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Ulmus parvifolia 'Allee'

This cultivar has an upright spreading form with an outline similar to the American Elm, but is not susceptible to Dutch Elm disease. Its bark exfoliates in a beautiful pattern revealing a variety of colors from light gray to orange brown.

Magolia grandiflora 'Alta'

Tillia Americana

Native

Also known as Linden, this stately native will grow 60-80 feet. It typical pyramidal shape is not displayed in this specimen due to the shade competition from surrounding Oaks. Its wood is valued for furniture, wooden ware and carving.

Fagus Americana

Native

Ilex opaca

Native

A large, slow growing native Holly which will grow 40 – 50 feet. This densely pyramidal tree with spiny, medium green leaves and persistent red fruits has spawned over 1000 cultivars. The branches and berries are a favorite for Christmas decorations, but male plants must be present to pollinate the females. Â

Amelanchier arborea 'Autumn Brilliance'

Native

A small tree to 25 feet, it sports white flowers, edible fruits and brilliant red fall color. Folklore holds that its early spring bloom was a sign to pioneers that the ground had thawed enough to bury their dead and have the service.

Prunus subhirtella var autumnalis

Native

Nyssa sylvatica

Native

A beautiful native tree which deserves wider landscape planting. It maintains a very pyramidal form when young, if grown in the open, opening to a rounded, 50 foot crown when mature. It may have the best fall color of all trees in the south with orange to scarlet to purple leaves.

Quercus velutina

Native

A large native Oak with an irregular crown. A member of the Red Oak group, it is one of the most common native in the eastern US. Difficult to transplant due to its large tap root.

Juglans nigra

Native

The black walnut is highly prized for its dark brown wood and a large veneer quality log can bring a considerable price. Its tasty nuts are hard to get harvested. Identified by its deeply furrowed, dark-brown bark and pinnately compound leaves.

Ulmus Parvifolia 'Bosque'

Magnolia grandifloria 'Bracken's Brown Beauty'

Native

One of the best cultivars of the popular species with a rusty brown pubescences on the underside of the leaf contrasting with its glossy dark green top. Compact and dense growth habit.

Pyrus calleryana 'Bradford'

Probably the most over-planted landscape tree of the last two decade because of its consistent pyramidal form and prolific white blooms. The Bradford Pear has weak branches crotches and is commonly destroyed by snow. ice and wind storms. Avoid planting Bradfords there are many better cultivars.

Acer rubrum 'Brandywine'

Native

A cultivar of Red Maple which boasts a pronounced autumn red leaf color changing to brilliant purple-red as the season progresses.

Quercus macrocarpa

Macrocarpa means large fruit in latin and this oak lives up to its name. The acorn is up to 1 and 1/2 inches long with a cap that is conspicuously fringed on the margin and nearly encompasses the fruit. It also has 'macro' leaves, up to 12 inches long and a 'macro' size to 100 feet tall.

Halsia Carolina

Native

Pyrus calleryana 'Chanticleer'

Like its relative the Bradford Pear, this cultivar has the masses of white flowers, dense growth habit and good purplish fall color, but it has a stronger branching structure and is not destroyed by ice storms like the Bradford. It is more narrow in form and is a superior choice for the landscape.

Quercus falcate var. pagodifolia

Quercus prinus

Native

Another large Oak with a pyramidal growth habit in youth, becoming rather rounded and dense in age, like many of us. It does well in dry and rocky soils and transplants easily. Acorns are sweet and relished by wildlife.

Cunninghamia lanceolata

A native of China introduce in 1804, this fir-like tree can grow over 100 feet. It makes an interesting specimen in the warmer parts of the country. In China it is highly prized for its light, soft, pale yellow and rot resistant wood. It is easily worked and used for everything from construction to coffins.

Chionanthus retusus

This China native prospers in the heat of the south. Grows to 25 feet, it produces 3 - 4 inch upright panicles of white flowers which give the plant its feathery or fringed appearance. Dark blue fall fruit and gray bark add to its ornamental qualities.

