List of Street Trees for Zone 8

Flowering Trees

• Carolina silverbell (Halesia tetraptera, formerly known as Halesia carolina), hardy in USDA zones 4 through 9, is an excellent street tree. It features white, bell-shaped spring flowers and glossy, oval leaves that turn yellow in the fall. Carolina silverbell reaches a mature height of 30 to 40 feet tall. The slightly smaller eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis) is hardy in USDA zones 4 through 9 and bears hundreds of purple-pink flowers in spring before the trees leaf out. The leaves are rounded and mature to yellow in autumn.

Large Trees

• Japanese zelkova (Zelkova serrata) is an elm relative with similar toothed leaves. Hardy in USDA zones 4 through 8, it grows between 50 and 80 feet in height. Zelkova can be planted in areas with a wide planting strip of 6 feet or more and will grow into a shade tree with a vase-shaped crown. Another large street tree is American linden (Tilia americana), hardy in USDA zones 3b through 9. It reaches 60 to 80 feet tall, with a spread equal to about half its height. Lindens also bear fragrant spring flowers.

Small Trees

• Narrow planting strips call for smaller trees. Star magnolia (Magnolia stellata), hardy in USDA zones 4 through 9, grows 15 to 20 feet tall. Its features smooth, gray bark and star-shaped flowers in white or sometimes pink. Star magnolia is seldom troubled by pests or diseases. Many varieties are commercially available. Kousa dogwood is another small, flowering tree. Hardy in USDA zones 5 through 8, kousas are much less prone to diseases than common dogwood (Cornus florida). Kousas feature white flowers with four petals each, followed by decorative reddish fruits in late summer.

Culture and Considerations

• Street trees are subject to numerous stresses from pollution, excessive vibration, road de-icers and landscape equipment. Plant balled and burlap specimens in spring or fall and water regularly throughout the trees' first two years. Mulch generously around trees to a width of two feet on all sides, but do not allow the mulch to touch the trunk. Before planting any street tree, check with the local municipality. Street planting strips are often on local right-of-ways and are subject to restrictions on which tree species can be planted and who can plant and tend them.