What is a Shade Tree?

  These trees grow well under a variety of conditions, provide spectacular autumn color and bright red, showy fruit. As a hardy, all-purpose tree, it is hard to go wrong with this variety. 

 Its most distinguishing characteristic, its scarlet red autumn foliage, begins in early October, as the name suggests. The spectacular scarlet coloration persists for weeks, often after many neighboring species have already shed their leaves.

  In winter, the softly-hued gray bark provides a welcome relief from the drab monotony of darker trees, and in springtime the October glory bursts with color as it blooms with countless tiny but vivid red flowers. During the summer, the lush, dark-green leaves provide a hint of the brilliance to come. Rapid growth, reliability, and enduring fall color make it a perfect specimen tree. 

 Noted for its spectacular fall color, Acer platanoides (Norway Maple) is a large, deciduous tree with a slender trunk and a dense, rounded crown. It's foliage of sharply pointed five-lobed leaves, ranges from medium to dark green in summer, and changes to a brilliant palette of yellows, oranges and browns in the fall. 

 In spring, scented yellow flowers, borne into showy clusters appear before the leaves and are followed by two-winged samaras. 

 Long-lived (60 to 200 years) and fast-growing, Norway Maple also provides some winter interest, with its attractive, grayish bark, regularly and shallowly grooved. Excellent shade tree. 

 Grows up to 40-50 ft. tall and 30-50 ft. wide. A full sun or part shade lover, the Norway Maple is easily grown in average, moist, well-drained soils. Tolerant to heat, drought and of a wide range of soils. 

Noted for its spectacular fall color, Acer saccharum (Sugar Maple) is a large, deciduous tree with a straight trunk, wide-spreading branches, and a dense, oval to rounded crown. 

Its foliage of five-lobed leaves, ranges from medium to dark green in summer, and changes to a brilliant palette of yellows, oranges, and reds in the fall. In spring, greenish-yellow flowers, borne in short, upright sprays appear before the leaves and are followed by two-winged samaras. 

 Long-lived and slow-growing,  adding around 24 inches a year, the Sugar Maple also provides some winter interest, with its attractive, gray-brown bark, often ridged and furrowed with age. Excellent shade tree or specimen tree. 

 Grows up to 40-80 ft. tall and 30-60 ft. wide.  A full sun or part shade lover, this tree is easily grown in fertile, moist, acid, well-drained soils. Tolerant of full shade. 

 Scarlet Oaks are a large deciduous tree with a rounded, open canopy of glossy foliage that can reach 75 ft tall occasionally reaching 150 ft tall; it is well known for its gorgeous fall color.  Its bark is brown with fine scaly ridges, the inner bark is red to orangish-pink. New growth twigs are smooth and reddish-brown in color; oblong, reddish brown buds are clustered with 5-angled cross sections. Leaves are oval to elliptic, 3- 6” long and 3-5” wide, margins with 5 - 9 lobes; the top of the leaves are a glossy light green, with tufts of matted woolly down beneath. Leaves turn scarlet red in the fall. The catkins appear just before the new leaves emerge. The acorns of this oak are small to medium in size (½ - 1 inch long) and form in pairs or singly. Concentric rings occasionally form around the tip of the nut; they mature in two years and ripen in the fall. The scales of the bowl-shaped cap are shiny, generally rigid and covers about half of the nut. 

   Tilia cordata is a deciduous tree, moderate grower 30-50 ft tall & 15-30 ft wide.     Commonly called Little Leaf Linden.  'Greenspire' – grows in sun or partial shade.  Dark green leaves above, silvery beneath.  Oval to pyramidal canopy.   Yellow fall color.

   Tilia tomentosa is a deciduous tree growing to 66–115 ft. tall.  "Sterling' -  Silver linden has leaves that are dark green above and silvery-white below. It can be used as a street tree. The pale yellow fragrant flowers that bloom in late spring or early summer are very attractive to pollinators.  It is noted for its attractive foliage, which is glossy green above and silvery-white below. The foliage flutters in the slightest breeze, showcasing the silver and green leaf colors. Has a broad-columnar habit.  Flowers are followed by small nutlets attached to narrow leafy wings. Fall color green-yellow. Full Sun.  When a tree is in full bloom, bees often visit in such abundant numbers that humming can be heard many feet from the tree.