Choosing the perfect tree shape!
Trees have many different growth habits, shapes & sizes. Here’s 6 of the most common tree shapes & some information that may help you decide which would fit the best in your landscape!
Round:
- Great shade trees because of their wide canopies
- Single specimens make a statement
- Create solid backgrounds when grouped
- Soften edges of buildings nicely
Examples- Ohio Buckeye, River Birch, Red Maple, Tulip Tree, White Oak, Katsura Sweet Gum
Vase:
- Few lower branches, perfect to set a chair under
- Won’t block visibility when lining a street or driveway
- Arching branches on a central trunk, widest at the top like a vase!
- The top of the tree may be rounded, flatter or irregular, each tree is unique
- Are striking as single specimens
Examples- Serviceberry, Redbud, Japanese Lilac (Ivory Silk)
Weeping:
- Make interesting focal points
- Are good in tight spaces
- Flexible branches droop down naturally
- Work well on retaining walls, where branches can cascade to a lower level
- Often provide movement or sound when rustled by a breeze
Examples- Weeping White Pine, Weeping Norway Spruce, Weeping Beech, Weeping Cherry, Weeping Redbud
Columnar:
- Make good hedges, windbreaks or screens
- Create a nice focal point when several are clustered together
- Trees are about one third as wide as they are tall
- One or a pair creates a formal accent to an entry
Examples- Slender Sillouette Sweet Gum, English Oak, Crimson Sentry Maple, European Hornbeam, Irish Yew, Juniper
Pyramidal:
- Heavy, structural presence makes this shape great for a screen or windbreak
- Wide, cone shaped
- Strong shape frames the corner of a house nicely
Examples- Columnar tulip tree, Colorado Spruce, European Larch, Little Leaf Linden, Red Point Maple, Bosnian Pine
Irregular:
- Can fill up a lot of space
- The canopy is often broad with horizontal branching near the top
- Provide shade in a casual landscape
Examples- Sycamore, Burr Oak, Skyline Honey Locust, Kousa Dogwood