping
Weeping trees, with their distinctive drooping growth pattern offer the opportunity to create a stunning focal point in the garden.
Different varieties and sizes of these trees can be used for a wide range of purposes in the garden or yard, including being grown in pots for versatility where they can be arranged for maximum eye-catching impact.
If you want dazzling colors, you can have them. If you want a choice of 10 shades of green, there’s a wide range to choose from.
With weeping trees for landscaping, you can find a perfect match for any desired style or color, ensuring there’s one ready to gracefully take center stage in your garden or yard.
20. Weeping Pagoda
(Styphonolobium japonica ‘Pendula’)
Dramatic is the first impression of this Japanese Pagoda Tree that has its roots in Korea and China, despite the common name.It has narrow pinnate leaves that start out as bright green alongside the creamy white flowers, and eventually become a pale yellow in the fall.
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21. Weeping White Pine
(Pinus strobus ‘Pendula’)
One of the droopiest of weeping trees, a variant of the Eastern White Pine, the Weeping White Pine makes a beautiful ornamental tree with its gorgeous blue-green needles and distinctive shape.
They exhibit tangled, trailing branches that form a creeping ground cover, and no two of them will ever be exactly the same.
22. Weeping Flowering Apricot
(Prunus mume)
The weeping flowering apricot puts on a show of fragrant flowers in early spring and has a semi-double blossom shape with a pendant form.
It is adaptable enough to thrive in either full sun or moderate shade conditions, but if you don’t want to be shedding any tears over your weeping tree, make sure it gets enough sunshine.
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23. Weeping Japanese Maple
(Acer palmatum)
Bring some Eastern style to your landscape. The Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum) is a popular ornamental tree because of the spectrum of hues from its leaves when they are in full bloom.5
The type of tree that will grow on you.
24. Weeping Blue Atlas Cedar
(Cedrus atlantica ‘Glacua Pendula’)
An attractive evergreen with blue needles and drooping limbs, unpruned specimens tend to balloon outward in an unruly fashion. Being active with the shears will keep it looking good as the main attraction.
(Image: David J. Stang20)
Evergreen Trees for Landscaping (Landscaping With Trees and Shrubs)
Evergreen landscaping trees, such as needle-bearing conifers and broadleaf evergreens, are a wonderful addition to any garden because they provide color and texture when the rest of the landscape is gray and barren.
Some of them have unique leaves that are green while others can be golden yellow, all forming compact, pyramidal shapes that need very little pruning and are able to thrive in a wide range of climates and soil types.
Having bustling green foliage in the dead of winter is an uplifting sight when the skies are gray, but even at the height of summer, the presence of evergreen shrubs or trees can give the impression that nature hasn’t gone dormant for the next few months.
Research thoroughly which type would suit your environment as there are shrubs with blue/green leaves that are just as amazing as other specimens that are more than happy to leap 150 feet into the air while others are more subtle in various shades of yellow/green leaves bundles into the form of a small bush.
25. Taylor’s Juniper
(Juniperus virginiana ‘Taylor’)
The Eastern Red Cedar cultivar is blessed by a rapid growth rate if time is a factor in completing a landscape reformation project. This feature affords you the opportunity to grow this variety as a tall hedge without ever having to prune it as it doesn’t get unruly and ruffled, and without ever having to worry that it will get too big for its roots.
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Adept at attracting pollinators, its blue-green foliage and blueberries make it a good choice for cooler regions and, even better, it is hardy in USDA hardiness zones 4 to 9.
26. Chinese Fringe Flower
(Loropetalum chinense)
This is an evergreen shrub with large, ovate leaves.
The height and width of its rambling, arching branches normally range from 6 to 8 feet. Clusters of white, pink, or crimson blooms with a subtle perfume bloom in late March and early April.
27. Common Myrtle
(Myrtus communis)
Keeping it real and keeping it green. Common Myrtle is an excellent choice if you need a hedge for privacy.
This flowering woody evergreen can be pruned to the size of a small tree if desired, although it is best used as a hedge.
