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Climate Ready Tree Species - Full List - FINAL Last updated January 2024 CLIMATE READY TREE SPECIES Below is a list of trees considered to be “climate ready” for Bainbridge Island. They possess traits that will help them adapt to ongoing changes in conditions, pests and diseases, and extreme weather events in the PNW. Some of these characteristics include thicker leaves, vigorous root systems, and lack of current disease issues. When planting in larger natural areas, it is best to focus on native species to preserve the local ecosystem while in more “urban” locations diversity is also important. Aim to plant 50% native and/or drought resistant species in your landscape to balance wildlife needs and maintenance needs while still providing variety. RIGHT PLANT, RIGHT PLACE Listing tree species by size, and indicating which are narrow/columnar, makes it easier to determine what trees would be best for the planting site. The larger the tree at maturity, the more space the roots and canopy will need to expand over time. Choosing the correct tree for the space available will reduce maintenance costs, infrastructure conflicts, and reduce overall stress on the tree. LARGE COLUMNAR (NARROW) TREES Scientific & Common Name Mature Height Mature Spread Comments Native? Drought Tolerant?* Acer nigrum ‘Green Column’ Green Column Black Sugar Maple 50 10 Good close to buildings. Ginko biloba ‘Princeton Sentry’ Princeton Sentry Ginkgo 40 15 Very narrow growth. √ Nyssa sylvatica ‘Tupelo Tower’ Tupelo 40 20 Handsome chunky bark. Quercus frainetto Italian Oak 50 30 Drought resistant – beautiful green, glossy leaves in summer. √ Quercus robur ‘fastigiata’ Skyrocket Oak 40 15 Columnar variety of oak. √ LARGE TREES Scientific & Common Name Mature Height Mature Spread Comments Native? Drought Tolerant?* Abies grandis Grand Fir 200 25 Best for natural areas and larger planting spaces with other large trees. Tolerates wet sites and partial shade. √ √ Aesculus flava Yellow Buckeye 60 40 Least susceptible to leaf blotch – large fruit – fall color is varied, but quite beautiful Celtis occidentalis Common Hackberry 50 40 Adaptive to urban conditions and good for wildlife. Cercidiphyllum japonicum Katsura Tree 40 40 Needs lots of water when young – can produce large surface roots. Chamaecyparis nootkatensis Alaskan yellow-cedar 60 30 Little to no pest & disease issues. √ Fagus sylvatica Green Beech 50 40 Silvery-grey bark. √ Fagus sylvatica 'Asplenifolia' Fernleaf Beech 60 50 Beautiful cut leaf. √ Ginkgo biloba 'Magyar' Magyar Ginkgo 50 25 More upright and narrow than 'Autumn Gold’. √ Last updated January 2024 Scientific & Common Name Mature Height Mature Spread Comments Native? Drought Tolerant?* Gymnocladus dioicus 'Espresso' Espresso Kentucky Coffee 50 35 Very coarse branches - extremely large bi-pinnately compound leaves. Liquidambar styraciflua ‘Rotundiloba’ Rotundiloba Sweetgum 45 25 Only sweetgum that is entirely fruitless. Smooth rounded leaf lobes. √ Liriodendron tulipifera Tulip Tree 60 30 Fast-growing tree – can get very large in open conditions. Metasequoia glyptostroboides Dawn Redwood 50 25 Fast growing deciduous conifer. Pinus monticola Western white pine 100 30 Full sun tolerant but give space due to blister rust concerns. √ √ Platanus x acerifolia 'Bloodgood' Bloodgood London Planetree 50 40 More anthracnose resistant than other varieties – large tree that needs space. Good near sidewalks. Platanus x acerifolia 'Yarwood' Yarwood London Planetree 50 40 High resistance to powdery mildew. Pseudotsuga menziesii Douglas-fir 200 30 Best for natural areas and larger planting spaces with other large trees. √ √ Quercus bicolor Swamp White Oak 60 45 Interesting shaggy peeling bark. Quercus coccinea Scarlet Oak 60 40 Best oak for fall color. √ Quercus garryana Oregon Oak 50 40 Native to Pacific Northwest. √ √ Quercus imbricaria Shingle Oak 60 50 Nice summer foliage - leaves can persist throughout the winter. √ Quercus ilex Holly Oak 60 50 Waxy leaves. √ Quercus robur English Oak 60 40 Large, sturdy tree. Acorns do not need dormant cold period to germinate, so can be invasive. √ Quercus rubra Red Oak 60 45 Fast growing oak – large tree that needs space. √ Taxodium distichum Bald Cypress 55 35 A deciduous conifer, broadly spreading when mature – columnar when young. Ulmus ‘Homestead’ Homestead Elm 60 35 Complex hybrid - close in form to American elm - Resistant to Dutch elm disease. Ulmus ‘Frontier’ Frontier Elm 50 35 Resistant to Dutch elm disease - needs young tree structure pruning. Zelkova serrata ‘Greenvase’ Green Vase Zelkova 45 40 Attractive exfoliating bark provides Winter appeal. Dark green leaves turn orange-red and purple in Fall. Zelkova serrata ‘Village Green’ Village Green Zelkova 40 40 Green Vase, Mussichino and Halka are improved forms. MEDIUM / LARGE TREES Scientific & Common Name Mature Height Mature Spread Comments Native? Drought Tolerant?* Acer campestre Hedge Maple 50 30 Contrary to its name, this is not a small tree – nice overall shape and structure. √ Acer campestre ‘Evelyn’ Queen Elizabeth Hedge Maple 40 30 More upright branching than the species. √ Acer freemanii 'Autumn Blaze' Autumn Blaze Maple 50 40 Cross between red and silver maple – fast growing with good fall color. Needs young tree pruning Acer miyabei 'Morton' State Street Maple 40 30 Similar to, but faster growing and larger than Hedge maple. Last updated January 2024 Scientific & Common Name Mature Height Mature Spread Comments Native? Drought Tolerant?* Acer rubrum ‘Scarsen’ Scarlet Sentinel Maple 40 25 Leaves are darker green and larger than those of other Red Maples, and they hold up well in summer heat. √ Ginko biloba ‘Autumn Gold’ Autumn Gold Ginkgo 45 35 Narrow when young. √ Liquidambar styraciflua ‘Moraine’ Moraine Sweetgum 40 25 Light green foliage. More compact than other varieties of sweet gum. Brittle branches so plant in low traffic areas. Nothofagus antarctica Antarctic Beech 50 35 Rugged twisted branching and petite foliage – difficult to find in the nursery trade. Pinus contorta Shore pine 40 30 Adaptable to forested and shoreline areas. √ √ Tilia americana ‘Redmond’ Redmond Linden 50 30 Pyramidal, needs extra water when young. Tilia cordata ‘Greenspire’ Greenspire Linden 40 30 Symmetrical, pyramidal form – sometimes has structural issues due to tight branch attachments. Ulmus parvifolia ‘Emer II’ Allee Elm 45 35 Exfoliating bark and nice fall color – Resistant to Dutch Elm Disease. MEDIUM COLUMNAR (NARROW) TREES Scientific & Common Name Mature Height Mature Spread Comments Native? Drought Tolerant?* Acer rubrum ‘Bowhall’ Bowhall Maple 40 20 An upright, pyramidal form that is significantly wider than 'Armstrong' or 'Columnare'. Carpinus betulus ‘Fastigiata’ Pyramidal European Hornbeam 40 15 Broadens when older. √ Celtis occidentalis 'JFS-KSU1' Prairie Sentinal Hackberry 45 12 Adaptable and tolerant. √ Chamaecyparis nootkatensis Alaskan yellow-cedar 'Pedula' 35 12 Full sun. √ Fagus sylvatica ‘Dawyck Purple’ Dawyck Purple Beech 40 12 Purple foliage. √ Juniperus virginiana Eastern Redcedar 45 15 Drought and salt tolerant. √ Liriodendron tulipifera 'Fastigiatum' Columnar Tulip Tree 40 10 Good next to buildings – can have problems with tight branch angles. Malus ‘Tschonoskii’ Tschonoskii Crabapple 30 15 Sparse green fruit, pyramidal. Thuja plicata 'Zebrina' Western Redcedar 50 12 Great for screening and has interesting bi- colored foliage. √ Oxydendron arboreum Sourwood 35 12 Consistent and brilliant fall color. MEDIUM TREES Scientific & Common Name Mature Height Mature Spread Comments Native? Drought Tolerant?