Buying a tree? Here are our favorites.

Interested in purchasing a tree for your yard, but looking for suggestions of what tree to get? TreePhilly has compiled some of our favorite trees for Philadelphia yards! These trees are our favorite because they are native to our region, can withstand the hotter and more extreme weather we can expect with climate change, support biodiversity, and are beautiful and will make your yard the envy of the neighborhood. Our suggested fruit trees are great fruit producers with limited disease and pest pressure.

Want to learn to find the right spot for your tree and how to plant and care for them? Read our TreePhilly Siting Guide and check out our Yard Tree Planting and Care Page. Browse our tree profiles to determine which species will be perfect for you, then reach out to one of the local nurseries mapped below to see if your tree is available for purchase!

Know what kind of tree you want? Jump To:
Large Shade Trees
Shade Trees
Small Trees
Fruit Trees

Large Shade Trees

Baldcypress (Taxodium distichum) is a low-maintenance large native shade tree. Thousands of years ago this tree grew in swampy areas of Philadelphia. It is a great tree, especially is you have a wet area of your yard. Unlike other conifers, Baldcypresses lose their leaves in the winter. They prefer full to partial sun (3-6 hours of direct sunlight each day) and grow 70-120 feet tall and 20-30 feet wide. Plant this tree away from overhead wires.

Kentucky Coffeetree (Gymnocladus dioicus) is a large, easy-to-grow native shade tree. This tree is great at tolerating urban conditions. It features brilliant fall foliage, attractive bark, and decorative hanging seed pods in the winter. The seed pods eventually fall, but can be mowed, collected and removed, or left in place. This treee prefers full sun to full shade (0-6 hours of dircet sunlight each day). They grow 60-100 feet tall and 40-55 feet wide. Plant this tree away from overhead wires.

River Birch (Betula nigra) is a fast growing, medium to large shade tree with beautiful bark. They feature papery pinkish-brown bark, yello fall leaves, and small flowers with no nuts, great for someone who does not want to manage any mess. This tree prefers full to partial sun (3-6 hours of direct sunlight each day). They grow 50-75 feet tall and 40-60 feet wide. Plant this tree away from overhead wires.

Black Gum (Nyssa sylvatica) is a an adaptable, slow-growing tree, with beautiful fall color. The tree produces small berries, but these are often eaten by birds, leaving no mess. This tree prefers full to partial sun (3-6 hours of direct sunlight each day). They grow 30-60 or more feet tall and 20-40 feet wide. Plant this tree away from overhead wires.

Willow Oak (Quercus phellos) is a majestic, fast-growing shade tree with small leaves. This tree supports a remarkable amount of biodiversity! They prefer full to partial sun (3-6 hours of direct sunlight each day) and grow 40-75 feet tall and 25-50 feet wide. Plant this tree away from overhead wires.

White Oak (Quercus alba) is a large, wide tree that grows slowly. They provide amazing shade and supports a tremendous amount of biodiversity! This tree prefers full sun (6 hours of direct sunlight each day and grows 60-75 feet tall and 60-75 feet wide. Plant this tree away from overhead wires.

Shade Trees

Chinese Chestnut (Castanea mollissima) is a medium-sized shade and nut tree. When planted in a pair, they produce excellent chestnuts for fresh eating or roasting! This tree provides excellent shade and has a beautiful spreading form. The nuts drop in spiky burrs in the fall. This tree prefers full sun (6 hours of direct sunlight each day) and grows 40-60 feet tall and 40-60 feet wide. Plant this tree away from overhead wires.

Yellowwood (Cadrastis kentukea) is a beautiful, spreading, native shade tree. They feature fragrant white flowers, brilliant orange foliage, and smooth bark. This tree prefers full sun (6 hours of direct sunlight each day). They grow 30-50 feet tall and 40-55 feet wide. This tree requires little maintenance! Plant this tree away from overhead wires.

