In a previous article you talked about fall being the best time to plant trees. Which trees do you recommend for our area? KW

Yes, fall is the best time to plant most trees. When you visit a nursery to select a tree to plant, it can be a little overwhelming, so let’s look at some Master Gardener recommended trees for Tulsa and surrounding areas. And just to add another layer, let’s concentrate on trees that are considered native to our area.

Why would we concentrate on native trees? Well, these are trees that are acclimated to our climate and tend to do well here. They are also typically trees that require less maintenance because they are native to our area and acclimated to our soil, sun, heat, and winters. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t plant non-native trees, it’s just that your life will probably be a little easier and your new tree will have a greater likelihood of success in their new home if you do. So, here we go.

Red Maple (acer rubrum)

This one is also known by Carolina Maple, Curled Maple, Drummond's Maple, Red Maple, Scarlet Maple, Soft Maple, or Swamp Maple. That’s a lot of aliases.

If you are looking for a large tree, this fast-growing tree won’t disappoint. While the Red Maple can grow upwards of 100 feet tall, typically they will reach about 60 feet in height and 40 feet in width.

Red maples are easy to grow in average, medium to wet, well-drained soil and do well in full sun to partial shade. It will even tolerate clay soils. It prefers moist, slightly acidic growing conditions and is very cold hardy; anyone who lost a tree in our deep freeze earlier this year will appreciate this. These Red Maples are also one of the first to show color in the fall as its leaves turn a bright orange red, but this coloration can vary from tree to tree.

Oklahoma Redbud (Cercis canadensis var. texensis ‘Oklahoma’)

We would be remiss if we didn’t mention this one. It is the state tree after all. You are probably familiar with the pink flowers that appear on redbuds in the spring. These flowers are one of the signs that spring is definitely on the way. Oklahoma Redbuds can grow 20 - 30 feet in height and 25 to 35 feet in width. In addition to the flowers in the spring, these trees also have shiny leaves which are always an attention getter. They grow best in well-drained soil in full sun or partial shade. Many homeowners consider this one an essential addition to their landscape. About the only downside to this tree is that it doesn’t transplant well, so pick a good spot and leave it be.

Pinyon Pine (Pinus edulis)

This is another one with a lot of aliases: Colorado Pinyon, Colorado Pinyon Pine, Nut Pine, Pino Dulce, Pinyon Pine, Two-leaf Pinyon, and Two-needle Pine. This particular pine will grow to about 20-30 feet in height and width. It is tolerant of poor soil conditions, needs sun, and won’t like overwatering very much. As an added bonus, its seeds are edible when eaten raw or roasted.

Loblolly Pine (Pinus taeda)

This one has several common names as well: Bull Pine, Loblolly Pine, North Carolina Pine, Oldfield Pine, and Rosemary Pine. Over time this one can reach upwards of 100 feet tall and up to 50 feet wide. It is the fastest growing of all pines. These are excellent pines for Oklahoma that tolerate our weather extremes quite well. It even does well in poorly drained soils and periods of drought.

Shumard Oak (Quercus shumardii)

This one doesn’t get as big as some of the other trees mentioned here but it will still grow to up to 60 feet in height and width as it grows into a well-shaped round tree.

Shumard Oaks grow pretty fast and are drought tolerant but will also tolerate periods of wet roots and do well with wind. It also has a nice red fall color. It needs full sun but will provide you will a lot of shade to escape the heat in the summer.

Bald Cypress (Taxodium distichum)

These trees can get big if given the chance. They can grow up to 120 feet tall and 75 feet wide. They grow well in wet soils or near water, but this is not a requirement. While it looks like a needled evergreen, it is deciduous meaning that they lose their needle-like leaves in the winter, thus the name “bald” cypress. Bald cypress will do well in a wide variety of soil conditions ranging from soils that are dry to wet, even in standing water. Yes, these are the type of trees that produce those knobby knees that grow up out of the ground. However, this type of growth can be minimized by mowing.

You can find more information on these trees and a variety of other trees by visiting our website www.tulsamastergardeners.org, clicking on Lawn and Garden Help and then clicking on trees and shrubs.

You can get answers to all your gardening questions by calling the Tulsa Master Gardeners Help Line at 918-746-3701, dropping by our Diagnostic Center at 4116 E. 15th Street, or by emailing us at mg@tulsamastergardeners.org.

Photo: Robert Vidéki, Doronicum Kft., Bugwood.org