Don’t Panic, plant! Diversify our urban forest with new cultivars and tried and true trees. Use the EAB situation as a learning opportunity; instead of replacing your four ash trees with four Silver Linden, pick different varieties to avoid the same cultivar dependent problems in the future. There are so many incredible trees suited for the harsh Nebraska climate, why limit yourself to just one kind. Native plants are tried and true but having 10-25% of our tree population from other regions is actually a good idea. Some Trees to Consider:

Hackberry – Celtis occidentalis

• Height: 40-60′
• Spread: 40-60′
• Growth Rate: 20-30′ over a 10-15 year period
• Leaf Color: Light to medium green in summer, yellow to yellow-green fall color

Kentucky Coffee Tree – Gymnocladus dioicus

photo credit instagram: @occidentalone

• Height: 60-75′
• Spread: 40-50′
• Growth Rate: 12-14′ over a 10 year period
• Leaf Color: Dark green to almost bluish green in summer, yellow fall color on some trees

Shumard Oak – Quercus shumardii

• Height: 40-60′
• Spread: 40-60′
• Growth Rate: 20′ over a 10 year period
• Leaf Color: Dark green leaves that make a dramatic fall change to a bright red to red-orange

Bur Oak – Quercus macrocarpa

photo credit instagram: @nateburoak

• Height: 70-80′
• Spread: 100′
• Growth Rate: 15-20′ over a 20 year period
• Leaf Color: Dark green in summer with a transition to yellow and yellow-brown

Swamp White Oak – Quercus bicolor

photo credit instagram: @nateburoak

• Height: 50-60′
• Spread: 50-60′
• Growth Rate: 15-20′ over a 10 year period
• Leaf Color: Medium green in summer, yellow in fall with the occasional red-purple

Silver Linden – Tilia tomentosa

• Height: 50-70′
• Spread: 25-35′
• Growth Rate: 10-15′ over a 5-10 year period
• Leaf Color: Glistening dark green on top and silvery tomentose below. Yellow in fall.

Caddo Maple – Acer saccharum ‘Caddo’

• Height: 60-75′
• Spread: Typically 2/3 the height of the tree
• Growth Rate: 15-20′ over a 10 year period
• Leaf Color: Leathery dark green leaves with the possibility of spectacular red fall color

Amur Cork – Phellodendron amurense

• Height: 30-40′
• Spread: 44-60′
• Growth Rate: 10-12′ over a 5-8 year period
• Leaf Color: Deep lustrous green in summer changing to yellow

Tulip – Liriodendron tulipifera

photo credit instagram: @nateburoak

• Height: 70-90′
• Spread: 35-50′
• Growth Rate: 15-20′ over a 6-8 year period
• Leaf Color: Bright green changes to golden yellow

 Catalpa – Catalpa speciosa

• Height: 40-60′
• Spread: 20-40′
• Growth Rate: 15′ over a 7-8 year period
• Leaf Color: Medium green transitions to yellow-green to brownish

Shagbark Hickory* – Carya ovata

photo credit instagram: @nateburoak

• Height: 70-90′
• Spread: 50-70′
• Growth Rate: 15-20′ over a 6-8 year period
• Leaf Color: Bright green changes to golden yellow

Persimmon* – Diospyros virginiana

• Height: 35-60′
• Spread: 20-35′
• Growth Rate: 15′ over a 20 year period
• Leaf Color: Dark green transitions to a yellow-green, yellow or reddish purple in the fall

Paw-Paw* – Asimina triloba (L.) Dunal

• Height: 15-20′
• Spread: 15-20′
• Growth Rate: 10-15′ over a 10 year period
• Leaf Color: Dark green transitions to a yellow-green or yellow

Ponderosa Pine –Pinus ponderosa

photo credit instagram: @madelkosteel and @lochness66

• Height: 60-100′
• Spread: 25-30′
• Growth Rate: 75′ after a 40 year period
• Leaf Color: Dark or yellowish green

Limber Pine – Pinus flexilis

• Height: 30-50′
• Spread: 15-35′
• Growth Rate: 10-15′ over a 10 year period
• Leaf Color: Dark bluish green

Do your part to reforest Nebraska the right way! Have any questions as to which of these trees would be best suited for your landscape? Give us a call or drop us a line at 402-457-6492 or hello@kinghorngardens.com.