Sourwood (Oxydendrum arboreum) is a elegant native shade tree. They feature strings of fragrant white flowers and brilliant fall foliage. This tree prefers full to partial sun (3-6 hours of direct sunlight each day). They grow 20-50 feet tall and 10-25 feet wide making them perfect for someone who does not have a large yard but wants to benefit from amazing shade. Sourwoods are drought tolerant and prefer slightly acidic soil. Plant this tree away from overhead wires.

Carolina Silverbell (Halesia tetraptera) is a beautiful, native shade tree. They feature fragrant whit flowers, beautiful fall foliage, and hanging seed pods in winter. This tree can be grown multi-stemmed for a bushier look. They prefer slightly acidic soil and full to partial sun (3-6 hours of direct sunlight each day). Carolina Silverbell grow 30-40 feet tall and 20-35 feet wide. Plant this tree away from overhead wires.

Hophornbeam (Ostyra virginiana) is a low maintenance shade tree. They have many common names, so be sure to confirm the Latin name when purchasing this tree. This tree features yellow fall leaves and small white flowers. They prefer full to partial sun (3-6 hours of direct sunlight each day) and grow 25-40 feet tall and 20-30 feet wide.

American Hornbeam (Carpinus caroliniana) is a small, low-maintenance tree. They have many common names so be sure to confirm the Latin name when purchasing! This tree feautures beautiful, muscular bark and beautifully red fall foliage. They prefer partial to full shade (0-3 hours of direct sunlight each day) and grow 20-30 feet tall and 20-30 feet wide. Plant this tree away from overhead wires.

Small Trees

Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis) is a small native tree that is one of the first to bloom in spring. They feature heart shaped leaves and edible pink flowers that taste like peas! This tree has many varieties each with their own special features but the straigh-species will also be beautiful and bring great biodiversity into Philly’s urban forest. This tree prefers full to partial sun (3-6 hours of direct sunlight each day). They grow 15-30 feet tall and 25-35 feet wide.

Pagoda Dogwood (Cornus alternifolia) is a native flowering tree with elegant branches. Unlike the commonly planted flowering dogwood, this tree features a cluster of small flowers instead of singular large flowers. This tree prefers partial shade (3 hours of direct sunlight each day). They grow 15-25 feet tall and 15-20 feet wide. Pagoda dogwoods require frequent watering and seasonal pruning.

Sweetbay Magnolia (Magnolia virginiana) is a small evergreen tree with fragrant blossoms. They feature white flowers in the fall and dark green leaves all year long. Sweetbay Magnolia prefers full to partial sun (3-6 hours of direct sunlight each day) and grows 10-20 feet tall and 10-20 feet wide.

White Fringetree (Chionanthus virginicus) is a small tree with delicate white flowers. They prefer full to partial sun (3-6 hours of direct sunlight each day). This tree grows 12-20 feet tall and 20-25 feet wide.

Fruit Trees

Paw Paw (Asimina triloba) is a low-maintenace, native fruit tree. Paw Paws are one of only a few shade-tolerant fruit trees, making them perfect for gardeners with shady yards. This tree features dark red flowers, briliant fall foliage, and large fruits that taste like banana and mango. This tree requires two trees to produce fruit. They thrive in full sun to full shade (0-6 hours of direct sunlight each day) and grow 15-30 feet tall and 15-30 feet wide. Plant this tree away from overhead wires.

Fig (Ficus carica) is fruiting shrub with edible figs. The tree may die back over the first few winters, but will come back in the spring! They prefer full sun (6 hours of direct sunlight each day) and grow 10-15 feet wide and 10-15 feet tall. This treee does best when planted next to a wall or in an area sheltered from the winter wind. Plant this tree away from paths and underground pipes.

Plum (Prunus salicina) is a small fruit tree. They feature edible plums and small white flowers. They prefer full sun (6 hours of direct sunlight each day). This tree grows 15-20 feet tall and 15-20 feet wide. They produce best when pruned annually.

Asian Pear (Pyrus pyrifolia) is a small fruiting tree that features early-blooming flowers. Asian pear fruits are delicious with a great texture similar to an apple. They prefer full sun (6 hours of direct sunlight each day). They grow 15-30 feet tall and 15-30 feet wide. They produce best when pruned annually.