Pistacia chinensis

Native

Brilliant orange and red fall color, freedom from pests and the ability to withstand poor soils and droughty conditions are this tree's reimbursement for its gawky growth habit when young.Â

Pistacia chinensis

Diospyros virginiana

Native

An interesting mid-sized native tree rarely found in urban locations. Most easily identified by its deeply furrowed, blocky, almost black bark. Its large, yellow-orange edible fruits, persimmons, are valued by wildlife and people who cook with lots of sugar. Fall color is a beautiful reddish purple.

Fagus sylvatica 'Purpurea'

Malus floribunda

Hundreds of crabapple cultivars exist and the identity of this specimen has fallen into obscurity. However, It is typical of the majority of them, small to mid-sized, beautiful in flower and suffers from fireblight, rust and scab diseases. Happily, there are many new disease resistant cultivars like 'Prarifire' which do well in the landscape.

Acer platanoides 'Crimson King'

This once popular landscape tree has maroon colored leaves, a rounded form and will reach 50 feet in height. However, it is not well adapted to the south and is attractive to Japanese Beetles which make planting it less attractive.

Metasequoia glyptostroboides

Native

Fossilized leaves of this species were discovered, but living specimens were not known until 1941 when discovered in one location in China. Since then they have become popular specimens around the world. Its leaves and bark are similar to both true redwoods and the bald cypress. It is deciduous like the latter.

Cedrus deodara

Magnolia x loebneri 'Merrill'

Thuja occidentalis  'Smaragd'

Acer palmatum var. atropurpureum 'Emperor I'

Cornus florida

Native

An all time favorite in the southeast, the white flowers of this Dogwood typically bloom in April. Legend has it that Jesus was crucified on a cross made of the Dogwood and ever since that time the tree has produced cross-shaped white flowers on Easter.

Ilex x attenuata 'Fosteri'

A once popular landscape tree, this holly will grow 20 feet and produces persistent abundant fruit. It does not have the nice density or lushness of other hollies.

Acer japonicum 'Aconitifolium'

Magnolia 'Galaxy'

Galaxy is a relatively new hybrid introduced by the US National Arboretum. Pyramidal with a central single trunk it will grow to 30 feet. It flowers later in the spring than the frost sensitive Magnolias with 6 – 10 inch red-purple flowers. It is a deciduous magnolia.

Ginko biloba

Large, hardy, adaptable with excellent bright yellow fall color, the Ginko should be more widely used. However, this genus has both male and female trees, and only the males should be planted as the fruit is extremely malodorous. Native to China, its medicinal value has been known for centuries and it has gained popularity for treating middle-aged memory loss. Please don't eat the leaves.Â

Pseudolarix amabilis

Koelreuteria paniculata

A fast growing tree reaching 30 to 40 feet with a rounded outline. Â It's predominate ornamental value is it very showy, foot-long yellow flowers in July. Adaptable and vigorous, a good mid-size tree, but its many seeds sprout easily in mulched areas.

Fraxinus pennsylvanica

Native

A large shade tree which has been widely used because it is very adaptable, transplants easily and grows fast. It is bereft of significant ornamental characteristics, but has many improved cultivars which offer a selection of good fall color and seedless production.

Acer saccharum 'Green Mountain'

Native

A cultivar which is more heat tolerant that the species and performs better in the south. A large tree with an upright, oval crown which grows a foot per year. Fall color varies from yellow to red.

Camillia japonica 'Greensboro Red'

Although a native of Asia, the Camillias traditionally grace southern gardens and are prized for their glossy, evergreen leaves and large blooms in winter to early spring. This locally developed cultivar, boasts large, double red blooms in March, and a pyramidal form eventually reaching 25 feet.

Acer campestre 'Queen Elizabeth'

Betula nigra 'Heritage'

Native

The most popular of the River Birch Cultivars, Heritage is more vigorous and better suited to southern conditions It has a darker green leaf, good yellow fall color and superior bark coloration.

