Trees
Shade trees, ornamental trees, and flowering trees common in Middle Tennessee landscapes. Browse 97 entries in our identification guide.
Southern Sugar Maple
Acer barbatum
Southern Sugar Maple (Acer barbatum): heat-tolerant native TN maple, 25–40 ft, orange-red fall color, thrives on Highland Rim clay soils.
Black Maple
Acer nigrum
Black Maple (Acer nigrum): native TN shade tree, 60–75 ft, moist ravine and stream-corridor sites, golden to red fall color, 150–200 year lifespan.
Red Maple
Acer rubrum
Red Maple (Acer rubrum) field guide: 40-75ft shade tree for Middle TN. Tolerates clay, blooms late winter, spring planting recommended for establishment.
Sugar Maple
Acer saccharum
Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum): native TN hardwood, 60–75 ft, iconic fall color, southern range edge — site on north-facing slopes in Middle Tennessee.
Yellow Buckeye
Aesculus flava
Yellow Buckeye (Aesculus flava) is a native Tennessee canopy tree reaching 60–90 ft, with cream-yellow flower panicles in spring and smooth-husked toxic seeds.
Ohio Buckeye
Aesculus glabra
Ohio Buckeye (Aesculus glabra), the Fetid Buckeye, is a native TN tree 20–40 ft tall with yellow-green spring flowers and warty toxic husks. All parts are toxic.
Common Alder
Alnus glutinosa
Common Alder (Alnus glutinosa) is a European introduction that tolerates wet clay soils and fixes nitrogen, useful for Tennessee pond margins and stream banks.
River Birch
Betula nigra
Identify River Birch (Betula nigra) in Middle Tennessee. Tree identification and care guide from Mr. Lawn Care, Columbia TN.
Shagbark Hickory
Carya ovata
Shagbark Hickory (Carya ovata) is a native Tennessee canopy tree identified by exfoliating bark plates, producing large sweet nuts prized by wildlife. Grows 70–90 ft.
Sugarberry
Celtis laevigata
Sugarberry (Celtis laevigata) is a native Tennessee bottomland tree tolerating flooding, clay, and drought. Produces heavy crops of small drupes for migrating birds.
Hackberry
Celtis occidentalis
Hackberry (Celtis occidentalis) is a native TN canopy tree with distinctively warty bark, tolerating rocky, clay, and alkaline soils. Host plant for hackberry emperor butterfly.
Katsura Tree
Cercidiphyllum japonicum
Katsura Tree (Cercidiphyllum japonicum) is a Japanese ornamental producing apricot fall color with a distinctive caramel fragrance. Needs consistent moisture in Tennessee.
American Yellowwood
Cladrastis kentukea
Learn how to grow the native American Yellowwood in Middle Tennessee. Tips on limestone soil adaptation, summer pruning, and the 'Perkins Pink' variety.
Common Persimmon
Diospyros virginiana
Grow the native Common Persimmon in Middle Tennessee. Expert guide on planting, pruning, and managing Persimmon Wilt in USDA zones 6b/7a.
Hardy Rubber Tree
Eucommia ulmoides
Hardy Rubber Tree (Eucommia ulmoides) is a Chinese ornamental with latex-bearing leaves, growing 40–60 ft with few pest problems in Tennessee clay soils.
American Beech
Fagus grandifolia
American Beech (Fagus grandifolia) is a native TN canopy tree with smooth silver-gray bark and edible mast. Requires moist, uncompacted soil; sensitive to root disturbance.
Ginkgo
Ginkgo biloba
Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba) is a Chinese ornamental with fan-shaped leaves, clear yellow fall color, and exceptional tolerance of urban soils. Plant male cultivars to avoid malodorous fruit.
Thornless Honeylocust
Gleditsia triacanthos var. inermis
Identify Thornless Honeylocust (Gleditsia triacanthos var. inermis) in Middle Tennessee. Turfgrass identification and care guide from Mr. Lawn Care, Columbia...
Kentucky Coffeetree
Gymnocladus dioicus
Identify Kentucky Coffeetree (Gymnocladus dioicus) in Middle Tennessee. Turfgrass identification and care guide from Mr. Lawn Care, Columbia TN.