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White fuzzy blossoms are followed by dark green leathery leaves and then berries that can be picked and eaten.
28. Mountain Laurel
(Kalmia latifolia)
Native to eastern North America, Mountain Laurel (Kalmia latifolia) is a broadleaf evergreen shrub that thrives in shady or sunny locations.7
It blossoms with unique flowers in shades of white to deep rose. There is a wide selection of cultivars to choose from, some of which can even withstand high temperatures so they are great as shade givers.
Pleached Trees (Types of Landscaping Trees)
These types of trees allow for landscaping under trees where grass won’t grow by growing horizontally above and leaving clear open spaces beneath.
Pleached trees are trained from an early stage to make a beautiful screen of branches and leaves on a single, straight stem snaking along trellises and fences.
They provide an elevated green privacy wall when planted in rows at predetermined spacing, on top of an already existing structure. This technique is called pleached hedging and is a natural alternative to just building an exceptionally high fence that may appear out of place.
Pleached trees are frequently utilized to conceal ugly structures and in the 17th and 18th centuries, particularly in France and Italy, nobles often had them arranged in a grand manner on their residences.
They are distinct from espaliers.
The horizontal branches of an espaliered tree are evenly spaced along the entire length of the primary stem. Instead, pleached trees have distinct stems and closer-spaced horizontal branches that are frequently intertwined with the branches of the adjacent tree.
The techniques of pleaching and espaliering are effective methods to incorporate trees into smaller gardens without overwhelming them.
Front Yard Tree (Best Landscaping Trees)
Selecting the right trees for your front yard can enhance curb appeal and heighten the overall appearance of your house, as well as increase the property value by 15%.
They can help save money on air conditioning and heating costs by blocking the sun in the summer and blocking the wind in the winter.
Even better, they actively absorb carbon dioxide from the air and then release oxygen, mitigating the effects of global warming.
29. Magnolia Black Tulip
(Black Tulip Magnolia)
The Black Tulip is a beautiful deciduous shrub that features fragrant burgundy tulip-shaped flowers.9 It’s perfect for use as a decorative tree right smack in the middle of your lawn.
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30. Eastern Redbud
(Cercis Canadensis)
A month before the rest of the trees have any leaves, this one puts on quite a show by revealing its many reddish-purple buds. Flowers appear in fascicles of four to eight in the leaf axils, along the branches, and occasionally on the trunk.
There are white varieties as well as those that range from a pale rosy pink to a nice deep magenta.
31. Tibetan Cherry
(Prunus serrula)
Due to its vibrant color and unique form, the Tibetan Cherry Tree is a great choice for front yards. It thrives in zones 6-8, and its polished mahogany bark makes for an eye-catching year-round feature, especially in the winter when the red bark stands out against the tiny white blossoms in the spring and the white snow in the winter.
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Use for Backyard Trees (Ornamental Trees for Landscaping)
Backyard landscaping trees are often chosen for their ability for casting a wide shadow, or for privacy, or even as a dividing line between properties. Under whichever occasion, there is a lot to choose from so they can still look imposing and eye-catching.
In addition to enhancing seclusion and quietness in the backyard and house, well-planted trees can help prevent soil erosion and even replenish nutrients in the surrounding ecosystem.
32. Japanese Maple
(Acer palmatum ‘Osakazuki’)
Among Japanese Maples, the award-winning ‘Osakazuki’ is widely considered to offer the most brilliant and long-lasting scarlet fall specimen.
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It is a small tree at just 15 feet tall but can also be a large shrub full of either white, pink, or lavender flowers, making it perfect for a smaller garden while still being able to create a spectacle of itself in a larger garden setting.
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33. Serviceberry
(Amelanchier spp.)
A decorative deciduous tree whose showy white blossoms command admiration and more than a little attention. Its white blossoms appear delicate and wispy but are only present for a very short period when they are replaced by juicy purple fruits.
Coveted by a host of wild birds, these fruits are freshly eaten and are used as the main ingredient in pies, cobblers, muffins, and more.
