Coastal Plain: Trees

By height: small/medium | tall

Other plant types: Fern/Fern Ally | Grass/Grasslike | Groundcover | Herbaceous | Herbaceous Emergent | Shrub | Vine

Soil Moisture: Sunlight: Flower Color (simplified, all shades):
W = wet Su = full sun B = brown R = red O = orange
M = moist PS = part shade W = white P = pink G = green
D = dry Sh = full shade Y = yellow Pu = purple Bl = blue
    * denotes evergreen or semi-evergreen foliage

TREE, small/ medium (understory)
Scientific Name Common Name
W
M
D
Su
PS
Sh
Height Color Bloom
Amelanchier canadensis serviceberry, shadbush
X
X
   
X
X
35-50’ W Apr-May
Asimina triloba paw paw  
X
 
X
    39’ Y, R Mar-Apr
Castanea pumila chinquapin    
X
 
X
  12-20’ Y Jun
Cercis canadensis eastern redbud  
X
X
 
X
X
20-35’ P, Pu Apr-May
Chionanthus virginicus white fringetree  
X
X
X
X
X
20-35’ W May-Jun
Cornus florida flowering dogwood  
X
X
 
X
X
35-50’ W Apr-May
Crataegus crus-galli cockspur hawthorn  
X
X
X
X
  20-35’ W May-Jun
Crataegus viridis southern thorn
X
X
   
X
X
20-35’ W Apr
Ilex opaca American holly  
X
 
X
X
  65’ W * May-Jun
Juniperus virginiana eastern red cedar  
X
X
X
    50’ * Mar-Apr
Magnolia virginiana sweetbay magnolia
X
X
 
X
X
X
30’ W * May-Jul
Ostrya virginiana eastern hop-hornbeam, ironwood  
X
   
X
X
25-40’ R, B May
Pyrus (Malus) angustifolia southern crabapple  
X
   
X
X
25’   Apr-May
Pyrus (Malus) coronaria sweet crabapple  
X
 
X
    20-26’ P Apr-May
Sassafras albidum sassafras  
X
 
X
X
  35-50’ Y, G Apr-May

Soil Moisture: Sunlight: Flower Color (simplified, all shades):
W = wet Su = full sun B = brown R = red O = orange
M = moist PS = part shade W = white P = pink G = green
D = dry Sh = full shade Y = yellow Pu = purple Bl = blue
    * denotes evergreen or semi-evergreen foliage

TREE, tall (canopy)
Scientific Name Common Name
W
M
D
Su
PS
Sh
Height Color Bloom
Acer negundo box elder
X
X
 
X
X
  30-60’    
Acer rubrum red maple
X
X
 
X
X
  40-60’    
Betula nigra river birch
X
X
 
X
X
  30-50’    
Carya alba (C. tomentosa) mockernut hickory  
X
X
 
X
X
60-90’    
Carya cordiformis bitternut hickory
X
X
 
X
    60-80’    
Carya glabra pignut hickory
X
X
X
X
X
  60-80’    
Carya ovata shagbark hickory  
X
 
X
    70-100’    
Celtis occidentalis hackberry
X
X
 
X
X
  40-60’    

Chamaecyparis thyoides

Atlantic white cedar
X
X
   
X
X
75’ *  
Diospyros virginiana common persimmon  
X
X
X
X
  50-75’    
Fagus grandifolia American beech  
X
 
X
X
  50-100’    
Fraxinus americana white ash  
X
 
X
X
  80’    
Fraxinus pennsylvanica green ash
X
X
 
X
X
  50-60’    
Juglans nigra black walnut  
X
 
X
    70-90’    
Liquidambar styraciflua sweet gum
X
X
 
X
X
  60-80’    
Liriodendron tulipifera tulip poplar  
X
 
X
X
  70-120’    
Morus rubra red mulberry  
X
 
X
    60’    
Nyssa sylvatica black gum, sourgum
X
X
X
X
X
  30-60’    
Pinus echinata shortleaf pine  
X
X
X
    100’ *  
Pinus rigida pitch pine    
X
X
    50-60’ *  
Pinus taeda loblolly pine
X
X
 
X
    70-90’ *  
Pinus virginiana Virginia pine  
X
X
X
    50-80’ *  
Platanus occidentalis American sycamore
X
X
 
X
X
  75-100’    
Prunus serotina black or wild cherry  
X
 
X
    40-60’    
Quercus alba white oak  
X
 
X
    80-100’    
Quercus bicolor swamp white oak
X
   
X
X
  60-70’    
Quercus coccinea scarlet oak  
X
 
X
    40-60’    
Quercus falcata southern red oak  
X
 
X
    70-80’    
Quercus marilandica blackjack oak    
X
 
X
  50’    
Quercus michauxii swamp chestnut oak
X
X
 
X
    60-80’    
Quercus nigra water oak
X
X
   
X
X
50-80’    
Quercus palustris pin oak  
X
 
X
    60-80’    
Quercus phellos willow oak
X
X
 
X
X
  80-100’    
Quercus prinus (Q. montana) chestnut oak    
X
X
X
  60-80’    
Quercus rubra northern red oak  
X
X
X
X
  90’    
Quercus stellata post oak  
X
 
X
    75’    
Quercus velutina black oak  
X
X
X
    50-60’    
Robinia pseudoacacia black locust  
X
X
X
    40-80’    
Salix nigra black willow
X
X
 
X
X
  40-80’    
Taxodium distichum bald cypress
X
   
X
X
  50-70’    
Tilia americana American basswood  
X
   
X
  > 100’    
Ulmus americana American elm  
X
 
X
    100’    

  Publication by USFWS BayScapes Conservation Landscaping Program
 Comments, suggestions, and questions about the website should be directed to the webmaster.
http://www.nps.gov/plants/pubs/nativesMD/coastalplain/coastal-trees.htm
Last updated: 9/4/01