Sweetgum
Liquidambar styraciflua
Identify Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua) in Middle Tennessee. Turfgrass identification and care guide from Mr. Lawn Care, Columbia TN.
Tulip Poplar
Liriodendron tulipifera
Identify Tulip Poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera) in Middle Tennessee. Tree identification and care guide from Mr. Lawn Care, Columbia TN.
Dawn Redwood
Metasequoia glyptostroboides
Dawn Redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides) is a fast-growing deciduous conifer from China, tolerating wet clay soils in Tennessee and reaching 70–100 ft with russet fall color.
Black Gum / Tupelo
Nyssa sylvatica
Black Gum (Nyssa sylvatica) is a native Tennessee tree producing reliable scarlet fall color. Tolerates clay and wet soils; sensitive to compaction and grade changes.
Amur Corktree
Phellodendron amurense
Amur Corktree (Phellodendron amurense) is a drought-tolerant Asian ornamental with deeply corky bark. Check invasive status in Tennessee before planting; prefer male cultivars.
London Planetree
Platanus x acerifolia
London Planetree (Platanus x acerifolia) is a large hybrid shade tree with exfoliating bark, widely planted in Tennessee cities. Susceptible to anthracnose; use resistant cultivars.
Sawtooth Oak
Quercus acutissima
Sawtooth Oak (Quercus acutissima) is a fast-growing Asian oak with chestnut-like toothed leaves and early, heavy acorn crops. Widely planted for wildlife in Tennessee.
White Oak
Quercus alba
Identify White Oak (Quercus alba) in Middle Tennessee. Tree identification and care guide from Mr. Lawn Care, Columbia TN.
Swamp White Oak
Quercus bicolor
Swamp White Oak (Quercus bicolor) is a native TN oak with bicolored leaves and fibrous roots, tolerating wet clay soils. Requires acidic soil to prevent iron chlorosis.
Scarlet Oak
Quercus coccinea
Scarlet Oak (Quercus coccinea) is a native Tennessee oak with deeply lobed leaves and consistent scarlet fall color, growing 50–75 ft on acidic upland soils.
Southern Red Oak
Quercus falcata
Southern Red Oak (Quercus falcata) is a native TN upland oak with a distinctive sickle-shaped terminal leaf lobe, tolerating dry and sandy soils. Grows 70–80 ft.
Shingle Oak
Quercus imbricaria
Shingle Oak (Quercus imbricaria) is a native TN oak with unlobed laurel-like leaves, growing 50–60 ft on moist bottomland sites. Requires acidic soil to prevent chlorosis.
Overcup Oak
Quercus lyrata
Overcup Oak (Quercus lyrata) is a native Tennessee bottomland oak with nearly fully enclosed acorns, tolerating prolonged flooding in heavy clay soils. Grows 40–60 ft.
Bur Oak
Quercus macrocarpa
Bur Oak (Quercus macrocarpa) is a native TN savanna oak with fringed acorn cups, exceptional pH and drought tolerance, and strong resistance to oak wilt. Grows 70–80 ft.
Chinkapin Oak
Quercus muehlenbergii
Chinkapin Oak (Quercus muehlenbergii) is a native Middle Tennessee oak with toothed chestnut-like leaves, adapted to limestone bluffs and alkaline clay soils around Columbia.
Nuttall Oak
Quercus nuttallii
Nuttall Oak (Quercus nuttallii) is a fast-growing red-group oak tolerating wet clay and flooding in Tennessee bottomlands. Heavy acorn crops; used in urban plantings.
Willow Oak
Quercus phellos
Willow Oak (Quercus phellos) is a native Tennessee oak with narrow willow-like leaves and fibrous roots, widely used as a street tree. Requires acidic soil to avoid chlorosis.
English Oak
Quercus robur
English Oak (Quercus robur) is a European ornamental identified by long-stalked acorns, growing 40–60 ft in Tennessee. Prone to powdery mildew in humid climates.
Northern Red Oak
Quercus rubra
Northern Red Oak (Quercus rubra) is a fast-growing native Tennessee upland oak with reliable red fall color. Prune only in winter to reduce oak wilt infection risk.
Shumard Oak
Quercus shumardii
Shumard Oak (Quercus shumardii) is a native Middle Tennessee red oak with scarlet fall color and better clay and pH tolerance than most red-group oaks. Grows 40–60 ft.
