"The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now."
- Chinese Proverb
In need of a massive statement for your landscape? How about a luxury bird and wildlife hotel in the backyard? Maybe one that shades your entire home and reduces cooling costs? Nature Hills Nursery has you covered if you have the time and room for a big tree!
Every tree is different. Some are little more than bushes at their tallest, while others are meant to grow gigantic and form skyscraping, spreading canopies in the sky. If you're looking for a tree that will tower over your yard for decades to come, check out these amazing varieties available at Nature Hills Nursery!
Deciduous Trees
These deciduous trees grow to impressive heights and are in it for the long haul! With Flowers, fruit, fall color, and wildlife magnets, these mammoths overshadow the rest with their presence.
5. Bur Oak Tree
The mighty, wide-spreading Bur Oak (Quercus macrocarpa) is native White Oak in North America. Featuring coarse, rugged, rounded canopy and round lobed leathery leaves, Bur Oak delivers a strong character in the landscape. The largest in the US is currently the McBaine Bur Oak and is 90 feet tall with a 130-foot spread! Estimated to live 200–300 years, Bur Oaks are also known as Mossycup Oaks and sometimes spelled Burr Oak, due to their unique acorn caps. Massive wildlife and songbird trees, these are keystone species in the landscape and command attention.
- Average 70 - 100 ft (21 - 30 m)
- Gorgeous Lobed Foliage & Unique Capped Acorns
- Wide, Rounded Canopies
- USDA Growing Zones 3 - 8
4. Red Maple Tree
One big red tree to consider is the Red Maple. The largest US specimen in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is listed as being 141 feet (~43 m) tall! These are among the most common trees in the Eastern and Central United States and Canada. Because they are so common in the wild, the Red Maple is a good tree for bringing birds to your yard.
On average, they will grow to around 60-90 ft tall. They grow somewhat quickly, with saplings reaching 20 ft tall within the first 10 years. Other large-sized cultivars of the native Red Maple include Red Sunset, October Glory®, Autumn Blaze®, and the magnificent Sugar Maple.
- Average 59 to 89 ft (18 - 27 m), Exceptional Specimens 115 ft
- Glorious Red Fall Foliage
- Faster Growing
- USDA Growing Zones 4 - 9
3. Dawn Redwood
The Dawn Redwood is the last living species of its genus, Metasequoia. Native to Asia, it can thrive as an ornamental in the United States. Unlike its relative the California Redwood, the Dawn Redwood is deciduous. However, one of those cousins in Redwood National Park reached 380 feet tall!
The Dawn Redwoods leaves are thin and conifer-like, but it is not evergreen. Although it is dwarfed in comparison to the other Redwoods, it will still grow up to 200 ft. The record holder currently lives in Kennett Square in Pennsylvania, and is 99 feet (30.18 m) with a 19-foot diameter!
- Average Height at Maturity - 50 - 90 ft (15 -27m)
- Gorgeous Red Bark & Wood
- Dates Back 50 Million Years in the Fossil Record
- USDA Hardiness Zones 4 - 8
2. Tulip Poplar
Want a large-scale flowering tree with incredible fall color too? The Magnolia relative known as the Tulip Poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera) is a deciduous tree native to North America. Known as "Liberty trees" and Yellow Poplars, these kick off spring with fragrant, vibrant yellow and orange cup-shaped blooms that resemble their namesakes.
Deep-rooted and long-lived, butterflies, birds, and bees all love this tree! The fall seed pods again resemble their Magnolia cousins and form unique cones that are filled with winged seeds. Another tree with its largest cousin in the Smoky Mountains, aptly named ‘The Tall One’ reaches 191.9 feet in height!
- Averages 60 - 90 ft (18 - 27 m)
- Unique Leaves, Golden Fall Color & Winged Seed Pods
- Stately Pyramidal Canopy
- Hardy USDA Zones 4 - 9
1. Carpathian English Walnut Tree
Walnut trees have always been majestic landscaping trees that serve up a bounty of nutty goodness for you and your wildlife! Combined with tropical foliage and strong hardwood, the Carpathian English Walnut Tree (Juglans regia 'Carpathian') is partially self-fertile, produces less Juglone, and are fantastic shade trees with long compound leaves, strong timber, and thin-shelled, flavorful harvest. Let your landscaping feed you and your wildlife! Plant with another English Walnut like Manregion or Franquette for a larger harvest. One of the largest English Walnuts in the US is in Ogden, Utah, and soars to 85 feet tall!