Ulmus x 'Homestead'

Native

A fast growing hybrid elm resistant to the Dutch Elm disease which virtually eliminated the native American Elm's existence.

Carpinis caroliniana

Native

A mid-sized native which typically grows in the understory of the forest. Also known as Musclewood or Ironwood due to both the strength and the muscular appearance of its wood.

Ostrya virginiana

Native

Syringa reticulate 'Ivory Silk'

Beautiful white lilac flowers on a tree? Yes, this specimen plant produces 12 inch long white flowers in mid May when many plants are done blooming. It will grow 20 – 25 feet quickly and develop a rounded form.

Magnolia 'Jane'

Prunus Mume 'Peggy Clarke'

Cornus officianalis

Acer palmatum var. atropurpureum

A highly ornamental and hardy tree, the Japanese Maple is one of the most popular maples with over 150 cultivars. The 'Atropurpureum' is a basic variety which will grow to 25 feet and has hand-shaped leaves that emerge red, fade to green during the summer, but return to a glorious red for fall.

Styrax japonicus

A small tree worthy of more ornamental use. White, pendulous, bell-shaped flowers in May give the effect of a delicate flowering tree. This species is low branched and should be given space to grow, but kept close enough to enjoy.

Stewartia pseudocamilla

A magnificent mid-sized tree with a pyramidal form growing to 30 feet or more. Two inch white flowers in July are followed by a unique, hairy capsule fruit and red to purplish fall color. It's bark is beautiful all year exfoliating to create a patchwork quilts effect.

Zelkova serrota

A mid-sized tree growing to 40 feet or more, distinctive for its strongly vase-shaped growth habit. A member of the Elm family, it has Elm- shaped leaves and attractive smooth, gray bark.

Cercidiphyllum japoncium

Cornus kousa

Introduced in 1875, this native of Asia has a better growth habit, more attractive bark and none of the many pest problems of our native Flowering Dogwood.  Its creamy white flowers appear 2 – 3 weeks after the native blooms. It does not like wet feet.

Prunus serrulata 'Kwanzan'

A wonderful specimen with deep pink, double-petalled, abundant flowers in April. Its new leaves are bronzy, fall color is orange bronze and it bark is an attractive reddish brown. A fast grower to 25 feet, but unfortunately short-lived like many Cherries.

Acer palmatum var. dissectum atropurpureum

Another fine Japanese Maple with deep red leaves, but this one's leaves are very deeply cut with the appearance of ferny foliage. Slow growing, it matures at 8 feet and maintains a mounded and pendulous form.

Ulmus parvifolia

Its bark, which is mottled and exfoliates in a irregular patches exposing the lighter colored bark beneath, is it major ornamental value. It is a tough tree adaptable to urban environments and should not be confused with the inferior Ulmus pumila, Siberian Elm. Will grow to 40 feet or more with a graceful rounded head.

Ilex 'Conty'

Tillia cordata 'Greenspire'

Quercus virginiana

Pinus taeda

Native

This native pine is the leading commercial timber species in the southern US. Not a graceful pine, but very adaptable and fast growing. Loblolly means low wet place. Identified by 9 inch long needles in bundles of three.

Platanus x acerifolia

This individual tree is indicative of the common confusion of seed-grown tree cultivars in the industry. Sold as a London Planetree, it does have the characteristic central leader, patchy light colored ornamental bark and pyramidal form of this hybrid. But this tree produces one fruit per stalk, more typical of the common Sycamore, Platanus occidentalis. Which is it?

Eriobotrya japonica

Carya tomentosa

Native

A very common Hickory which annually produces a large crop of small hickory nuts valued by wildlife. However, that abundance of mess and lack of other ornamental value limits is landscape use.Â

Cary tomentosa

Native

A very common Hickory which annually produces a large crop of small hickory nuts valued by wildlife. However, that abundance of mess and lack of other ornamental value limits is landscape use.

Lagerstroemia indica 'Natchez'

Probably the most easily identifiable of the Crepemyrtle cultivars because of its cinnamon-brown mottled bark, pure white blooms and excellent orange-red fall color.