* Acer rubrum ‘Karpick’ Karpick Maple 40 20 Finer texture than other narrow forms of columnar maple. Carpinus caroliniana American Hornbeam 25 20 Outstanding fall color (variable – yellow, orange, red) – nice little tree. √ Cladrastis kentukea Yellowwood 40 40 White flowers in spring, resembling wisteria flower – blooms profusely only every 2 to 4 years – yellow/gold fall color. Last updated January 2024 Scientific & Common Name Mature Height Mature Spread Comments Native? Drought Tolerant?* Cornus controversa 'June Snow' Giant Dogwood 40 30 Frothy, 6-inch clusters of white flowers in June. Cornus 'Eddie's White Wonder' Eddie's White Wonder Dogwood 30 20 A hybrid of C. florida and C. nuttalii. √ Crataegus douglasii Black Hawthorne 25 30 Tolerates a variety of site conditions √ √ Crataegus crus-galli ‘Inermis’ Thornless Cockspur Hawthorne 25 30 Red persistent fruit. Crataegus phaenopyrum Washington Hawthorne 25 20 Thorny – do not plant in high use areas. Crataegus x lavalii Lavalle Hawthorne 25 20 Thorns on younger trees. Davidia involucrata Dove Tree 40 30 Large, unique flowers in May. Eucommia ulmoides Hardy Rubber Tree 50 40 Dark green, very shiny leaves – insignificant fall color. Fagus sylvatica 'Rohanii' Purple Oak Leaf Beech 50 30 Attractive purple leaves with wavy margins. √ Halesia tetraptera Carolina Silverbell 35 30 Attractive bark for seasonal interest. Koelreuteria paniculata Goldenrain Tree 30 30 Midsummer blooming – slow growing. Magnolia denudata Yulan Magnolia 40 40 6” inch fragrant white flowers in spring. Magnolia kobus ‘Wada's Memory’ Wada's Memory Magnolia’ 30 20 Does not flower well when young. Ostrya virginiana Ironwood 40 25 Hop like fruit – slow growing. Phellodendron amurense 'Macho' Macho Cork Tree 40 40 This variety is fruitless – fall color can be varied. High drought tolerance. √ Prunus emarginata Bitter Cherry 45 30 Great understory native tree with spring flowers. Best for larger natural areas. √ Pterostyrax hispida Fragrant Epaulette Tree 40 30 Pendulous creamy white flowers – fragrant – difficult to find in the nursery trade. Quercus Ilex Holly Oak 40 30 Evergreen oak - Underside of leaf is silvery- white. Often has a prominent umbrella form. √ Rhamnus purshiana Cascara 30 20 Native tree – fall color depends on exposure – purplish fruit feeds many native birds. √ Robinia x ambigua Pink Idaho Locust 35 25 Fragrant flowers. Sterile variety. Drought tolerant. Some varieties will sucker profusely. √ Sophora japonica 'Regent' Japanese Pagodatree 45 40 Has a rapid growth rate and tolerates city conditions, heat, and drought. √ Styrax japonica Japanese Snowbell 25 25 Reliable and easy to grow, it has plentiful, green ½” inch seeds. Flowers similar to lily in the valley. Tilia cordata ‘De Groot’ De Groot Littleleaf Linden 30 20 One of the smaller stature littleleaf lindens Tilia cordata ‘Chancole’ Chancelor Linden 35 20 Pyramidal when young. Fragrant flowers that attract bees. Ulmus parvifolia 'Emer I' Athena Classic Elm 30 35 High resistance to Dutch Elm Disease. Drought resistant. Cinnamon colored exfoliating bark for seasonal interest. √ Last updated January 2024 SMALL TREES Scientific & Common Name Mature Height Mature Spread Comments Native? Drought Tolerant?