34. Lombardy Poplar
(Populus nigra ‘Italica’)
The Lombardy Poplar is a particularly hardy deciduous tree with bright yellow fall leaves. It can survive temperatures as low as 30°F in USDA Hardiness Zones 3 to 9 without any significant damage.13
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Standing at 40-60 feet tall when fully mature, it is commonly employed to block wind due to its elegant, Italian-inspired appearance.
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35. Cleveland Pear Tree
(Pyrus calleryana)
Incredible natural beauty can be found in the Cleveland Flowering Pear Tree. This tree will look great year after year with an abundance of white flowers and comes complete with zero upkeep.
Glossy green foliage in the summer turns a stunning mahogany crimson in the fall.
Landscaping Privacy Trees and Shrubs
The best privacy trees for screening are ones that afford you the necessary modicum of privacy without making you feel like you’re locked in a green prison.
If they can be made into an attractive feature, whether because the leaves are evergreen, colorful, or peppered with wildly colorful flowers, even better.
Choose the right ones that are tall enough, can grow close together in a strong defensive line, or can be pruned into a hedge just tall enough so they’re head and shoulders above your tallest neighbor.
36. Eastern White Pine
(Pinus strobus)
Considered to be one of the best fast-growing trees for the landscape, if you need privacy immediately, this tree would be hard to overlook. At full maturity, it can tower between 50 and 80 feet high and spread between 20 and 40 feet wide, and when lined up side by side they make a row of sentinels that keep out prying eyes.
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37. Italian Cypress
(Cupressus sempervirens)
The addition of Italian Cypress to a garden adds a sense of class.
It is commonly used as an ornamental element in gardens due to its tall, skinny, cylindrical shape.
Sprays of dark gray-green needles cover this Mediterranean native’s short, erect branches, and the cones it bears range in color from brown to copper.
38. Hornbeam
(Carpinus Betulus)
Hornbeam is a well-liked deciduous tree for use as a privacy screen due to its evergreen spring foliage and golden yellow fall color.
Depending on its exposure to the wind, it will hang on to a large proportion of its old leaves on its branches giving a better screening effect.
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39. Japanese Holly
(Ilex crenata ‘Dark Green’)
As a densely leaved holly, it can take on any shape with a fair amount of pruning.
As it grows quickly, it has become a popular property line plant. With thick foliage, impenetrable head-high hedges for privacy and solitude can be created in no time at all.
Spiral Trees for Landscaping
Topiary trees are like magnets for the eyes. When shaped into spirals they make stunning showpieces, whether grown tall or shaped small.
It takes a lot of skill, patience, a steady eye, and a sharp pair of shears to coax a plant into a spiral or topiary shape,11 but the results can frame a doorway, decorate a pathway, or highlight an area in the front yard.
Rather than start from scratch and use your imagination to shape and sculpt a virgin plant into an intricate spiral design, pop down to your local nursery and browse through their collection.
You never know what you’ll find.
40. Leyland Cypress ‘Castlewellan Gold’
(Cupressocyparis leylandii)
This evergreen conifer is useful for hedging and as a privacy screening from neighbors, as well as for muting traffic noises, and for use as a windbreak.
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It’s easy to clip and form into stunning spiral shapes that wind up to heights of 10 feet even in a container.
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41. Delavay Privet
(Ligustrum jonandrum)
The dense foliage and glossy leaves are easy to clip into the desired spiral shape. Slow growing, it just needs a quick trim a couple of times a year to keep it looking clean and neat.
42. White Cedar
(Thuja Smaragd)
Even in the dead of winter, this stunning tree will maintain its upright twists and turns. Evergreen and glossy, when placed at a front door, on a patio, or around a border in the garden, they add a nice finishing touch to any landscape.
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Decorative Trees for Landscaping
Depending on where you are located in the United States can determine if you will be able to plant different types of palm trees or Birch Trees, or splendidly colorful Maple Trees.
Just as much care and attention have to be taken when decorating your outdoor living space as when you’re decorating your indoor living area. Choose once, choose right and you’ll have the pleasure of appreciating your nature preserve for years to come.