Baldcypress
Taxodium distichum
Baldcypress (Taxodium distichum) is a native Tennessee deciduous conifer tolerating flooding or dry upland soils, identified by alternate needles and woody knee pneumatophores.
American Basswood
Tilia americana
American Basswood (Tilia americana) is a native TN canopy tree valued for fragrant June flowers and exceptional pollinator value. Thrives in moist, rich soils statewide.
American Elm
Ulmus americana
American Elm (Ulmus americana) is a native TN canopy tree with a classic vase form. Dutch Elm Disease devastated populations; disease-tolerant cultivars now recommended.
Chinese Elm
Ulmus parvifolia
Chinese Elm (Ulmus parvifolia) is an adaptable ornamental tree with exfoliating bark, fine-textured foliage, and good resistance to Dutch Elm Disease. Thrives in Middle TN.
Slippery Elm
Ulmus rubra
Slippery Elm (Ulmus rubra) is a native TN tree with rough-textured leaves and mucilaginous inner bark. Susceptible to Dutch Elm Disease; common on rocky slopes statewide.
Japanese Zelkova
Zelkova serrata
Japanese Zelkova (Zelkova serrata) is a disease-resistant elm substitute with a vase-shaped crown. Tolerates clay soils and urban stress in Middle Tennessee landscapes.
Trident Maple
Acer buergerianum
Trident Maple (Acer buergerianum) is a compact ornamental maple from East Asia with exfoliating bark and reliable fall color. Tolerates clay and urban soils in Middle TN.
Hedge Maple
Acer campestre
Hedge Maple (Acer campestre) is a European ornamental maple tolerant of alkaline soils, air pollution, and shearing. Suited to urban sites and streetscapes in Middle TN.
Amur Maple
Acer ginnala
Amur Maple (Acer ginnala) is a small ornamental tree from northeast Asia with fragrant flowers and scarlet fall color. Self-seeds freely; monitor near natural areas in TN.
Paperbark Maple
Acer griseum
Paperbark Maple (Acer griseum) is a slow-growing Chinese ornamental maple prized for cinnamon-orange exfoliating bark and crimson fall color. Suited to Middle TN landscapes.
Japanese Maple
Acer palmatum
Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum) is a popular ornamental tree for Middle TN landscapes. Requires afternoon shade, consistent moisture, and mulch; susceptible to Verticillium wilt.
Striped Maple
Acer pensylvanicum
Striped Maple (Acer pensylvanicum) is a native understory tree with green-and-white striped bark. Best in East TN cool woodland sites; not well-suited to Middle TN heat.
Red Buckeye
Aesculus pavia
Red Buckeye (Aesculus pavia) is a native TN small tree with red spring flowers timed for hummingbird migration. Toxic seeds; common on moist slopes in Middle Tennessee.
Serviceberry
Amelanchier arborea
Serviceberry (Amelanchier arborea) is a native TN small tree with early white flowers and edible June fruit. High wildlife value; statewide on woodland slopes and edges.
Pawpaw
Asimina triloba
Pawpaw (Asimina triloba) is a native TN understory tree producing large edible fruit and hosting zebra swallowtail larvae. Thrives in moist bottomlands statewide.
American Hornbeam
Carpinus caroliniana
American Hornbeam (Carpinus caroliniana) is a native TN understory tree with sinewy gray bark and extreme shade tolerance. Thrives in moist bottomlands and stream corridors.
Eastern Redbud
Cercis canadensis
Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis) is a native TN flowering tree with magenta-pink spring blooms. Drought-tolerant once established; thrives in clay soils across Middle TN.
Chinese Fringetree
Chionanthus retusus
Chinese Fringetree (Chionanthus retusus) is an ornamental tree from East Asia with upright white flower panicles in May–June. Heat-tolerant and suited to Middle TN landscapes.
White Fringetree
Chionanthus virginicus
White Fringetree (Chionanthus virginicus) is a native TN small tree with drooping white fringe flowers in April–May. Drought-tolerant once established; statewide on woodland edges.
Pagoda Dogwood
Cornus alternifolia
Pagoda Dogwood (Cornus alternifolia) is a native TN understory tree with tiered horizontal branches and dark blue fruit. Thrives in moist woodland sites in Middle Tennessee.
