· by Michael Blair, Nashville's Tree Service
Tree choice is a fifty-year decision made in an afternoon. In Middle Tennessee the constraints are heavy clay, hot humid summers, and storms that test branch attachment every spring.
Which shade trees do well in Nashville?
Native oaks — white, willow, shumard — are the standard for good reason: strong wood, adapted to our soil, and long-lived. Slower to establish and worth the wait.
Blackgum gives excellent autumn color and tolerates wet clay. Bald cypress handles the wettest sites. American hornbeam suits smaller spaces.
Smaller and ornamental
Eastern redbud and serviceberry are natives that flower early and stay a manageable size. Both handle clay well and suit planting closer to a house.
Fringe tree and Carolina silverbell are underused here and perform well in our conditions.
- Large shade: white oak, willow oak, shumard oak, blackgum
- Wet sites: bald cypress, river birch, sweetbay magnolia
- Small and ornamental: redbud, serviceberry, fringe tree
- Avoid: Bradford pear, silver maple, Leyland cypress
Which trees should you avoid planting?
Bradford pear grows fast, splits in storms as its tight branch unions fail, and has escaped into the wild across Tennessee. It is a poor choice on every count.
Silver maple grows fast with weak wood and aggressive surface roots. Leyland cypress is planted as a fast screen and is prone to disease and to blowing over once tall.
Placement for a Nashville summer
Shade on the west and south-west sides does the most for summer comfort and cooling cost. Deciduous species there give shade in summer and let winter sun through.
Keep large species away from the foundation, from the sewer lateral route and from overhead lines, all of which are cheaper to respect now than to resolve later.
FAQ
Trees Worth Planting in a Nashville Yard — questions
What is the fastest-growing shade tree for Nashville?
Fast growth and structural weakness tend to go together — silver maple and Bradford pear grow quickly and fail in storms. If speed matters, river birch and willow oak are reasonable compromises with better wood. Generally, a slower native oak planted now outperforms a fast tree that needs removing in fifteen years.
Why should I avoid Bradford pear?
Its branches form tight, weakly attached unions that split in storms, usually just as the tree reaches useful size. It has also naturalized aggressively across Tennessee and outcompetes natives. Several states have moved to restrict its sale, and there is no shortage of better flowering alternatives.
Where should I plant a tree for the most shade benefit?
On the west and south-west sides of the house, which take the hottest afternoon sun in a Middle Tennessee summer. A deciduous tree there shades in summer and drops its leaves to let winter sun through. Placing shade on the north side achieves very little for cooling.
How do you choose a tree to plant?
Start with the site: Middle Tennessee means heavy clay, hot humid summers and spring storms that test branch attachment. Then match size to space, keeping large species clear of the foundation, the sewer lateral and overhead lines, and putting smaller natives like redbud closer in. Favor strong wood over fast growth.