43. Blue Chinese Wisteria Tree
(Wisteria sinensis)
Blue Chinese Wisteria Tree is a gorgeous landscaping focal point that has deep purple buds that open to reveal a dazzling array of lavender and purple petals, and as the season passes, gradually fade to that stunning blue that everyone adores.
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44. Ginkgo
(Ginkgo biloba)
The unique fan-shaped leaves of the Ginkgo biloba are the feature of this small tree as they flutter in the wind,6 and turn a vivid, vibrant gold in the fall.
In what seems like a choreographed scene, all the leaves seemingly turn a brilliant and clear yellow all at once, and, as if on cue, all fall to the ground in unison. An amazing sight.
45. White Snow Fountains Weeping Cherry
(Prunus x ‘Snofozam’)
The understated elegance of this ornamental tree is hard to ignore.
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In the early spring, before the leaves have even appeared, there is a breathtaking display of pure white blooms, and every arching branch is completely covered in this breathtaking display of pure white flowers.
Pine Tree Landscaping (Ornamental Trees for Landscaping)
Pine Trees, similar to some types of Cedar Trees, are distinguished by their evergreen foliage and are an easy choice for residential landscaping because of their year-round appeal, and imposing stature. There are more than a hundred different types that add texture, and character, and their flexibility means that they can be used in a variety of garden locations.
46. ‘Joppi’ Jeffrey Pine
(Pinus jeffreyi ‘Joppi’)
The bark has a cinnamon-color bark that contrasts well against the blue-green shading of its leaves. In addition to being one of the most fragrant pine trees during the summer months, Joppi also produces large, 4-inch-long cones that fall to the ground come late autumn.
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47. ‘Uncle Fogy’ Pine
(Pinus banksiana)
It may not be the best-looking plant in the pot but it will create a stir in a landscape of pretty garden bedfellows.
Growing to not much more than 2 feet, if left to its own devices, it will grow in all sorts of twisted directions.
When combined with taller trees or shrubs, it will form quite an interesting display.
48. Japanese White Pine
(Pinus parviflora ‘Fukai’)
This unusual dwarf variety is a treat to have around the house in planters for both small and large gardens. It is a tiny tree with golden variegated blue, green, and yellow needles in the winter and equally tiny cones.
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A remarkable specimen.
Landscaping Trees (Tall Skinny Trees for Landscaping)
Just because you live in the middle of the urban jungle doesn’t disqualify you from actually having a taste of nature close by. You just need to have a narrower point of view.
Urban gardens and even urban farming can benefit from planting tall,10 slim landscaping trees with columnar, conical, or tight pyramidal shapes that will help you handle privacy and space issues in your garden.
Small juniper trees for landscaping or spruce trees for landscaping projects are ideal as they can be pruned to fit virtually any space.
An Oak Tree is going to be too mighty, but if placed correctly a few skinny trees can still be shade trees.
49. ‘Sky Pencil’ Japanese Holly
(Ilex Crenata ‘Sky Pencil’)
‘Sky Pencil’ is an ideal skinny tree for smaller spaces. Pack them nice and close together on the borders of your property and the dark green convex foliage will protect you from nosy neighbors.
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The coming of spring will see little white flowers poke through, followed by attractive black fruits in the summer and fall, all of which will be nestled by mild evergreen leaves.
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50. Japanese Maple
(Acer Palmatum ‘Twombly’s Red Sentinel’)
Unlike other Maple Tree, it has a columnar and thick growth habit rather than a spreading and open one, so positioning 1 or 2 of them to fill a gap in the border fence is a smart move.
The foliage, and shape, remain constant, but the exceptional coloring morphs from bright red to a darker burgundy, then lightens to reddish green before settling back to red with a tinge of orange in the fall.
Landscaping Around Trees and Landscaping Under Trees
More often than not, the area around the base of a tree is like a forgotten zone apart from clearing away a few weeds and scattering a thin layer of mulch occasionally.
This occurs because the tree itself is the focal point in the landscape and many gardeners neglect to pay enough attention to what lies beneath the towering canopy and pretty flowers.
