Large Shade Trees

Oak

22 kinds in My Garden

• 
  Bur OakFull sun · 70–80 ft. tall
• 
  Dwarf Chinkapin OakFull sun – part shade · 12–25 ft. tall
• 
  Northern Red OakFull sun · 60–75 ft. tall
• 
  Post OakFull sun · 35–50 ft. tall
• 
  Shumard OakFull sun – part shade · 50–70 ft. tall

Maple

17 kinds in My Garden

• 
  Black MapleFull sun – part shade · 60–80 ft. tall
• 
  Miyabe MapleFull sun · 30–40 ft. tall
• 
  Shantung MapleFull sun – part shade · 20–25 ft. tall
• 
  Trident MapleFull sun · 25–35 ft. tall
• 
  Freeman MapleFull sun – part shade · 45–70 ft. tall

Elm

4 kinds in My Garden

• 
  American ElmFull sun · 50–70 ft. tall
• 
  Lacebark ElmFull sun · 40–50 ft. tall
• 
  Prospector ElmFull sun · 30–40 ft. tall
• 
  Slippery ElmFull sun – part shade · 40–70 ft. tall

Birch

4 kinds in My Garden

• 
  River BirchFull sun – part shade · 40–70 ft. tall
• 
  Paper BirchFull sun – part shade · 50–70 ft. tall
• 
  Sweet BirchFull sun – part shade · 60–70 ft. tall
• 
  Whitespire BirchFull sun · 20–30 ft. tall

Ginkgo

Ginkgo biloba

• ☀️ Full sun
• 💧 Low – moderate water
• 📏 50–80 ft. tall × 30–40 ft. wide
• 🌸 Blooms Insignificant
• 🗺️ Zones 3–8

Kansas City: Exceptionally durable urban tree with striking yellow fall color and few serious pest problems.

• Pruning: Prune dormant season
• Feeding: Light to moderate. If needed, feed during spring growth.
• Watering: Water deeply and less often while establishing; once established, water during extended dry periods rather than on a fixed shallow schedule.

Hornbeam

2 kinds in My Garden

• 
  European HornbeamFull sun – part shade · 40–60 ft. tall
• 
  American HornbeamPart sun – shade · 20–35 ft. tall

Beech

2 kinds in My Garden

• 
  American BeechFull sun – part shade · 60–80 ft. tall
• 
  European BeechFull sun – part shade · 50–60 ft. tall

Locust

Gleditsia triacanthos

• ☀️ Full sun
• 💧 Low – moderate water
• 📏 60–80 ft. (cultivars often 30–45 ft.) tall × 60–80 ft. wide
• 🌸 Blooms May–June
• 🗺️ Zones 3–8

Kansas City: Fine-textured, filtered shade; tolerates drought, salt and urban sites. Choose thornless, seedless cultivars.

• Pruning: Prune in late winter
• Feeding: Light to moderate. If needed, feed during spring growth.

Blackgum

Nyssa sylvatica

• ☀️ Full sun – part shade
• 💧 Moderate water
• 📏 30–50 ft. tall × 20–30 ft. wide
• 🌸 Blooms April–May
• 🗺️ Zones 4–9

Kansas City: Full sun – part shade, 30–50 ft tall; blooms April–May.

• Feeding: Light to moderate. If needed, feed during spring growth.