Recommended Tree Species for City of Billings Large Trees 0 ft. and up 0 to 0 feet spacing between trees recommended White Fur Abies concolor Norway Spruce Picea abies Ponderosa Pine Pinus ponderosa Serbian Spruce Picea omorika Colorado Blue Spruce Picea pungens Douglas Fir Pseudotsuga menziessi American Elm Ulmus Americana Multiple varieties Elm Hybrids Accolade and Triumph are excellent Bur Oak Quercus macrocarpa Swamp White Oak Quercus bicolor Northern Red Oak Quercus rubra Scarlet Oak Quercus coccinea Northern Pin Oak Quercus elipsoidalis Regal Prince Oak Quercus x warei Long Ginkgo Ginkgo biloba Northern Hackberry Celtis occidentalis American Linden Tilia Americana Kentucky Coffeetree Gymnocladus dioicus Northern Catalpa Catalpa speciosa Light colored needles that stand up Pendulous branches. Largest and fastest growing of the spruces. Large cones. Long needles, native Varies in color from gray-green to blue-green. Sharp needles Soft needles Fast growing, need training when young. New varieties are dutch elm resistant. Call for recomendation Dutch elm resistant. Easier to train than American elm. Call for recommendation. Ph adaptable, more tolerant of city conditions than most oaks. Small round galls can make tree unsightly in the winter but is harmless to tree. Chlorosis can occur in high alkaline soil. Columnar shape, very narrow, good next to a tall building. Very slow growing. Can live hundreds of years. Nipple gall makes leaves unattractive but is harmless to tree. Very tolerant of wind and cold. Salt intolerant. Pyramidal shape. Salt intolerant. No serious pest problems. 8 to 12 long bean-like fruit capsules persist on tree through winter.
Japanese Zelkova Zelkova serrata Green Vase Bloodgood London Planetree Plantanus x acerifolia Bloodgood Norway Maple Acer platanoides multiple varieties Columnar Norway Maple Acer platanoides Columnare Freeman Maple Acer freemainii Multiple varieties Sugar Maple Acer saccarum multiple varieties State Street Maple Acer miyabei Morton Silver Maple Acer Saccharinum Turkish Filbert Corylus colurna Honeylocust Gleditsia triacanthos var. inermis Skyline or Shademaster Eastern Cottonwood Multiple varieties Similar to American elm Will grow in about anything, mostly disease resistant. Shallow spreading root system. Narrow, upright, and compact Fast growing, cross between red and silver maple, yellow, orange, red fall colors Excellent fall colors from yellow and orange to red. Larger and more hardy alternative to Hedge Maple. Fast growing tolerates tough conditions but is weak wooded. Do not plant around high target areas. Thrives in adverse conditions. Currently being tested in Billings Good urban tree but has been overplanted. 2 Very large tree, do not plant around high target areas, branches break easily Medium Trees 25 ft. to 0 ft. 20 to 0 feet spacing between trees recommended Black Hills Spruce Picea glauca densata Austrian Pine Pinus nigra Limber Pine Pinus flexalis Swiss Stone Pine Pinus cembra Amur Corktree Short blue-green needles. Shapley. Two needle pine, fast growing 2 Native 5 needle pine 5 needle pine Shallow spreading root system Bigtooth Maple Red fall color Acer grandidentatum Cladrastus kentukea Crimson King Norway Maple Acer platanoides Maroon foliage all summer
Deborah Norway maple Acer platenoides Deborah Leaves emerge red then turn maroon then dark bronze-green, finally turning to bronze in the fall. Hedge Maple Acer campestre Best maple for dry alkaline soils, low branching, dense shade, slow growing. Sensation Box Elder Acer negundo Sensation Male, improved branch structure from species, very fast growing. Red Maple Susceptible to chlorosis in the high ph soils of Billings Acer Rubrum multiple varieties Shantung Maple Acer truncatum Pacific Sunset Green glossy leaves turning yellow orange to bright red in the fall. River Birch Resistant to Bronze Birch Borer and Japanese Beetle Betula nigra Heritage Katsuratree Needs ample water, slow growing Cercidiphyllum japonicum Ohio Buckeye Aesculus glabra Can get leaf scorch in summer, best in light shade. Nuts are poisonous. Horsechestnut Very little seadpods Aesculus hippocastanum Hybrid Horsechestnut Honeylocust Multiple varieties available Goldenrain Tree Koelreuteria paniculata American hophornbeam Ostrya virginiana Littleleaf Linden Tilia cordata Harvest Gold Linden Tilia x mongolica Harvest Gold Dakota Pinnacle Asian White Birch Betula platyphylla Fargo Paper Birch Betula papyrifera American Hornbeam Carpinus caroliniana Turkish Filburt Corylus colurna Overplanted in Billings, very tough tree but will get spider mites with extreme heat and drought. Tolerant of soil extremes. No serious pest problems. Pyramidal shape. Overplanted in Billings area. Yellow fall color, exfoliating red bark. Good resistance to Bronze Birch Borer, drought tolerant, adaptability to heavy clay soils and fairly high ph. Fast growing, white bark No pest problems, no litter, slow growing, beautiful fall color. Pest-free, tolerates drought and alkaline soil.
Small Trees 15 ft. to 25 ft. 10 to 20 feet spacing between trees recommended Rocky Mountain Juniper Juniperis scopulorum Mugo Pine Pinus mugo Bristlecone Pine Pinus aristata Amur maple Acer ginnala Tatarian Maple Acer tataricum Robin Hill Serviceberry Amelanchier grandiflora Robin Hill Autumn Brilliance Serviceberry Amelanchier x grandiflora Autumn Brilliance Eastern Redbud Cercis Canadensis Amur Maackia Maackia amurensis Amur Chokecherry Prunus maackii Newport Plum Prunus Newport Thundercloud Plum Prunus cerasifera Thundercloud Mountain Frost Pear Pyrus usseriensis Bailfrost European Mountain Ash Sorbus aucuparia China Snow Tree Lilac Syringa pekinensis China Snow Ivory Silk Lilac Syringa reticulata Ivory Silk 2 To 15 feet Small, very slow growing 2 Low branched or multi-stemmed tree, brilliant orange-red to deep red. Bright red samaras, adaptable to dry, high ph soils and cold winters. Edible berries Needs protection from cold and wind Blooms late summer, ornamental seed pods and bark offers winter interest. 2 Glossy bronze-colored bark 5 Heavily flowering, beautiful fall tree. Susceptible to sunscald
Planting Tips Avoid planting trees to deep. The trees first major root should be at ground level. Often time s trees come too deep from the nursery and require having soil removed from the top of the root ball to reach the proper planting depth. Keep sod away from the trees stem. The use of mulch is highly advised. Place 2- inches deep, out to the drip line of the tree but not up against the tree. Watering trees require different watering requirements than turf. Trees should be watered before and after planting. Deep root watering should be done until the tree is established approximately every 7-10 days. Do not fertilize in first year of planting. Call 811 for underground utilities prior to any digging.