Ilex x 'Nellie R. Stevens'

One of the best hollies for the southern states, the “Nellie R.”  has a dense and pyramidal growth habit reaching 20 – 25 feet high. Lustrous, dark green leaves and abundant fruit make this a favorite, just give it room to grow.

Quercus nuttallii

This species is a good replacement for Pin Oak and Shumard Oak in the landscape due to it's superior adaptability, reddish new growth and fall color. Rapid growth and complete leaf drop in Autumn.

Ilex 'Magland'

Acer rubrum 'October Glory'

Native

One of the more popular Red Maple cultivars which holds it leaves later in the fall as they turn to an intense orange to red fall color. This tree has an oval to rounded shape crown and will grow 40 to 50 feet. One of the best Red Maples for fall color in the south.

Prunus 'Okame'

An excellent cherry with an upright, vase shaped form growing up to 30 feet high and as wide. It is fast growing and will tolerate heavy clay soil. Bountiful rosy pink blossoms last longer than most cherries. Â

Cercis canadensis 'Oklahoma'

Native

A cultivar that boasts a better display of deep pink to red flowers than the native Redbud. Leaves are also glossier and darker.

Quercus lyrata

Acer griseum

Ilex 'Conot'

Carya illinoinensis

Native

Our native pecan is valued for it edible fruits and as a specialty lumber. However, its use as a landscape tree is limited because it produces a high volume of litter, has a coarse texture and suffers from insect and disease problems.

Parrotia persica

A collector's tree, this uncommon plant makes an excellent specimen and topic of conversation for its foliage, bark and unusual flowers and fruit. Leaves open reddish, turn dark green and change to scarlett in autumn Typically slow growing to 30 feet. Native to Iran.

Quercus palustris

Native

The most commonly used native oak for landscaping, the Pin Oak is pyramidally shaped, has a strong central leader and is fast growing to 60 feet. However, its lower branches are pendulous and require constant removal to create a canopy. It can also suffer from chlorosis in high pH soils.

Quercus stellata

Native

The three lobed leaves of the Post Oak are recognizable by their cross shape. A common tree in dry or rocky sites in our NC woodlands, but seldom planted as a landscape tree. This is one of the many native trees in the old campus that likely pre-dated the University.Â

Malus 'Prairifire'

Ulmus Americana 'Princeton'

Robinia pseudoacacia 'Purple Robe'

Cotinus coggygria 'Royal Purple'

Aesculus x carnea

Acer rubrum

Native

A medium sized, rapidly growing, native tree which occasionally reaches heights of 50 feet in the south. The fall color on this species is highly variable ranging from yellow to brilliant red.

Cercis Canadensis

Native

One of the most beautiful native ornamental trees, the Redbud graces the woodlands of the south with its rosy pink to red flowers in April. A small and hardy ornamental growing 20 to 30 feet.

Cercis Canadensis 'Appalachian Spring'

Native

Cercis Canadensis 'Rising Sun'

Native

Quercus x warei 'Long'

Betula Nigra

Native

This handsome native tree tolerates wet planting sites where other trees fail. Somewhat pendulous in form, it will grow 40 to 50 feet, but Its main ornamental contribution is its distinctive white and peeling bark. This tree will drop leave during summer drought conditions.

Magnolia soulangiana

Arguably the showiest early-flowering tree in the spring, if the blooms are not burned by frost. Its white to pink flowers are 5 – 10 inches across and cover the tree before the leaves emerge. Grows 20 – 30 feet with handsome gray bark

Quercus acutissima

Quercus coccinea

Sophora japonica

A fast growing large tree known primarily for its creamy white, 12 inch flowers fromJuly into August. However it does not flower for several years after planting. This species is well suited for tough conditions, but may also suffer from canker and other diseases.

Heptacodium miconioides

Acer truncatum

Vitex agnus-castus 'Shoals Creek'

Quercus shumardii

Native

The Shumard Oak is similar to both the Scarlet and Red Oaks and difficult for the novice to distinguish. It Transplants easily, is drought tolerant and has one of the better fall colors varying from yellow-bronze to red.

