The hardiest tree for a compacted sterile soil is Hackberry. It is strong, has an interesting bark when mature and provides good shade. But no interesting foliage colors other than green.
Kentucky Coffee tree is very sustainable. It is male and female. The female trees have pods. It has great organic shapes and a unique double compound leaf.
Blaze Mapleis our number one selling shade tree. It can be weak wooded at times. It has good fall coloration and likes all kinds of soil types.
Burr Oak is slow, but once established with a deep tap root will actually catch up in growth to most trees. But Red, Chinkapin, and English Oaks are all great.
Honeylocusts have a small leaf, are fast growing and strong wooded. A preferred tree because there are no leaves to rake–they are too small.
Weeping Willow is soft wooded and messy and likes lots of water. It grows well.
Catalpa provides a large leaf and are a perfect shade tree.
Ginkgo is as strong a tree as you will find and there is no other tree on the planet with more disease and bug resistance.
Birch trees are also popular. The most popular birch varieties we carry are Heritage and River.
