Table 5. Outstanding Trees for Texas.

Plant Adaptation Map

Region 1 - East Texas (Texarkana, Houston,, Tyler, Beaumont, Nacagdoches)

Region 2 - South Texas (Corpus Christi, Brownsville, Laredo, Del Rio)

Region 3 - Central Texas (Austin, Waco, College Station, San Antonio)

Region 4 - North Central Texas (Dallas, Ft. Worth, Denton, Wichita Falls)

Region 5 - Panhandle (Amarillo)

Region 6 - West Texas (El Paso, Lubbock, San Angelo, Midland, Abilene)

Note - Plants with number 7 are adaptable to most areas of Texas.

Common nameScientific name Best adapted forNotes
Small Trees (20 to 35 feet tall)
American plumPrunus americana
5
 White blooms in spring; sour fruit good for jelly
Aristocrat pearPyrus calleryana 'Aristocrat'
1, 3, 4, 5, 6
Spring flowers; fall color
Bradford pearPyrus calleryana 'Bradford'
1, 3, 4, 5, 6
Spring flowers; fall color
Canaert redcedar1Juniperus virginiana
7
 Evergreen for specimen or windbreak
Chinese pistachePistacia chinensis
7
 Spreading canopy; fall color
CrabappleMallus sp.
1, 3, 4, 5, 6
Spring flowering tree; many varieties
Desert willow1Chilopsis linearis
2, 3, 4, 5, 6
Snapdragon-like flowers in summer; willow-like foliage
Dogwood1Cornus florida
1
 Graceful tree; large spring blooms of white and pink
Eldarica pinePinus eldarica
2, 3, 4, 6
Best pine for alkaline soils; Christmas tree-shaped
Fan d'Arc osage orange Maclura pomifera 'Fan d'Arc'
7
 Improved fruitless selection
Honey mesquite1Prosopis glandulosa
2, 3, 4, 6
Lacy spreading form
Japanese black pine Pinus thunbergii
7
Rounded small tree; adapted to alkaline soils
Japanese persimmon Diospyros kaki
7
Edible showy fruit; glossy green foliage
Mexican plum1Prunus mexicana
7
 Fragrant spring flowers; attractive trunk
Nanking cherryPrunus tomentosa
5
 Tough, fruiting, shrubby tree
Panicled golden raintree Koelreuteria paniculata
3, 4, 5, 6
Showy flowers and seed pods
Pink lady euonymus Euonymus bungeanus
5
Alkaline-tolerant; deciduous; light green foliage; showy seeds in fall
Redbud1Cercis sp.
7
 Spring blooming; excellent varieties: Oklahoma and Forest Pansy
Slash pine1Pinus elliottii
1
 Evergreen pine
Soapberry1Sapindus drummondii
7
 Fall color
Texas ebony1Pithecellobium flexicaule
2
 Airy foliage and flowers
Wild olive1Corida boissieri
2
 White flowers and bold foliage
Large Trees (above 35 feet tall)
Austrian black pine Pinus nigra
5
Adapted to wind and cold
Bald cypress1Taxodium distichum
1, 2, 3, 4, 6
Deciduous conifer; fine textured foliage; fall color
Black walnut1Juglans nigra
1, 5
 Good tree but tends to be messy
Blue sprucePicea pungens 'Glauca'
5
 Grayish-blue needles
Bur oak1Quercus macrocarpa
7
 Bold foliage; huge acorns
Cedar elm1Ulmus crassifolia
7
 Upright growth habit; good street tree
Chinquapin oak1Quercus muhlenbergii
1, 2, 3, 4, 6
Round-topped tree; bold foliage
Deodar cedarCedrus deodora
7
 Bluish-green conifer
Hackberry1Celtis occidentalis
5
 Variety 'Shademaster' particularly recommended for area 5
Honey locustGleditsia triacanthos
2, 3, 4, 5, 6
Thornless varieties available
Kentucky coffee tree Gymnocladus dioica
5
Upright tree; fine textured foliage
Lace bark elmUlmus parvifolia
7
 Textured bark; spreading shade tree
Live oak1Quercus virginiana
1, 2, 3, 4, 6
Evergreen shade tree
Loblolly pine1Pinus taeda
1
 Evergreen pine
Pecan1Carya illinoensis
7
 State tree; edible nuts
Ponderosa pinePinus ponderosa
5
 Bushy, attractive tree
Shumard oak1Quercus shumardii
1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Fall color
Southern magnolia1 Magnolia grandiflora
1
 Bold evergreen tree; large white blooms throughout summer
Sweetgum1Liquidamber styraciflua
1
 Upright growth habit; fall color
Texas red oak1Quercus texana
7
 Fall color
Water oak1Quercus nigra
1
 Holds foliage well into winter

1 Texas native