TULSA MASTER GARDENER
FOR
TREES
TULSA
(Northeastern Oklahoma)
The following list is only the starting point for trees that can be grown in this portion of the state. Many new species and varieties are introduced into the local nursery trade each year. Only time will tell how successful they will prove to be. Some trees appear to be very successful, become popular, and are overplanted. This can lead to an increase in insect and disease problems. Do your research carefully because your trees are a long term commitment.
| COMMON NAME | HEIGHT | SPREAD | *GROWTH RATE | REMARKS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ASH, Green | 40-70 | 40-60 | Med. to Fast | Excellent red to yellow fall color - may develop borer problems on poor soils. Marshall's Seedless good variety. |
| BIRCH, River | 50-80 | 40-50 | Fast | May be surfaced rooted; may lose 50% of its foliage on dry sites during late summer; yellow fall color. |
| BIRCH, White | 30-40 | 20-30 | Medium | Plant in deep, moist, well-drained soils; not drougth tolerant. |
| CYPRESS, Bald | 70-90 | 40-70 | Medium | Very tolerant of soil types, pyramidal shape, tough tree for many locations. Brown fall color. |
| CEDAR, Deodar | 40-60 | 25-35 | Medium | Perhaps the most beautiful of all cedars; interesting blue-green foliage. Very pyramidal, may be attacked by bagworms & spider mites. |
| CEDAR, Eastern Red | 30-40 | 20-30 | Medium | Many hort. varieties such as Canaertti & Manhattan Blue, good for screening & background; possibly bagworm & spider mite problems. |
| GINKO | 50-60 | 40-50 | Medium | Very interesting fan-shaped foliage, very few disease or insect problems; tough, durable, yellow fall color. |
| HACKBERRY | 50-80 | 50-60 | Medium | Tough, native to this area, foliage similar to elm, drought tolerant, many nipple galls (leaf galls). |
| HONEY LOCUST (Pat. Var.) |
50-70 | 40-50 | Fast | Tough, durable tree, thin foliage, easy to grow grass under; may be plagued by leaf-eating insects. |
| KENTUCKY COFFEE TREE | 50-80 | 40-60 | Medium | Tough, durable tree; female bears large seed pods, few problems. |
| LINDEN, American | 50-80 | 40-60 | Med. to Fast | Large foliage, bright yellow fall color. Surface roots. |
| MAGNOLIA, Southern | 60-80 | 50-60 | Slow | Very large, glossy green foliage, large plate size white flowers in early summer; needs good deep, moist soil. |
| MAPLE,Red | 50-60 | 40-50 | Medium | Superior in every way to silver maple, red to orange fall color; some surface roots. October Glory, Red Sunset good varieties. |
| MAPLE, Sugar | 60-80 | 50-70 | Slow to Med. | Slowest growing maple common to this area; gorgeous red to yellow fall color. One of deepest rooted maple. |
| OAK, Pin | 70-80 | 40-60 | Med. to Fast | Pyramidal growth habit, heavy nut producer, often plagued by gall insects. Red fall color. Holds leaves in winter. |
| OAK, Live | 30-50 | 30-50 | Medium | Semi-evergreen, leathery, stiff foliage, disease and insect resistant. Drought tolerant. Rounded form. |
| OAK, Water | 50-70 | 40-50 | Med. to Fast | Similar to willow oak, but with spatula-shaped foliage; hold leaves late into winter - little fall color. |
| OAK, Willow | 50-70 | 40-50 | Med. to Fast | Long, willow-like foliage, bright yellow in fall; sheds all its foliage by December. Excellent oak; deep roots. |
| OAK Scarlet | 60-80 | 50-60 | Medium | Bright red fall color, deeply lobed, reasonable deep rooted, holds foliage late in winter. |
| OAK, Post | 40-60 | 50-60 | Slow | Unpredictable fall color. Native to this area, deep roots, slow growth. |
| OAK, Northern Red | 60-80 | 40-60 | Medium | Desirable, deep-rooted oak, scarlet red fall color, few insect or disease problems. |
| PECAN | 70-100 | 60-80 | Medium | Deep rooted, excellent shade & nut producer, many varieties available. |
| PISTACHE, Chinese | 25-40 | 20-30 | Medium | Tough, durable tree for dry, poor soil sites, compound foliage. Bright orange fall color. Few disease or insect problems. |
| PINE, White | 50-60 | 40-50 | Med. to Fast | Soft, long needles, grayish green tint, pyramidal; few problems on well-drained sites. |
