Recommended Shade Trees

Shade Tree with a SwingOver the past few years, many trees in yards were lost due to storms, drought, insects, disease, and stem girdling roots.

To combat these losses to New Brighton's urban and community forest, the City provides a list of recommended shade trees for property owners who are interested in replacing a lost tree or enriching their landscape. While some of the species are hard to find, this list is for residents wanting guidance on what to plant.

A diverse canopy avoids problems like Dutch Elm Disease or periods of summer drought that over time leads to the loss of many mature trees.

  • Amur Maackia (Maackia amurensis); attractive foliage and flowers, tough, native to northeast Asia
  • American Plum (Prunus Americana); attractive flowers, edible fruit, use common plum over cultivars
  • Blue Beech (Carpinus caroliniana); Best in moist organic soil, attractive "muscle-like" bark
  • Canada Plum (Prunus nigra); 'Princess Kay' a good cultivar, attractive winter bark
  • Chokecherry (Prunus virginiana); native to Minnesota, edible fruit, susceptible to black knot stem canker
  • Crabapple or Apple (Malus spp.); many cultivars, use sparingly due to the overplanting of this species,
  • Malus Ioensis (prairie crabapple) is the crabapple that is native to southern Minnesota
  • Eastern Redbud (Cercis Canadensis); attractive spring flowers, growth form is more horizontal than vertical
  • Hawthorn (Crataegus spp.); Numerous varieties exist with attractive fruit and flowers, 'Cockspur', 'Crimson Cloud', and 'Russian' are options, most nursery selections are thornless
  • Mountain ash, American (Sorbus americana); showy fruit, not a true ash (no risk from emerald ash borer)
  • Mountain ash, Showy (Sorbus decora); showy fruit, not a true ash (no risk from the emerald ash borer)
  • Nannyberry Viburnum (Viburnum lentago); native, large shrub/small tree, reddish fall color, hardy
  • Pagoda Dogwood (Cornus alternifolia); native, excellent wildlife value, white flowers, plant in moist soil
  • Serviceberries (Amelanchier spp.); good berries for birds, several varieties available, also called juneberries
  • Sumac, Smooth (Rhus glabra); excellent scarlet red fall color, tolerant of dry sites, smooth branches
  • Sumac, Staghorn (Rhus typhina); same as smooth sumac but with "fuzzy" branches
  • Three Flowered Maple (Acer triflorum); excellent autumn color, attractive papery bark