It’s like having a nice suit on with a dirty pair of sandals. It detracts from the whole.
But it needn’t be so.
There are many creative ways to transform this overlooked area to make it a feature in and of itself, rather than an eyesore.
Build a Border
One of the easiest starting points for landscaping trees with a bare bottom is to mark a circular outline around the base and use bricks, stones, or even cobble to make the edges more pronounced.
Covering the dirt just with a 2-inch layer of mulch will immediately make a difference,2 but just ensure it is not touching the trunk.
Instead of mulch, soil can be used, and shade-loving plants or flowers planted to bring a splash of color and attract pollinators. The use of a good tree fertilizer may be needed so there are sufficient nutrients for both the tree and the plants.
Erect a Decking
As long as enough space is allowed around the base of the tree, building a decking area can be transformative. From being a wasted space that is good for nothing, the entire area can become a fantastic place for the family to relax in the shade.
A Cactus Garden
Succulents love heat and are drought resistant. There are quite a few types to choose from that can add color, texture, and with variations in height so you can create a feature underneath a feature.
And just as importantly, they won’t fight your tree over the last drop of water.
Trees for Landscaping: Small Trees
Not everyone can accommodate a massive tree in their backyard and may have to go small.
Dwarf trees, less than 15 feet in height, are a great option for those with limited space, as are small trees, those with a height of less than 30 feet. They are not only simple to include in any size garden but also require less upkeep.
And if your environment isn’t ideal, and very few are, many dwarf trees can be grown in containers and still be a centerfold when you’re planning your next big landscaping trees project.
Frequently Asked Questions About 50 Types of Landscaping Trees
Which Tree Can Be Safely Planted Close to a House?
A Birch Tree is house friendly as the roots or the canopy do not spread far and wide from the tree. As landscape trees go, this is a good one.
Which Trees Are Easy To Maintain?
Crape Myrtle, Redbuds, and Japanese maple are easy-care trees for any level of gardener.
What Are the Best Trees for Backyards?
For shade, trees such as the Northern Red Oak, Red Maple, Dogwood Tree, and American Sycamore are excellent trees for the backyard.
Which Trees Are Better for Hedges?
The Spartan Juniper, several Holly varieties, and some Cypress species can be pruned to make excellent hedges.
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References
1Curtis, I. (2023). Sugar Maple. Bates Canopy. Retrieved July 25, 2023, from <https://www.bates.edu/canopy/species/sugar-maple/>
2Freeborn, J. (2014, March 15). Why do we want to Mulch? Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Retrieved July 25, 2023, from <https://ext.vt.edu/lawn-garden/turfandgardentips/tips/Springtime_mulch.html>
3Iowa State University. (1997, January 3). Tree Roots. Iowa State University Extension. Retrieved July 25, 2023, from <https://www.extension.iastate.edu/pages/tree/site/roots.html>
4Klingaman, G. (2013, September 6). Plant of the Week: Harlequin Glorybower. University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. Retrieved July 25, 2023, from <https://www.uaex.uada.edu/yard-garden/resource-library/plant-week/harlequin-glorybower-9-6-13.aspx>
5North Carolina State University. (2023). Acer palmatum. NC State Extension. Retrieved July 25, 2023, from <https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/acer-palmatum/>
6North Carolina State University. (2023). Ginkgo biloba. NC State Extension. Retrieved July 25, 2023, from <https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/ginkgo-biloba/>
7North Carolina State University. (2023). Kalmia latifolia. NC State Extension. Retrieved July 25, 2023, from <https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/kalmia-latifolia/>
