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Shade Trees

Shade Trees
Flowering Trees

Flowering Trees
Fast Growing Trees

Fast Growing Trees
Oak Trees

Oak Trees
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  • American Hornbeam

    Carpinus caroliniana

    Up to 20% off
    From $10000 $12500

  • Little Volunteer Tulip Tree

    Liriodendron tulipifera 'Little Volunteer'

    Sold out
    (4)
    $14329

  • Stellar Pink® Dogwood

    Cornus x 'Rutgan'

    Sold out
    Up to 20% off
    From $11711 $14639

  • White Flowering Dogwood

    Cornus florida

    Sold out
    (35)
    From $4988

  • October Glory® Red Maple Tree

    Acer rubrum 'PNI 0268'

    Sold out
    (5)
    $6900

  • Northern Red Oak Tree

    Quercus rubra

    Sold out
    (5)
    $9790

  • Black Walnut Tree

    Juglans nigra

    Sold out
    (1)
    From $4233

  • Red Maple Tree

    Acer rubrum

    Sold out
    (1)
    $9790

  • Dawn Redwood

    Metasequoia glyptostroboides

    Sold out
    $10688

  • Redbud Crabapple Tree

    Malus zumi 'Calocarpa'

    Sold out
    (1)
    $6943
  • Golden Weeping Willow (Salix alba 'Tristis'), a tree featuring erect, open form.

    Golden Weeping Willow

    Salix alba 'Tristis'

    Sold out
    (1)
    From $4079
  • Regal Prince™ Oak Tree (Quercus robur x bicolor 'Long'), a tree featuring green flowers and deciduous.

    Regal Prince™ Oak Tree

    Quercus robur x bicolor 'Long'

    Sold out
    $18898

  • Tulip Poplar

    Liriodendron tulipifera

    Sold out
    $9790
  • Exclamation!™ London Planetree

    Exclamation!™ London Planetree

    Platanus x acerifolia 'Morton Circle'

    Sold out
    (2)
    $10650

  • Sugar Maple Tree

    Acer saccharum

    Sold out
    (4)
    $9790

  • Black Gum Tree

    Nyssa sylvatica

    Sold out
    (5)
    $9790

  • White Oak Tree

    Quercus alba

    Sold out
    (1)
    $9790

  • Carolina Silverbell

    Halesia carolina

    Sold out
    $9299
  • Shiloh Splash River Birch Tree (Betula nigra 'Shiloh Splash'), a tree featuring deciduous and open, pyramidal form.

    Shiloh Splash River Birch Tree

    Betula nigra 'Shiloh Splash'

    Sold out
    $9790

  • Weeping French Pussy Willow

    Salix caprea 'Pendula'

    Sold out
    (1)
    $6876

  • Sassafras Tree

    Sassafras variifolium

    Sold out
    (27)
    $9790
  • Twombly's Red Sentinel Japanese Maple Tree - Tree - Nature Hills Nursery - 3 Container -

    Twombly's Red Sentinel Japanese Maple Tree

    Acer palmatum 'Twombly's Red Sentinel'

    Sold out
    $18465

  • Shadblow Serviceberry

    Amelanchier canadensis

    Sold out
    (1)
    $10273

Whipper Snapper Trees

Whipper Snapper® brand trees are young, professionally grown shade and ornamental trees that give you a smarter way to plant. Each one starts life under the eye of expert growers who train a strong central leader and a healthy root system, then ships to you at an easy-to-handle size. You skip the crane, the crew and the big-tree price tag, and your tree repays you by establishing quickly and growing into an outstanding landscape tree. The hang tag says it best: the world's best little tree.

Why Plant a Young Tree?

Seasoned gardeners know the secret: a young tree transplants with far less stress than a large caliper tree. Smaller trees keep more of their root system, recover from planting in a single season and often catch up to, then outgrow, bigger transplants within a few years. A Whipper Snapper tree is light enough for one person to plant in an afternoon with nothing more than a shovel, a hose and a bag of mulch.

Our Most Popular Whipper Snapper Trees

How to Choose the Right Tree

Start with your growing zone, then think about the job the tree needs to do. Want summer shade over the patio? Look at the maples, oaks and sweetgums in this collection. After spring flowers, choose a dogwood, flowering cherry, crabapple or redbud. Need a narrow tree for a side yard or driveway? The columnar hornbeams, Slender Silhouette Sweetgum and Regal Prince Oak fit spaces most shade trees never could. Every product page lists mature height, spread and recommended zones so you can match the tree to the spot.

Planting Your Whipper Snapper Tree

Dig the hole twice the width of the root ball and set the top of the ball slightly above ground level. Backfill with a blend of native soil and organic matter, tamp lightly, then water deeply to settle the soil. Finish with 1 to 2 inches of mulch, kept away from the trunk. In poorly drained spots, plant in a raised bed. Stake young trees with two hardwood stakes and soft ties the first year, then remove them so the trunk builds its own strength.

Caring for a Young Tree

Water regularly through the first two growing seasons. As the tree grows, thin crossing interior branches and never trim back the central leader. After the first year you can remove the lowest limbs to raise the canopy if you like. That is all it takes; the professional training these trees receive before shipping does the rest.

Why Shop Whipper Snapper Trees at Nature Hills

Nature Hills is America's largest online plant nursery, and every Whipper Snapper tree ships at the right time for planting in your zone. Pick your favorites from the collection above and watch a little tree become the best tree on the block.

FAQ's for Buying Whipper Snapper Trees Online

What is a Whipper Snapper tree?
Whipper Snapper is a brand of young, professionally grown shade and ornamental trees. Each tree is trained by expert growers to develop a strong central leader and healthy root system, then shipped at a manageable size that one person can plant. The idea is simple: start with a well-grown small tree and let it mature into an outstanding landscape tree.

How big are Whipper Snapper trees when they arrive?
Most Whipper Snapper trees ship in #2 or #3 containers and stand roughly 3 to 5 feet tall depending on the variety. They are light enough for one person to carry and plant with basic garden tools, no equipment or planting crew needed.

Do small trees really catch up to larger transplanted trees?
Yes. Young trees keep a much larger share of their root system at transplant, so they establish quickly and resume full growth in their first season. Studies and nursery experience both show smaller transplants often catch up to and pass large caliper trees planted at the same time, at a fraction of the cost.

How do I plant a Whipper Snapper tree?
Dig a hole twice the width of the root ball, remove the container, and set the top of the root ball slightly above ground level. Backfill with a mix of native soil and organic matter, tamp lightly, water deeply to settle, then add 1 to 2 inches of mulch kept away from the trunk. In poorly drained areas, plant in a raised bed.

Should I stake my young tree?
Stake it for the first year only. Use two or more hardwood stakes with soft ties or wire run through rubber hose, leaving about an inch of slack so the trunk can flex and strengthen. Remove stakes and ties after one year.

How should I prune a young tree as it grows?
Thin crossing or parallel interior branches while keeping the tree’s natural shape, and never trim back the main central leader. One year after planting you can remove the lowest limbs to raise the branching height if you want more clearance.

What kinds of trees are in the Whipper Snapper collection?
The collection covers both shade and flowering trees: maples, oaks, ginkgo, hornbeam, birch, sweetgum, tulip trees, dawn redwood and other shade selections, plus dogwoods, flowering cherries, crabapples, redbuds, serviceberry and tree lilac for spring bloom. Every product page lists hardiness zones and mature size.
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