Low Maintenence Street Tree Cultivars

What are some good cultivars for urban use?

Trees need to be selected for particular sites and uses, so there is no such thing as a general list that can work for everybody.

Here is a list of street tree cultivars that tolerate common urban conditions in this region (pH 7-8, full sun, USDA Zone 4, dry and somewhat compacted soil):

— Autumn Blaze hybrid maple (Acer x freemanii 'Jeffersred'). Combines the fall leaf color of red maple with the urban soil tolerance of silver maple.

— Greencolumn black maple (Acer nigrum 'Greencolumn'). A narrower, hardier and more drought tolerant cousin of sugar maple, with the same fall color.

— Prairie Pride hackberry (Celtis occidentalis 'Prairie Pride'). Selected for strong central leader and resistance to disfiguration by insects.

— Patmore green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica 'Patmore'). Seedless, very cold hardy, and excellent branch structure.

— Princeton Sentry ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba 'Princeton Sentry'). Fruitless male tree, very tolerant of urban conditions, narrower than the species.

— Skyline honey locust (Gleditsia triacanthos inermis 'Skycole'). Strong central leader, easy to raise for clearance, somewhat more resistant to insects.

Macho Amur cork (Phellodendron amurense 'Macho'). Upright habit, smaller stature, and no seeds.

Where can I find these cultivars?

Some of them are available at good regional nurseries, so call and ask.
Otherwise, order (6 months ahead of time) from the catalogue of a wholesale nursery whose stock is planted out under similar climate conditions.

Where can I get more information?

Henry Gerhold et al, Street Tree Factsheets ($20, Penn State Press, 1993). Excellent photos and descriptions of many cultivars. Also, call your local Cooperative Extension or DEC office, or us at the Community Forestry Education Project (716-461-1000).