Which Trees Should I Plant in Kansas?

The best time to plant trees and shrubs is in the late fall and early winter before the ground freezes. With proper watering and maintenance, newly established plants will get settled and acclimated to their new environment.  By developing roots this fall, these plants will increase their chance of survival through the first growing season next year.

The Hesston City Tree Board did a street tree inventory several years ago for the entire city and found that there are too many Silver Maples, Siberian Elms, and Pin Oaks.  These three species represent 31% of the town’s total tree population.  The recommended percentage of any one tree would be less than 5% of the total population.  Insect and disease problems can decimate a single species (such as Dutch elm disease in American elms or pine wilt in Scotch Pine).  Tree planting diversity by the citizens of Hesston can help improve the overall make up of the population and bring it back into balance.

At the time of this survey, the City of Hesston and the Tree Board developed a five year planting strategy to promote diversity for future planting.  This strategy was intended for Hesston, but will work for nearly every community in the state.  Some of their recommendations and mine are contained in the following list.  These trees are native to eastern or central Kansas and adaptable to most of the state.

Which trees should I plant in Kansas? Try a few of these:

Bur Oak (Quercus macrocarpa) – A very large broad spreading tree (70’ x 70’) with long smoothly lobed leaves.  Mature trees come alive in the fall with squirrel activity as the acorns mature.  Excellent as a shade tree, but give it space.

Northern Red Oak (Quercus rubra) A large tree (60’ x 60’) with a rounded growth habit in youth and maturity.  The seven to eleven lobed lustrous dark green leaves turn a russet-red in fall.

Shingle Oak (Quercus imbricaria) – Pyramidal in youth and eventually becoming broad and rounded at maturity (50’ x 50’).  The leaves are unlobed and lustrous dark green, turning yellow brown to russet-red in fall.  Leaves are persistent though winter.

Shingle oak

Shingle oak

Post Oak (Quercus stellata) – A dense-rounded tree (40’ x 40’) with shiny green leaves that are roundly lobed.  Hard to find in the nursery trade, but worth the effort.

American Linden, Basswood (Tilia americana) – A very large (60’ x 60’) upright pyramidal to broadly open tree.  The gray smooth bark, fragrant creamy-yellow flowers in late spring, and dark green leaves make American Linden a nice choice as a shade tree.

Sugarberry (Celtis laevigata) – A hackberry with smooth gray bark and large (40’ x 40’) rounded growth habit.  Fruits have a sweet date-like taste and are loved by birds.

Hackberry (Celtis occidentalis) – Widely adapted to many areas throughout the state, hackberrys can withstand all Kansas can throw at them.  Upright to pyramidal in habit (40’ x 40’) with rough deeply furrowed plate-like bark.  It is a larval food source for the question mark, comma, hackberry, tawny emperor, snout, and morning cloak butterflies.

Catalpa (Catalpa speciosa) – Very adaptable to a wide range of soils from wet to dry.  It has an open irregular crown (50’ x 40’) with large heart-shaped leaves.  The flowers, which appear in May and June, are quite showy.  Worth growing, even though it is thought of as a messy tree that drops its leaves and seed pods.  Don’t all trees do that?

Persimmon (Diospyros virginiana) – Tough oval rounded tree (40’ x 35’) with fragrant white blueberry-shaped flowers in May and June.  The real treat comes in the fall when the edible fruit ripens and the foliage takes on colors of yellow to reddish-purple.

American Hophornbeam (Ostrya virginiana) – Rare in the nursery trade, this tree deserves to be used more because it makes a great street tree.  Pyramidal in youth becoming rounded with age (25’ x 30’), it has deep green, sharply serrated leaves that turn yellow-brown in fall.

American Hophornbeam

American Hophornbeam

These trees are examples that will increase the tree diversity in your neighborhoods and landscapes.  For more information on these or other trees for your area, contact your local tree board, local horticulture extension agent, or visit the arboretum.  We have examples of many of these trees growing at the arboretum.  I would be happy to answer any questions you may have.

Remember – diversity is the key to success!

Five Oaks for the Kansas Landscape

The strongest oak of the forest is not the one that is protected from the storm and hidden from the sun. It’s the one that stands in the open where it is compelled to struggle for its existence against the winds and rains and the scorching sun.  – Napoleon Hill

If you live in Kansas long enough, you really begin to appreciate trees.  They endure heat and extreme cold along with persistent wind.  Months without rain are common, but so is the occasional soaking rain that saturates the soil.  Trees in this part of the world need to be resilient.

Folks in areas of the country that have an abundance of trees often take trees for granted.  Trees grow easily, but not here.  A good shade tree in Kansas is a luxury.   They need to withstand the rigors of the climate.  To sit under a mature tree on a warm afternoon, enjoy the blue skies and sip your favorite cool drink is a special experience.

Here are five oaks trees that are “plains tough”.   (This is my list, but there are over 10 species of oaks native to Kansas and several other non-native varieties that are equally tenacious.)

OAK TREES FOR KANSAS

1. Bur oak

When I go fishing along the Cottonwood River, I can’t help but notice the huge Bur oaks (Quercus macrocarpa) stretching out their limbs over the river.  West of Hesston, there is one that has a span of over 150 feet.  It is quite a specimen.  This native oak of the eastern two-thirds of Kansas is one of the most adaptable hardwood trees in Kansas.  Generally, it is slow growing, but in the right conditions it can grow two to three feet a year.  Mature height is 50 to 80 feet tall and with a spread from 40 to 60 feet. The Bur oaks don’t typically have great fall color, but it is very sturdy and problem-free.

Bur Oak

Bur oak

 

2. White oak

As part of my horticulture classes at Kansas State University, I had to learn the names of many different plants on campus.  One of the trees I remember the most is a white oak (Quercus alba) on the east side of campus.  It is a beautiful tree with great fall color.  This stately tree stood about 60-70 feet tall with a spread of at least 60 feet.  I would love to have that white oak in my back yard, because I know that it would be there for generations.

White oak

White oak

 

3. English oak

The Kansas state champion English oak (Quercus robur) is in Kinsley.  If it can grow in Kinsley, it can grow anywhere in the state.  It is native to Europe, but a versatile tree in Kansas.  Typical growth is 30 to 50 feet in height and 30 to 40 feet in spread.  Leaves are dark green throughout the year.  They eventually turn brown, but stay on the tree much of the winter.  This tree adapts to most soil types, including heavy clay.  Ours at the arboretum puts on good growth each year – one to two feet.  Give it room to grow and you will be rewarded with an excellent shade tree.

 

4. Shumard (red) oak

The fastest growing member of the red oak family is Shumard oak (Quercus shumardii) making it a great choice for the home landscape.  Its native range is eastern Kansas along moist streams and upland rocky hillsides.  It is quite adaptable to a wide range of soil conditions.  The fall color can be incredible.  It is recommended that you choose your tree in the fall when they are coloring because the species can be variable in fall color intensity.  Shumard oaks are more tolerant than other red oaks of urban areas and challenging sites.

 

5. Shingle oak

Our shingle oaks (Quercus imbricaria) this fall have been spectacular.  The red fall color was more brilliant than in previous years.  The color fades, but the leaves will persist through most of the winter.  Speaking of the leaves, they are unusual among oaks.  They don’t have lobes, but are smooth along the margins.  It is a great form that can thrive in drier conditions.   They grow 40 to 60 feet tall and spread 30 to 50 feet.

Shingle oak

Shingle oak

 

Planting an oak today is like leaving an inheritance to future generations.  Choose wisely!