* Acer buegerianum Trident Maple 30 30 Somewhat shrublike – must train to a single stem – interesting bark. Acer circinatum Vine Maple 25 25 Avoid using on harsh sites – native tree. √ Acer ginnala ‘Flame’ Flame Amur Maple 25 20 Clusters of small cream-colored flowers in spring – very fragrant. Nice fall color. Informal branch structure. Acer griseum Paperbark Maple 30 20 Peeling cinnamon colored bark for seasonal interest. Acer platanoides ‘Globosum’ Globe Norway Maple 20 20 Very rounded crown and compact growth. Acer triflorum Three-Flower Maple 25 20 Multi seasonal interest with tan, exfoliating bark and red, orange/red fall color. Amelanchier alnifolia Pacific serviceberry 15 10 Popular with wildlife. √ √ Amelanchier grandiflora ‘Princess Diana’ Princess Diana Serviceberry 20 15 Good for narrower planting strips. Amelanchier x grandiflora ‘Autumn Brilliance' Autumn Brilliance Serviceberry 20 15 Good for narrower planting strips – reliable bloom and fall color. Arbutus ‘Marina’ Strawberry Tree 25 20 Substitute for Pacific madrone – can suffer severe damage or death due to cold weather – evergreen. Asimina triloba Paw Paw 30 20 Burgundy flower in spring before leaves – difficult to find in nursery trade. Carpinus japonica Japanese Hornbeam 20 25 Wide spreading, slow growing – fall color is not outstanding. √ Cercis canadensis Eastern Redbud 25 30 Deep pink flowers on bare twigs in spring. Cercis siliquastrum Judas Tree 25 30 Deep pink flowers on bare twigs in spring – drought resistant. √ Cornus alternifolia Pagoda Dogwood 25 25 Small white flowers in flat clusters – fall color is varied. Cotinus obovatus American Smoke Tree 25 25 Showy pinkish panicles of flowers in the spring – reddish purple leaves on some varieties. Juniperus chinensis ‘Torulosa’ Hollywood Juniper 15 15 Heat, wind and salt tolerant. Great for small areas and screening. √ Juniperus maritima Maritime Juniper 20 15 Hard to find in nurseries – salt tolerant and native to Northern island shores. √ √ Lagerstroemia 'tuscarora' Tuscarora Hybrid Crape Myrtle 20 20 Light cinnamon brown bark lends year-round interest – drought resistant – likes a warm site. √ Maackia amurensis Amur Maackia 30 20 Interesting exfoliating bark - needs young tree pruning for structure. Magnolia 'Elizabeth' Elizabeth Magnolia 30 20 Yellowish to cream colored flower in spring. Magnolia x loebneri Loebner Magnolia 20 20 Flower is ‘star’ shaped rather than tulip like – white to pinkish white in March or April. Malus ‘Golden Raindrops’ Golden Raindrops Crabapple 20 20 Disease resistant – persistent yellow fruit in fall and winter. Malus 'Lancelot' ('Lanzam') Lancelot Crabapple 15 15 Red flower buds, blooming white – red persistent fruit. Parrotia persica Persian Parrotia 30 20 Blooms in late winter – drought tolerant – Varied fall color – reds, oranges and yellows. √ Last updated January 2024 Scientific & Common Name Mature Height Mature Spread Comments Native? Drought Tolerant?* Stewartia monodelpha Orange Bark Stewartia 30 20 Extraordinary cinnamon colored bark – avoid hot, dry sites. Stewartia psuedocamellia Japanese Stewartia 25 15 Patchwork bark, white flower in spring. Styrax obassia Fragrant Styrax 25 20 Smooth gray bark and fragrant white flowers. Taxus brewifolia Western yew 20 15 Shade tolerant, great food for wildlife. √ √ *Note: “Drought tolerant” is in reference to established trees. Newly planted trees still need ample water after transplanting to a new site. WHAT NOT TO PLANT These trees are not currently considered climate-ready due to pest and diseases issues, or invasive tendencies. This list is subject to change based on scientific research and changing pest forecasts. • All “true ash” species (Fraxinus spp.) • White-barked birches such as paper birch (Betula papyrifera) • Himalayan birch (Betula jacquemontii) • Tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima)