This week: 5 Shade Trees for Curb Appeal
Hello!
Ever notice how lovely it is to drive down a tree-lined street or walk through a shade-dappled neighborhood? Neighborhoods with mature trees are associated with strong community ties and safety, and a 2024 Arbor Day Foundation survey found that 9 in 10 Americans believe trees make neighborhoods more livable. In fact, homes with trees have higher property values than those without—trees contribute $31.5 billion to property values in the U.S. All good reasons to plant a tree!
The following are all medium-sized deciduous shade trees that do well in full sun to part shade and are native to Pennsylvania and the Eastern United States. Consider installing one in your front yard and make your neighborhood a little more peaceful.
Red Maple (Acer rubrum)
Gorgeous in the woods and gorgeous as a shade tree on a residential street, Red Maple is a medium-sized landscape tree that grows from 40 to 60 feet. It’s usually planted for its colorful fall foliage, but it is also a larval host for the Cecropia Moth and provides a habitat for birds and small mammals. It can even be tapped for maple syrup!
American Sweet Gum (Liquidambar styraciflua)
The foliage of a Sweet Gum tree is the star of the fall—a single tree can simultaneously have orange, yellow, red, and purple leaves. It’s an excellent shade tree and grows around 50 feet tall, making it a great choice for the front yard. Some homeowners dislike the spiky seed balls (called gumballs). If that’s the case, plant this tree where you won’t feel compelled to do cleanup.
Sweet Bay Magnolia (Magnolia virginiana)
This native beauty is a slow-growing tree that tops out at 35 feet tall and wide. It begins blooming in late May and continues through June. The flowers are white and have a pleasingly sweet fragrance, so it is best planted where you can enjoy the scent—along the sidewalk, by your parking spot, or near the front porch. It is semi-deciduous, so it doesn’t drop all its leaves or have fall foliage color. It’s also the laval host for the Spicebush Swallowtail butterfly.
Tupelo (Nyssa sylvatica)
With shiny dark green leaves in the summer and brilliant red foliage in the fall, this medium-sized landscape tree makes a statement in the neighborhood and is one of the most ornamental natives. It’s also famous for being a honey tree for honeybees. It typically grows to 30-50 feet tall and works well in erosion-prone areas like hillsides. In nature, it's frequently found growing among Black Cherry and Hickory trees.
Pin Oak (Quercus palustris)
If you want all the ecological benefits of an oak tree but don’t have space for a towering Red or White Oak, the shorter Pin Oak is for you, as it typically only reaches 50-70 feet tall. Pin Oaks are also a great privacy tree—lower branches angle downward, blocking sight lines. They are also keystone species, contributing greatly to the food web by supporting small mammals, birds, and hundreds of beneficial insects.
Remember the old adage: the best time to plant a tree was 30 years ago, but the second best time is now!
Elsewhere:
I’ve been paging through the beautiful drawings in Jessica Roux’s book, Ornithography: An Illustrated Guide to Bird Lore & Symbolism. As the holidays approach, this could be a great gift for the bird lover who enjoys learning fun facts!
Have a great week,
Julie