8North Carolina State University. (2023). Magnolia stellata. NC State Extension. Retrieved July 25, 2023, from <https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/magnolia-stellata/>
9Oregon State University. (2023). Magnolia Black Tulip. Landscape Plants. Retrieved July 25, 2023, from <https://landscapeplants.oregonstate.edu/plants/magnolia-black-tulip>
10Unity Environmental University. (2023). What Is Urban Farming? Understanding Urban Agriculture. Unity Environmental University. Retrieved July 25, 2023, from <https://unity.edu/careers/what-is-urban-farming/>
11University of Illinois. (2023). Topiary. University of Illinois Extension. Retrieved July 25, 2023, from <https://web.extension.illinois.edu/containergardening/topiary.cfm>
12University of Maryland College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. (2023, February 15). What are cultivars of native plants? University of Maryland Extension. Retrieved July 25, 2023, from <https://extension.umd.edu/resource/cultivars-native-plants>
13Utah State University. (2023). Hardiness Zones. Forestry Extension. Retrieved July 25, 2023, from <https://extension.usu.edu/forestry/trees-cities-towns/tree-selection/hardiness-zones>
14Mykola “Kolya” Korzh. Unsplash. Retrieved from <https://unsplash.com/photos/Pv3QPi5yRjk>
15Sugar Maple by Dianne, Higan Cherry by Quang Nguyen Vinh, White Cedar by Joaquin Carfagna. Pexels. Retrieved from <https://www.pexels.com/>
16Removed image <https://a>
17Weeping Pagoda by Yoko Nekonomania. (CC BY 2.0). Resized and Changed Format. Flickr. Retrieved from <https://www.flickr.com/photos/50093642@N03/4689826498>
18Weeping White Pine by David J. Stang. (CC BY-SA 4.0). Resized and Changed Format. Wikimedia Commons. Retrieved from <https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pinus_strobus_Pendula_14zz.jpg>
19Remove image <https://a>
20Weeping Blue Atlas Cedar by David J. Stang. (CC BY-SA 4.0). Resized and Changed Format. Wikimedia Commons. Retrieved from <https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cedrus_atlantica_Glauca_Pendula_5zz.jpg>
21White Snow Fountains Weeping Cherry by David J. Stang. (CC BY-SA 4.0). Resized and Changed Format. Wikimedia Commons. Retrieved from <https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Prunus_x_Snofozam_0zz.jpg>
22Uncle Fogy Pine by Mbrickn. (CC BY 4.0). Resized and Changed Format. Wikimedia Commons. Retrieved from <https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Uncle_Fogy_Jack_Pine.jpg>
23Sky Pencil Japanese Holly by David J. Stang. (CC BY-SA 4.0). Cropped, Resized and Changed Format. Wikimedia Commons. Retrieved from <https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ilex_crenata_Sky_Pencil_0zz.jpg>
24Japanese Maple (Acer Palmatum ‘Twombly’s Red Sentinel’) by David J. Stang. (CC BY-SA 4.0). Resized and Changed Format.Wikimedia Commons. Retrieved from <https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Acer_palmatum_Twombly_Red_Sentinel_2zz.jpg>
25Mountain Witch Alder by Wzwz, Dwarf Alberta Spruce by I.Sáček, senior, Dawn Redwood by Daderot, Abies pinsapo by Réfocalienne Fipsou07, Weeping Japanese Maple by Offworlder, Taylor’s Juniper by User:AAK, Tibetan Cherry by Daderot, Japanese Maple by Wzwz, Serviceberry by AnRo0002, Eastern White Pine by SusquehannaMan, Japanese Holly by Tomwsulcer, Leyland Cypress by I.Sáček, senior, Japanese White Pine by W.carter. Public Domain. Wikimedia Commons. Retrieved from <https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Main_Page>
26Yoshino Cherry by shell_ghostcage, Hawthorn by Dekal, Wintersweet by JWKangHarlequin, Gloryblower by sjhanjeju, Hinoki Cypress by Riyad2021, Flowering Almond (Prunus glandulosa) by Limbyungjei, Crepe Myrtle by paulbr75, Common Myrtle by WhiskerFlowers, Eastern Redbud Tree by debrav, Lombardy Poplar by Bluesnap, Cleaveland Pear by PublicDomainPictures, Italian Cypress by nadja-golitschek, Hornbeam by Peggychoucair, Delavay Privet by kaboompics, Blue Chinese Wisteria by meigru, Ginkgo Biloba by 강춘성. Public Domain. Pixabay. Retrieved from <https://pixabay.com/>