No commercial facility or municipality has a perfect flat, smooth landscape without issues or conditions they have to consider.

Planting the right trees starts with choosing great matches for your specific climate and soil conditions. Maybe you have shady areas that require a tree that can thrive without a lot of sun or maybe you have soggy areas that require moisture-loving varieties.

When you have tough conditions, choosing the right trees can be a little more challenging. Luckily, there are many varieties that can fill the bill.

The Davey Nursery recommends these tree species as great performers for your most demanding locations in the Midwest. 

Some areas hold water more than others. It could be the result of location, like the bottom of a slope, or poor drainage, or an area near a creek with flooding tendencies.

Usually these spots have soft, moist ground, and certain root systems will not do well in these growing conditions. This is because they struggle to breathe. But there are a few that have roots that can grow with less air and thrive in soggy soils. Adding these trees that soak up excess water can even help the surrounding area.

Swamp White Oak

Oak trees are diverse; many different oak species can adapt to almost any situation. The swamp white oak is no exception. It’s a hardy performer in soggy grounds.

This tree is not only native to the U.S., but it can grow to an impressive 75-foot height and 65-foot spread in full sun in USDA zones 4 to 8. It offers dark green lobed leaves and attractive peeling bark.

Red Maple

Red maples are adored for their captivating autumn color when their dark green leaves turn golden yellow and then ruby red. Their smooth, gray bark and handsome oval crown make them great additions on commercial properties and municipalities in USDA zones 3 to 9.

Well-suited for partial shade or full sun, red maples can grow 40 to 70 feet tall and 50 feet wide. As low-maintenance trees, they can handle moderately moist to wet soils.

When you have electrical wires going along your city streets or above certain areas you’d like to beautify, you want to ensure you’re planting trees that aren’t going to become maintenance issues as they grow to full maturity near these wires.

In this case, you have to think less about today and more about how the tree you’re planting will look in 10 or more years down the road. These two types will be perfect for your most limited planting areas.

Serviceberry

If you are looking for a showy, small tree with attractive form, foliage, and bark in USDA zones 4 to 8, as well as great fall color, then the serviceberry is for you. Plant it 6 to 10 feet out from power lines and it promises to not get in the way as it grows.

On top of being a great size for these areas only reaching a height and spread of 15 feet to 25 feet, the serviceberry provides multiple seasons of interest – from delicate white flowers in March and April to berry-like reddish-purple fruit in summer to vivid red and gold shades in fall.

Adirondack Crabapple

This small, disease-resistant flowering tree boasts dark green foliage and upright branches. In spring, you can expect red buds to open to whitish-pink blossoms followed by small, red fruits.

The upright shape of the Adirondack crabapple makes it a great addition to any smaller, sunny space in USDA zones 4 to 8. 

A built environment like a city square is a tough area for trees. Completely opposite of the safe and secure, rich-soiled forests that trees are used to, an urban ecosystem is full of extremes. Without proper selection and planting, trees can easily die young in this type of environment.

Constant construction, poor soil structure, limited soil, drought conditions, salt and temperature extremes are constantly working against trees in urban areas. Selecting trees that can take the heat can extend their life and reduce your maintenance requirements.

Hackberry

The hackberry can endure the toughest urban conditions, including various soils and heavy winds. It makes a great street tree because it can tolerate air pollution and road salt. It can also withstand cold, windy winters and hot summers.

Hackberry trees help clean the air and provide shelter and food for wildlife in USDA zones 3 to 9. The tree can grow to a 40-foot to 60-foot height and spread in full sun.

Northern Catalpa

The northern catalpa demands attention with showy, white blooms and giant, heart-shaped leaves. It can also tolerate a wide array of urban conditions, making it tough and beautiful.

The tree grows best in full sun or partial shade in USDA zones 4 to 8 and can reach a 40-foot to 60-foot height and 20-foot to 40-foot spread.

Not every condition is a negative one. In some cityscapes and commercial properties, you want to add the right tree that can bring your community places to escape the sun and enjoy the best fall hues.

You can’t beat these selections when it comes to shade and captivating color for an amazing summer and fall.

Exclamation London Plane

Looking for a golden autumn glow? Then the large, thick leaves that turn a radiant shade of yellow in the fall on the Exclamation London plane tree’s pyramidal crown could be exactly what you’re seeking.

This tree can reach a 60-foot height by 45-foot spread at maturity, as long as it’s growing in rich, well-drained soil and full sun in USDA zones 4 to 8. The London plane tree is also highly tolerant of smog and pollution, helping filter these elements from the nearby air, and is pest- and disease-resistant.

Red Oak

This 75-foot tall beauty can add a dark red foliage to the fall scene in your community in USDA zones 4 to 8.

During the rest of the season, red oaks boast medium green, 5- to 9-inch long leaves on a 60- to 75-foot height and 45-foot spread. Plant this tree in full sun and acidic, well-drained soil where you want dense shade under a round crown.

Ready to find the right tree to plant in your toughest environments? Let Davey Nursery help you choose the right species for your needs. We offer a wide inventory full of many options that can adapt to your most demanding spaces.

Want to learn more about the tree species the Davey Nursery has in stock? Contact us for information on our current inventory list.