Selecting and Planting

Trees For Utah

Jerry L. Goodspeed
Utah State University Extension
 Establishment
is the Key
Don’t plant a tree – plant the
roots
A tree is a generational
investment
Take the time to do it
right
70 to 80% of all problems
are root related
Tree Root Anatomy
Tree Root Requirements
Oxygen
Water
Oxygen
Nutrients
Oxygen
Good Soil Conditions
 Soil Review
Most tree and shrub failures can be traced back to
either the soil or how the tree or shrub was planted.
 Proper Selection
Right plant in the Right spot
 Planting

Remember, green side up…

Planting
 Planting
Prepare the site:
Check for drainage
Dig the hole:
2 to 3 times wider
No deeper than needed
Backfill material at least ½ native soil
 Nursery Industry
Plant Material
 Bare Root
Dug in the fall
Winter storage
Inexpensive
Spring planting
Establishment
 Container Plants
Most common
Girdling roots
Were bare root
Established
More expensive
Balled and Burlapped (B & B)
Evergreens
Large caliper
Planting
Slow to establish
Dug in spring, fall
Trees
 Crabapples
(Malus spp.)

Zone 2 +
Small to medium
Fast
All-season tree
‘Sugar tyme’
Persistent or non-
fruiting

‘Robinson’
River Birch
(Betula nigra)

Zone 3
Medium
Moderate
Shape and texture
Wet locations
 Tatarian Maple
(Acer campestre)

Zone 3
Small to medium
Moderate
Fall color, seeds
Soil adaptability
Bigtooth Maple
(Acer grandidentatum)

Zone 3
Small to medium
Moderate
Fall color
Dry location
Northern Red Oak
(Quercus rubra)

Zone 3
Large
Slow
Fall color, stately
Adaptability
 Little Leaf Linden
(Tilia cordata)

Zone 3
Large
Moderate
Fragrance and shape
Adaptable, aphids,
included bark
European Larch
(Larix decidua)

Zone 3
Medium to large
Moderate
Spring foliage and fall
color
Moist and shady
 Burr Oak
(Quercus macrocarpa)

Zone 3
Large
Medium to fast
Shape
Pest free, adaptable
Hackberry
(Celtis occidentalis)

Zone 3
Large
Fast
Nice shape
Adaptable, Water-wise
 Ginkgo
(Ginkgo biloba)

Zone 3
Medium to large
Slow
Fall color
Plant males, no pests
 White Fir
(Abies concolor)

Zone 3
Large
Fast
Blue color and soft
needles
Water-wise
 Redbud
(Cercis canadensis)

Zone 3+
Small to medium
Slow Moderate
Pink and white flowers
Seed pods
Limber Pine
(Pinus flexilis)

Zone 4
Medium
Fast
Blue color, soft
needles
Native
Bosnian Pine
(Pinus heldreichii)

Zone 4
Small
Slow
Shape and size
 Beech
(Fagus sylvatica)

Zone 4
Large
Slow
Beautiful, stately
Leaf color
 Common Alder
(Alnus glutinosa)

Zone 4
Medium
Moderate
Soft texture
Moist soils
Saucer Magnolia
(Magnolia soulangeana)

Zone 4
Small to medium
Moderate
Spring flowers
Early freeze
 Goldenrain Tree
(Koelreuteria paniculata)

Zone 4
Small to medium
Slow to moderate
July flowers
New varieties
 Columnar English Oak
(Quercus robur ‘fastigiata’)
Zone 4
Medium
Slow to medium
Columnar shape
Leaves stay on tree into
winter
 Zelkova
(Zelkova serrata)

Zone 4+
Large
Fast
Fall color, vase shape
Adaptable, included
bark
 Sweet gum
(Liquidamber styraciflua)

Zone 5
Large
Moderate
Fall color
Drainage, fruit
 Tulip Tree
(Liriodendron tulipifera)

Zone 4
Large
Fast
Flower
Weak wood
 American Yellowwood
(Cladrastis kentukea)

Zone 4+
Medium
Slow to medium
Showy white flowers
Fragrant, included bark
Mulberry
(Morus Rubra)

Zone 4+
Medium
Fast
Large leaves
Longevity
 Dawn Redwood
(Metasequoia glyptostroboides)

Zone 5
Large
Fast
Fall color
Deciduous conifer
 European Hornbeam
(Carpinus betulus)

Zone 5
Medium
Moderate
Shape, leaf texture
Dieback
Blue Atlas Cedar
(Cedrus atlantica ‘Glauca’)

Zone 5
Large
Moderate to fast
Blue color and shape
Weeping varieties
Japanese Maple
(Acer palmatum)

Zone 4 – 5
Small to medium
Slow
Leaf color and shape
Variable hardiness,
varieties, shady location
Incense Cedar
(Calocedrus decurrens)

Zone 5+
Large
Fast
Aroma, foliage
Adaptable
Cedar of Lebanon
(Cedrus libani)

Zone 5
Large
Moderate
Stately, graceful
Red Maple
(Acer rubrum)

Zone 4
Red fall color
‘Autumn Blaze’
Large tree
Horsechestnut
(Aesculus hippocastanum)

Zone 4 to 7
Large tree
Moderate growth
Red species
Messy
Deodar Cedar
(Cedrus deodara)

Zone 5+
Large cedar
Great foliage, shape
Aura variety
Flowering Dogwood
(Cornus florida)

Zone 5+
Small tree
Needs drainage,
protection
Beautiful flowers
Hawthorn
(Crataegus spp.)

Zones 4+
Spring flowers
Small to medium
Diseases
 Ash
(Fraxinus spp.)

Zone 4+
Large
Insects
Fast growing
White
 Paperbark Maple
(Acer griseum)
Zone 5 – 7
medium
Slow
Beautiful bark
 ‘Monumentale’ silver maple
‘Rezek’ Norway maple
 ‘Katene’ cedar of Lebenon

‘Sherwood Forest’ Arborvitae

‘Blue Sparkler’ Larch

‘Nirbeth’s Scots pine

 Blue giant sequoia

‘Cascade Falls’ bald cypress

 Columnar Serbian spruce

Weeping giant sequoia