Best Trees to Plant in New York: A Hudson Valley Guide

The best trees to plant in New York's Hudson Valley are natives that suit your site. For shade, red oak, white oak, red maple and tulip poplar do well here. For small yards, serviceberry, redbud and dogwood stay compact. Before you choose, check the sun, the drainage and the room the tree will need at full size.

Those three checks narrow the list fast. After that, think about the tree's job: shade, privacy, wildlife or spring flowers. Then picture the tree at maturity, not on planting day.

Dutchess County has cold winters, warm summers and steady rainfall. As a result, a very wide range of deciduous trees grows well here. A soil test from Cornell Cooperative Extension of Dutchess County shows your soil's pH and nutrients before you buy.

This is a general guide. The right tree depends on your own yard, so an on-site look confirms the choice.

Large shade trees (mature height typically 50+ feet)

Red oak (Quercus rubra). This is one of the most reliable native oaks for the Hudson Valley. It grows in many soil types and handles some drought once its roots settle in. It also feeds many native caterpillar species, so birds follow. Expect strong structure and good fall color.

White oak (Quercus alba). It grows more slowly than red oak. Even so, few eastern trees do more for wildlife, because its acorns feed many animals. White oak likes well-drained soil and lives a very long time.

Sugar maple (Acer saccharum). Sugar maple gives the classic Hudson Valley fall color. However, it dislikes road salt and packed soil. Plant it in an open lawn, away from roads and paving.

Red maple (Acer rubrum). Unlike sugar maple, red maple handles wet, packed and uneven soil. It settles in quickly and still gives good fall color. For a hard site, it is the safer maple.

Tulip poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera). This tall native grows fast once it settles in. It also has odd, squared-off leaves and late-spring flowers. Give it deep, moist soil that drains well, and it forms a strong central leader.

American basswood or linden (Tilia americana). Basswood has big leaves and sweet-smelling summer flowers. Native bees and other pollinators love it. Both basswood and the European littleleaf linden (Tilia cordata) do well on moist, well-drained sites here.

Medium shade trees (mature height 30–50 feet)

Black cherry (Prunus serotina). This fast native has white spring flowers and small summer cherries. In addition, it hosts many native butterflies and moths. The fruit can be messy, though, so keep it away from walks and driveways.

Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua). Sweetgum turns orange, red and purple in fall. It also copes well with moist soil. Its spiky seed balls can annoy you in a lawn, so look for 'Rotundiloba', a cultivar without fruit.

Hackberry (Celtis occidentalis). Hackberry is a tough native that few people plant. Even so, it handles packed soil, drought, poor drainage and wind. It lacks showy flowers or bright fall color, but it still feeds wildlife well.

Ornamental trees (mature height typically under 30 feet)

Serviceberry (Amelanchier species). This native gives you four seasons of interest. First come white flowers, among the earliest of spring. Then birds eat its red-purple fruit in early summer, and the leaves turn orange and red in fall. It grows as a single trunk or a multi-stem shrub.

Flowering dogwood (Cornus florida). Dogwood has white or pink spring bracts, red fall berries and a handsome winter shape. It wants partial shade and acidic soil that drains well. Since it struggles in full sun and reflected heat, site it with care.

Eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis). In early spring, pink-purple flowers cover its branches before the leaves open. Redbud is tough and handles many soil types. It also feeds early pollinators when little else blooms.

American hornbeam (Carpinus caroliniana). This small, slow native has smooth bark that looks like flexed muscle. Because it tolerates shade, it fits under bigger trees. Once settled, it needs little care and supports wildlife well.

Native viburnums (arrowwood, blackhaw). Some native viburnums can be trained into a small single-trunk tree. For example, arrowwood (Viburnum dentatum) and blackhaw (Viburnum prunifolium) both work. Each gives white flowers, fall fruit and color in more than one season.

Trees to avoid near your house and utilities

Silver maple (Acer saccharinum). It grows fast, but its branches are brittle and its roots spread hard. So keep it away from foundations, sewer lines and buildings.

Willows (Salix species). Willow roots hunt for water and will find buried pipes. For that reason, never plant one near underground lines.

Cottonwood (Populus deltoides). Cottonwood grows fast, spreads its roots wide and sheds cottony seed. It suits rural or waterside land far from buildings.

Norway maple (Acer platanoides). This imported maple crowds out native plants in the woods. In fact, NYS DEC lists Norway maple as a regulated invasive species, so stores must label it. Choose a native maple instead.

How do I match a tree to my site?

Start with the site, then pick the species. Note the sun, the drainage, the soil and the space overhead and underground. After that, choose a tree whose full-grown size fits that space.

When Shawn gives an estimate, he looks at the planting spot himself. GXB Precision Tree Care offers professional tree planting services across Dutchess County. Help choosing the species comes with the job.

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