If you want native trees for your Maryland property, there are quite a few amazing species to choose from.
If you’re looking for native plants to add to your Maryland property, there are many flowers, shrubs, and trees that are great options. This is not an exhaustive list of native Maryland trees to choose from, but hopefully, it will help you get your research started so you can decide on what the best options for your property are.
Blackgum
The Blackgum (Nyssa sylvatica) is a deciduous canopy tree that grows up to 90 feet. These trees grow well in wet to moist soil. These trees are perfect ornamental additions to any property. They have a very handsome appearance and produce glossy leaves that turn a stunning red in the autumn. They also produce small green-white flowers in April or May, which are pollinated by native bees and honeybees. After some time, the blooms give way to a blue-black fruit that is enjoyed by many species of songbirds as well as woodpeckers and other wildlife.
Eastern Redbud
The Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis) is a deciduous tree that grows between 20 and 35 feet tall. It prefers moist to almost-dry soil and is intolerant of pretty much all other soil types. It produces beautiful pink to lavender flowers in April or May before it produces handsome green leaves for the summer that turn yellow in the fall. Bees and butterflies are supported by this tree, and it is a host plant for several species of moths, including the Io Moth and the White-Marked Tussock Moth.
Flowering Dogwood
The Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida) is a deciduous tree that grows between 20 and 30 feet tall. These trees prefer soil that is moist but well-drained. Beginning in April, small blooms appear that start light green and eventually turn a bright white as they fully emerge. These trees also produce bright red berries in autumn when their leaves turn run to purplish-red. Young trees tend to be upright, but with time they develop wide horizontal branches that provide a large canopy and have a somewhat wispy look to them. These are the most popular ornamental trees around the state of Maryland due to their showy nature and year-round visual interest. Many birds, including the Northern Flicker, Pileated Woodpecker, and Summer Tanager, use the highly nutritious berries for sustenance and energy during migrating season. These trees are also hosts for the Spring Azure butterfly.
White Oak
The White Oak is Maryland’s state tree! The White Oak (Quercus alba) is a deciduous tree that grows between 60 and 100 feet. These trees prefer moist to dry soil, and they need to be planted in an area where their root system is protected from damage. Soil compaction, fertilization, and other landscape activities all have the potential to harm the tree’s root system, so it’s a good idea to bear this in mind when deciding if you want to plant one and where it should go. Choosing to leave the leaves will provide a lot of great sustenance for these trees and the wildlife that comes to them for shelter and sustenance. In forest conditions, these trees grow straight up towards the sun in an effort to get the most light. In an open area, however, they will grow horizontally and provide an amazing canopy. Acorns are a great food source for songbirds, woodpeckers, bobwhites, squirrels, chipmunks, and deer. White Oaks are also host trees to many different insects and butterflies.
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