Listed below are some of Nebraska's more popular landscape trees. Most of them have descriptions and pictures you can view or download in PDF format by clicking on the tree name. (We're still writing some of the sheets.) Trees with an asterisk (*) have descriptions from other sources. If you have more to add, contact Eric Berg (eberg2@unl.edu).
For a more complete list of trees, check out the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum site and follow the PLANT SEARCH.
Because one of the goals of ReTree Nebraska is to increase species diversity in community forests across our state, ReTree Nebraska is promoting "Good Trees for the Good Life." This list includes trees that grow well in Nebraska, but are often under-utilized. Starting in 2008, a tree species will be added each year to the previous selections until 2017 creating "Eight for 2008," "Nine for 2009,"..."Seventeen for 2017." Visit ReTree Nebraska for more information about these tree species.
You can also check out a list of FAVORITE TREES according to the folks on our listserve who plant and work with trees within their respective communities. Click HERE!
Conifers:
- Baldcypress (Taxodium distichum)
- Fir, Douglas (Pseudotsuga menziesii)
- Fir, Concolor (Abies concolor)
- Larch, Eastern (Larix larcinia) *
- Larch, European (Larix decidua) *
- Pine, Eastern White (Pinus strobus)
- Pine, Limber (Pinus flexilis) *
- Pine, Ponderosa (Pinus ponderosa) *
- Spruce, Colorado (Picea pungens)
- Spruce, Norway (Picea abies)
- Spruce, Serbian (Picea omorika)
- Spruce, White (Picea glauca) *
Deciduous:
- Ash, Green (Fraxinus pennsylvanica) and White (Fraxinus americanus)
- Birch, River (Betula nigra)
- Buckeye, Ohio or Yellow (Aesculus glabra or flava) *
- Catalpa, Eastern (Catalpa speciosa)
- Coffeetree, Kentucky (Gymnocladus dioicus)
- Cottonwood, Eastern (Populus deltoides) (Nebraska's State Tree)
- Crabapple (Malus sp.) *
- Elm, American (Ulmus americana) *
- Gingko (Ginkgo biloba)
- Hackberry, Eastern - (Celtis occidentalis) *
- Hawthorne, Thornless Cockspur (Crataegus crusgalli var. inermis) *
- Honeylocust, Thornless (Gleditsia triacanthos var. inermis) *
- Hornbeam, Musclewood (Carpinus caroliniana) *
- Lilac, Japanese Tree (Syringa reticulata)
- Linden, American or Basswood (Tilia americana)
- Locust, Black (Robinia pseudoacacia)
- Maple, Amur (Acer ginnala)
- Maple, Norway (Acer platanoides)
- Maple, Red (Acer rubrum)
- Maple, Silver (Acer saccharinum)
- Maple, Sugar (Acer saccharum)
- Oak, Bur (Quercus macrocarpa) *
- Oak, Chinquapin (Quercus muehlenbergii) *
- Oak, Dwarf Chinquapin (Quercus muehlenbergii (dwarf)) *
- Oak, Northern Red (Quercus rubra)
- Oak, Pin (Quercus palustris) *
- Oak, Shingle (Quercus imbricaria ) *
- Oak, Shumard (Quercus shumardii) *
- Oak, Swamp white (Quercus bicolor)
- Oak, White (Quercus alba) *
- Paw Paw (Asimina triloba) *
- Redbud, Eastern (Cercis canadensis)
- Serviceberry or Sarvis Tree, Shadbush, Juneberry (Amelanchier arborea)
- Sycamore, American (Platanus occidentalis)
- Walnut, Black (Juglans nigra)