Flowering Dogwood
Cornus florida
Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida) is the Tennessee state tree with white spring bracts and scarlet fall berries. Requires understory conditions; borer-prone when stressed.
American Smoke Tree
Cotinus obovatus
American Smoke Tree (Cotinus obovatus) is a rare native TN small tree with feathery summer plumes and exceptional fall color. Native to limestone glades in Middle Tennessee.
Crapemyrtle
Lagerstroemia indica / fauriei
Crapemyrtle (Lagerstroemia indica/fauriei hybrids) blooms June–September in Middle TN. Select mildew-resistant cultivars; avoid topping; manage aphids to prevent sooty mold.
Amur Maackia
Maackia amurensis
Amur Maackia (Maackia amurensis) is a nitrogen-fixing ornamental tree from northeast Asia with summer white flowers and exfoliating copper bark. Low-maintenance in Middle TN.
American Hophornbeam
Ostrya virginiana
American Hophornbeam (Ostrya virginiana) is a native TN understory tree with extremely hard wood and hop-like fruit clusters. Drought-tolerant on rocky upland sites statewide.
Sourwood
Oxydendrum arboreum
Sourwood (Oxydendrum arboreum) is a native TN tree with summer white flowers and exceptional fall color. Requires strongly acid soil; best on Highland Rim and plateau sites.
Chinese Pistache
Pistacia chinensis
Chinese Pistache (Pistacia chinensis) is a heat- and drought-tolerant ornamental shade tree with reliable fall color. Handles clay and alkaline soils in Middle Tennessee.
American Plum
Prunus americana
American Plum (Prunus americana) is a native TN small tree with early white flowers and edible red fruit. Forms thickets; susceptible to black knot fungus in Middle Tennessee.
Japanese Tree Lilac
Syringa reticulata
Japanese Tree Lilac (Syringa reticulata) blooms in June with large white panicles and cherry-like bark. The only lilac that reliably flowers in Middle Tennessee's Zone 7a heat.
Tall Stewartia
Stewartia monadelpha
Tall Stewartia (Stewartia monadelpha) is a slow-growing ornamental tree with exfoliating bark and camellia-like summer flowers. Needs moist, acidic, well-drained soil.
Eastern Red Cedar
Juniperus virginiana
Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana) is a drought-tolerant native evergreen abundant across Middle Tennessee. Host to cedar-apple rust; bagworms are primary pest concern.
Mountain Laurel
Kalmia latifolia
Mountain Laurel (Kalmia latifolia) is a native broadleaf evergreen shrub with showy spring flowers. Requires acidic, well-drained soil; all parts toxic; avoid clay without amendment.
Loropetalum
Loropetalum chinense
Loropetalum (Loropetalum chinense) is a popular ornamental shrub with strap-petaled flowers and burgundy foliage. Needs acidic soil; borderline hardy in Zone 6b winters.
Southern Magnolia
Magnolia grandiflora
Southern Magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora) is a large broadleaf evergreen with fragrant white flowers. Leaves suppress turf; magnolia scale is the key pest in Middle Tennessee.
Sweet Bay Magnolia
Magnolia virginiana
Sweet Bay Magnolia (Magnolia virginiana) is a semi-evergreen native tree with fragrant white flowers suited to wet, acidic sites and clay soils in Middle Tennessee.
Catawba Rhododendron
Rhododendron catawbiense
Catawba Rhododendron (Rhododendron catawbiense) is a native broadleaf evergreen with large flower trusses. Requires acidic, well-drained soil; root rot is the key failure in clay.
Japanese Yew
Taxus cuspidata
Japanese Yew (Taxus cuspidata) is an evergreen needled shrub tolerating shade and clay. Highly toxic to livestock and humans; requires well-drained soil to prevent root rot.
Cleyera
Ternstroemia gymnanthera
Cleyera (Ternstroemia gymnanthera) is a glossy broadleaf evergreen shrub with bronze new growth. Tolerates shade and clay; suited to low-maintenance foundation plantings in Tennessee.
Eastern Arborvitae
Thuja occidentalis
Eastern Arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis) is the most planted screening conifer in Tennessee. Bagworm is the primary threat; heat stress and deer browse are common failure modes.
Western Arborvitae
Thuja plicata
Western Arborvitae (Thuja plicata) outperforms eastern arborvitae in Middle Tennessee heat. 'Green Giant' is the preferred fast-growing privacy screen for the I-65 corridor.
Prague Viburnum
Viburnum x hybrid
Prague Viburnum is a fast-growing semi-evergreen hybrid shrub with fragrant spring flowers. Tolerates clay and establishes quickly; powdery mildew risk in humid shaded sites.
Woodland Phlox
Phlox divaricata
Woodland Phlox (Phlox divaricata) is a native spring groundcover with fragrant blue flowers for shaded sites. Statewide in Tennessee; powdery mildew managed by post-bloom shearing.
Solomon’s Seal
Polygonatum odoratum
Solomon's Seal (Polygonatum odoratum) is a shade-tolerant perennial with arching stems and fragrant white flowers. Spreads by rhizome; sawfly larvae are the primary pest concern.
Lungwort
Pulmonaria longifolia
Lungwort (Pulmonaria longifolia) is a shade perennial with silver-spotted leaves and early spring flowers. Most heat-tolerant lungwort; cut back after bloom to prevent mildew in TN.
Japanese Forest Grass
Hakonechloa macra
Japanese Forest Grass (Hakonechloa macra) is a cascading shade ornamental grass. Requires afternoon shade and well-drained amended soil; slow to establish in Middle Tennessee clay.
Soft Rush
Juncus effusus
Soft Rush (Juncus effusus) is a native wetland rush found statewide in Tennessee. Presence in a yard indicates saturated soil; standard plant for rain gardens and bioretention.
Pin Oak
Quercus palustris
Pin Oak (Quercus palustris) is a fast-growing native shade oak with scarlet fall color. Iron chlorosis at high pH is the primary failure mode in Middle Tennessee landscapes.
Crape Myrtle
Lagerstroemia indica
Crape Myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica) is the signature summer-blooming tree of Middle Tennessee. Avoid topping; choose mildew-resistant cultivars with L. fauriei parentage.
Loblolly Pine
Pinus taeda
Loblolly Pine (Pinus taeda) is a fast-growing native pine common in Middle Tennessee fields and roadsides. Southern pine beetle is the primary threat on drought-stressed trees.
Eastern White Pine
Pinus strobus
Eastern White Pine (Pinus strobus) is a fast-growing native pine native to East Tennessee. Struggles in Middle Tennessee clay; blister rust and weevil are documented UT Extension pests.
American Holly
Ilex opaca
American Holly (Ilex opaca) is a native broadleaf evergreen with red winter berries. Dioecious — plant male and female trees together; 'Savannah' cultivar suits clay soils.
Bradford Pear
Pyrus calleryana 'Bradford'
Identify Bradford Pear (Pyrus calleryana 'Bradford') in Middle Tennessee. Tree identification and care guide from Mr. Lawn Care, Columbia TN.
Crabapple
Malus domestica
Crabapple (Malus spp.) is a popular small flowering tree in Tennessee. Fire blight, apple scab, and cedar-apple rust require disease-resistant cultivar selection in the humid South.
White Ash
Fraxinus americana
White Ash (Fraxinus americana) is a native Tennessee canopy tree now functionally eliminated by emerald ash borer. New plantings not recommended; assess existing trees for infestation.
Hickory
Carya spp.
Hickory (Carya spp.) are long-lived native mast trees widespread in Middle Tennessee. Deep taproot makes transplanting impractical; foundational wildlife habitat trees.
American Sycamore
Platanus occidentalis
American Sycamore (Platanus occidentalis) is a massive native riparian tree with white exfoliating bark. Anthracnose causes severe spring defoliation in Middle Tennessee wet years.
Black Walnut
Juglans nigra
Black Walnut (Juglans nigra) is a valuable native Tennessee timber tree. Juglone root toxicity kills susceptible landscape plants; thousand cankers disease is an emerging threat.
Sassafras
Sassafras albidum
Sassafras (Sassafras albidum) is a native Tennessee tree with three-lobed leaves, spicy fragrance, and vivid fall color. Root suckers spread in lawn edges; low pest pressure.
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