We get that question quite frequently from new home owners or from customers who just moved to a new location. I am going to paraphrase a quote I read somewhere. The statement was something like, "there are no bad trees, just poorly selected sites for some trees". Helping choose the right tree must start with looking at the proposed location for your tree.

The first consideration is how much space do you have for the tree. There are a multitude of great trees, but will they fit in the space you have? Consider the tree's height and spread and determine if it will fit in your space. Next, what type of soil will the tree have to grow in? Is the soil  clay, sand, loam, dry, wet, well drained, or not well drained. Taking into consideration the soil and location will help you shorten your list of desirable trees.

Next, what kind of growing conditions will your new tree have? Is the location shady or sunny, or a partly shady/partly sunny location? Some trees need full sun to prosper and some will do well in shady conditions. Additionally, will the tree be close to the street, if it is, can it with withstand pavement heat and salt from street treatments? Will the tree tolerate urban conditions such as air pollution, compacted soils, and drought?

Other considerations to take into account may be growth rate, fall color, and longevity. Do you want the tree to provide shade for your home or is your goal to place an accent tree such as a flowering tree on your property? After you have identified your tree selection parameters, you will most likely be happier with your selection because it will 'fit' in your choice of location.

The city of St. Louis Forestry Division has a good informational bulletin relating to street trees.  http://stlouis.missouri.org/citygov/parks/forestry_div/StreetTreeInfo.pdf