- 40 - 60 ft (12 - 18 m)
- Oval Canopy & Broad Limbs
- Impressive Shade & Wildlife Trees
- Thin-Shelled Robust-Flavored Nuts
- USDA Zones 5 - 9
Evergreen Trees
5. Eastern White Pine
The cold-hardy Eastern White Pine (Pinus strobus) can become a giant in your very own yard. They are fast growing between the ages of 15 and 45 years, adding around 3-4 ft of new height every year. Younger and older trees grow more slowly. They have a long lifespan, thought to be around 400 years. The tallest currently living White Pines are around 180 ft (53 m) tall.
- 150 ft (~46 m) After 50 Years
- Fast-Growing & Long-Lived
- Cold-Hardy
- USDA Hardiness Zones 3 - 8
4. Longleaf Pine
The Longleaf Pine Tree (Pinus palustris) is a Southeastern Native with colorful bark, and a weeping canopy, and is quite long-lived! Longleaf Pines start out as fluffy grass-stage trees, but sprout into dizzying heights!
These conifers are named for their incredibly long needles that make great pine mulch and shade. Drought-tolerant, salt-tolerant, and resistant to many Pine tree pests! Florida’s Blackwater River State Forest in Santa Rosa County has a Longleaf Pine 97 feet tall!
- 80 - 100 ft (24 - 30 m)
- Long-Needled Conifer
- Drought, Salt & Pest Resistant
- USDA Hardiness Zones 7 - 9
3. Italian Cypress Tree
Need height but not width? The Italian Cypress (Cupressus sempervirens) is a fantastic hot-climate evergreen that stays slim and slender as it reaches for the sky! In both a green and blue form, these fluffy columnar trees are striking accents and thrive in hot, dry Mediterranean climates.
The largest Bald Cypress was The Senator in Florida, estimated to be 3,500 years old and reached 126 feet tall before it was lost in a fire.
- Matures to 50-60 ft (15 - 18m)
- Slim Columnar Evergreen
- Drought & Heat Tolerant
- Growing Zones 7 - 10
2. Spruce Trees
Cold-tolerant Spruce Trees have long been held in high regard for their air of gravitas and the Shrencks Spruce (Picea schrenkiana) is the king of these evergreens! Schrenks Spruce has a narrow, pyramidal form and features level branches that are cloaked in pendulous branchlets. Trees over 1,000 years old have been found in their native China. The largest Spruce in the US is 191 feet (58 m) in height and is located in Olympic National Park, Washington.
- 75 - 100 ft (21 - 30 m) and 30-50 ft Wide
- Long-Lived & Cold-Tolerant
- Gorgeous Narrow Pyramidal Evergreen
- USDA Hardiness Zones 4 - 7
1. Aptos Blue Coast Redwood
Heat tolerant and massive evergreen, the Aptos Blue Coast Redwood (Sequoia Sempervirens 'Aptos Blue') is a gorgeous tree that grows ramrod straight with stunning spongy-soft red bark and blue-green foliage. As the tree grows, the branches begin to bow down just slightly giving it a pretty 'weeping' effect. Like its Redwood cousins, expect Aptos Blue to live for generations!
- Matures to 80 - 120 ft (24 - 36m)
- Also Known As Sequoia
- Gorgeous Evergreen Redwood
- Weeping Branches & Straight Trunk
- USDA Growing Zones 7 - 9
Grand Trees For Generations!
If one of these high-impact and large-scale trees does not fit your needs, check out our entire selection of large trees available at Nature Hills Nursery and start growing that legacy tree in your own landscape today!
Do it for wildlife, for shade, for life…order your own at NatureHills.com today!
Happy Planting!