Acer saccharinum

Picea orientalis 'Skylands'

Acer x conspicuum 'Phoenix'

Oxydendrum arboretum

Native

Another excellent small native, the Sourwood displays early fall color occasional with yellow, red and purple on the same tree. Large panicles of white flowers can cover the entire tree in June. An excellent specimen plant but hard to find.

Magnolia grandiflora

Native

The queen of the southern landscapes, this large, broadleafed evergreen needs lots of room to grow. It will reach 70 feet in height with a 40 foot spread and when covered with 8 to 12” white flowers in June, it is a sight to behold. Its 5 inch long red fruits ripen in November and are popular Christmas decorations.

Quercus falcata

Native

This native oak does well on our drier and poorer Piedmont solids. It is easily identified by its large, three lobed leaves that reminds one of a Turkey's foot.Â

Magnolia stellata

Another harbinger of early spring, the Star Magnolia is extremely hardy and will grow as far north as Maine. Named for it's star-shaped white and fragrant flowers which are 3-4 inches in diameter. A small multi-stemmed small tree growing to 15 feet or more.

Celtis laevigata

Native

Acer saccharum

Native

This is the tree that produces the maple syrup we love. Native in the western mountains of North Carolina, this northern favorite does not tolerate the southern heat well and will not attain the magnificent size, statue and fall color that it does in the north.Â

Quercus michauxii

Native

Very difficult to distinguish from Chestnut Oak, leaves are more pubescent on the underside. It has bark and valuable wood like the White Oak, but this one transplants readily.Â

Quercus bicolor

Magnolia virginiana

Native

A graceful small specimen tree growing to 15 feet, the native is semi-evergreen and it leaves have a silvery underside. Not overwhelming but abundant with 2 -3 inch white lemon – scented flowers.

Acer palmatum var. dissectum atropurpureum 'Tamukeyama'

Gleditsia tricanthos var. inermis

The honeylocusts were once popular as a fast growing tree which produced a canopy of light shade. But it is highly susceptible to canker and a host of other disease and insect problems. This poor specimen is the last of six and typical of their problems. One to avoid.

Fagus sylvatica 'Tricolor'

Acer beurgerianum

A mid-size Maple growing to 30 feet which develops an interesting peeling bark. Leaves emerge a bronze color which changes to dark green in summer. Fall color varies from yellow to orange and red.

Hamamelis vernalis

A very small tree or large shrub which reaches 10 – 12 feet. The most unique feature of the Witchazels are their early yellow flowers, often blooming in January. But do not overlook their beautiful golden-yellow late fall color.

Cedrus atlantica 'Pendula Glauca'

Chamaecyparis nootkatensis 'Pendula'

Quercus alba

The absolute king of the forest, this native towers over the other Oaks in size, age and beauty. Its open crown and wide-spreading branches reveal its distinctive, scaly gray bark. Although hard to transplant and slow growing, it will reach over 100 feet in height and will easily last a century. This specimen was likely here when Elon University was founded. This is the species that inspired Elon's logo.

Quercus phellos

Native

This over-planted native tree is remarkable only for its fast growth and adaptability. It is weak wooded and easily damaged by ice. Its profuse suckers eventually die and litter the ground. Abundant willow-like leaves and shallow roots make growing grass under it difficult. Those who recommend this tree have never had to maintain it. Compare it with the White Oak to the north.

Thuja occidentalis 'Yellow Ribbon'

Cladrastis kentuckea

Native

A wonderful and under-utilized native with foot-long, pendulous panicles of white flowers in late May. Smooth gray bark and yellow fall color add to is value as an ornamental. Grows to 40 feet, transplant when young in full sun.

Prunus x yedoensis

This is the species that graces the Tidal Basin in Washington DC. It is spectacular in full bloom, covered with pink to white blooms. Grows to 30 feet with a rounded and spreading outline.