| PINE, Black | 60-70 | 40-50 | Medium | Interesting ascending branch structure, very dark green foliage; drought tolerant. |
| PINE, Loblolly | 60-80 | 30-40 | Fast | Native to Eastern Oklahoma. Lumber pine, looks good in groups of three to five. |
| PINE, Slash | 60-80 | 25-30 | Fast | Soft, long needled pine, may yellow during late winter due to extreme cold. Looks good in groups of three to five. |
| PINE, Austrian | 50-60 | 40-50 | Medium | Stiff needles, very dark green foliage, drought tolerant. |
| SOAPBERRY, Western | 30-50 | 25-40 | Med. to Fast | Durable, tough tree, yellow fall color in early fall; few problems. |
| SOURGUM | 50-60 | 30-40 | Fast | Pyramidal, glossy foliage, turns red in early fall; needs rich, deep, well-drained soils. |
| SWEETGUM | 60-90 | 40-60 | Medium | Excellent red to yellow fall color, may be surface rooted. Seed balls a problem around drives and patios. |
| SYCAMORE | 60-100 | 50-80 | Fast | Large leaves, large tree, may dwarf small structures, May suffer from anthracnose disease of foliage. Seedballs may be a nuisance. |
| "TRUE" CHINESE ELM | 30-45 | 25-40 | Fast | Very tough, disease & insect resistant elm, interesting, colorful bark, yellow fall color, dutch elm resistant. |
| TULIP TREE | 50-80 | 40-60 | Fast | Smallish tulip-like blooms in June; may have surface roots. Foliage bright yellow in fall. |
| YELLOWWOOD, American | 50-80 | 40-70 | Medium | Light gray smooth bark, flowers in June. Plant on good well-drained sites. |
| ZELCOVA | 50-70 | 40-50 | Medium | Foliage & tree very similar to American Elm; not bothered by Dutch Elm disease; yellow fall color. |
NOTES: *Growth Rate: SLOW = 6-8"/year; MEDIUM = 8-12"/year; FAST = 12" or more per year
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| COMMON NAME | HEIGHT | SPREAD | *GROWTH RATE | REMARKS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CRABAPPLE | 10-40 | 10-30 | Med. to Fast | Great variety in fruit size, flower color and tree size, generally tough and tolerant of soil types. |
| CRAPEMYRTLE | 12-30 | 10-25 | Fast | Excellent, fast growing, durable small tree, free of insect or serious disease problems; flowers white to red. |
| DECIDUOUS HOLLY | 20-40 | 20-30 | Medium | Heavy berry producer, usually multi-stem, tough, durable, few insect and disease problems; berries bright red in fall. |
| DOGWOOD | 15-30 | 15-30 | Medium | Needs excellent drainage, partial shade in mid-afternoon, red fall color, white to red spring flowers, colorful red fruit in fall. |
| GOLDENRAIN TREE | 30-40 | 25-30 | Medium | Tough, durable tree, flowers in early to mid-summer, may be bothered by box elder bugs. |
| HAWTHORNE | 10-25 | 10-20 | Medium | Very durable, tough, white blooming tree, but may be plagued by leaf-eathing insects and rust disease. |
| PLUM, PURPLE LEAF | 15-20 | 12-15 | Fast | Abundant spring flowers, purple foliage, tolerant of pool soils, may have borer problems as tree ages. |
| PEACH, FLOWERING | 15-20 | 10-15 | Fast | Fast grower, colorful pink spring bloom. May develop peach tree borer problem with age. |
| REDBUD | 15-30 | 15-30 | Medium | Tolerant of soil types, and full sun, pink or white flowers. STATE TREE. |
| RUSSIAN OLIVE | 15-25 | 10-15 | Fast | Silvery gray foliage, red fruit, very tolerant of drought and soil types. |
| SERVICEBERRY | 15-25 | 10-20 | Slow | White flowers before foliage, tough, durable. Fruit edible. Drought tolerant. |
| STAR-SAUCER MAGNOLIA |
20-35 | 20-25 | Medium | Abundant flowers before foliage in late March, tough, durable, usually multi-stem; late frost may damage blooms. |
| SMOKETREE | 15-20 | 10-15 | Medium | Large loose panicles of pinkish bloom in May or June. Foliage varies from bright green to purple. |
| SILVERBELL | 20-30 | 15-20 | Medium | A beautiful small tree, blooms white in April or May; demands good drainage and rich, moist soil. |
| VIBURNUM | 2-20 | 1-10 | Medium | Many different varieties, forms and colors. Most are tough and tolerant to NE Oklahoma conditions. |
NOTES: *Growth Rate: SLOW = 6-8"/year; MEDIUM = 8-12"/year; FAST = 12" or more per year
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