A hardy, valuable tree. Clustered soft blue-green needles. Ideal screen or windbreak. Likes moist, well-drained soils. Grows 50' to 80' with a 20-40' spread in the landscape, up to 135' or more in the wild. (zones 3-8) 

Zone 3-8

Native Habitat: Wide variety of soil, from dry and sandy to moist upland sites, throughout most of Wisconsin.

Mature Size: 50-80 feet tall, 20-40 feet wide

Growth Rate: This tree grows at a fast rate, with height increases of more than 24" per year.

Sun Preference: Full sun and partial shade are best for this tree, meaning it prefers a minimum of four hours of direct, unfiltered sunlight each day.

Soil Preference: Grows in acidic, moist, well-drained and dry soils. While it does best in moist soil, the tree can has been known to tolerate everything from dry, rocky ridges to bogs. 

Description: White pine is the largest conifer in Wisconsin. It has a pyramidal shape and whorls of horizontal branches evenly spaced along the trunk. The bark is thin, smooth, and greenish gray on young trees, but thick, deeply furrowed, and grayish brown on older trees. The soft, flexible, gray-green needles are 2 1/2 to 5 inches long and occur in clusters of five. Cones are 4 to 8 inches long, thick, and usually gummy.

Landscape Use: There's nothing like the scent of pine trees or the sound of wind whistling through their branches. They can be used as specimens on large landscapes, but are usually used for screening and windbreaks. They don't adapt well to urban conditions.

Wildlife Value: White pine seeds are favored by black bears, rabbits, red squirrels and many birds, especially red cross bills. While potentially damaging to the trees, the bark is eaten by mammals such as beavers, snowshoe hares, porcupines, rabbits and mice. White pines provide nesting sites as well for many birds including woodpeckers, common grackles, mourning doves, chickadees and nuthatches.

Attributes:

• Transplants easily

• Works well for windbreaks

• Widely used as a Christmas tree

• Features long, slender, blue-green needles, sometimes reaching 5" in length, grown in bundles of 5 that are soft and flexible

• Produces elongated brown cones that are 3-8" in length. Each is curved slightly and has smooth scales

• Grows in an oval, pyramidal shape

• Sensitive to air pollution, road salt and soil compaction

Description: Commonly known as the Canadian poplar or Carolina poplar, and is a fast-growing deciduous tree derived from a cross between the Black poplar and the Eastern Cottonwood. 

Conservation Uses: Frequently planted in shelterbelts, plantation forestry, and urban landscapes due to its pollution tolerance and rapid growth. The soft, low-flammability wood is used for packaging, woodenware, and fuel. The bark contains salicin, traditionally used for its anti-inflammatory and febrifuge properties.

Growth Rate:  5-8 feet per year.

Mature Size: 45-90 feet.

Sun/Soil Preference: 

• Zones 4-9

• Full sun required, dislikes shade or heavy competition

• Tolerates a wide range of moist, well-drained, or heavy clay soils.

Attributes: 

• Triangular to oval, glossy, bright green leaves that turn yellow in the autumn. 

• Features aggressive root systems that can damage foundations if planted too close to structures.

Fastest growing of the spruces. Develops strong graceful branches that are covered with dark green needles. Ideal windbreaker. Matures at 60'; 25' spread. (zones 3-7) 

Zone 3-7

Mature Size: 40-60 feet tall, and 25-30 feet wide

Growth Rate: This tree grows at a medium to fast rate, with height increases of anywhere from 13" to more than 24" per year.

Sun Preference: Full sun is the ideal condition for this tree, meaning it should get at least six hours of direct, unfiltered sunlight each day.

Soil Preference: Acidic, loamy, moist, rich, sandy, well-drained and clay soils. It has some drought tolerance.

Description: Their bark is orange-brown, finely flaking, becoming gray-brown, scaly on old trees. Branches are short and stout, the upper level or ascending, the lower drooping; twigs are orange-brown, usually glabrous. Buds are reddish brown.

Landscape Use: Spruces are vital to northern landscapes and long-lived if properly cared for. Their large size restricts their use, but they can be used for screening, windbreak and shelterbelt plantings.

Wildlife Value: Supports a wide variety of wildlife. They are important as winter cover for deer and small game including grouse, hare and woodcock. Song birds and fur bearers also frequent these forest types. Norway spruce also makes a good roosting tree for hawks and owls.

Attributes:

• Fastest growing of the spruces

• Easy to transplant

• Can be planted on a wide variety of sites

• Works well for windbreaks

• Features dark green needles that are roughly 1/2-1" in length

• Yields light brown, stiffly scaled, 4-6" cones that sit upright on the branch until fertilized, once fertilized, they gradually turn downward

• Grows in a pyramidal shape

• Can begin to look a little unkempt in its old age

Excellent fall foliage color which may be yellow, red, orange or burgundy is just one of the many attributes of this large and attractive native shrub. Showy, snow-white, flat-topped flowers are 3"-4 1/2" in diameter that bloom in mid to late May. Beginning in September, bright red fruits serve as food for birds and wildlife. Grows 8'-12' high with an equal spread. Prefers good, well-drained, moist soil and partial shade to full sun. 

Zone 2-7

Mature Size: 8-12 feet tall, and 8-12 feet wide

Growth Rate: This shrub grows at a medium rate, with height increases of  13-24" per year.

Sun Preference: Full sun and partial shade are best for this shrub, meaning it prefers a minimum of four hours of direct, unfiltered sunlight each day.

Soil Preference: The American cranberrybush viburnum grows in acidic, loamy, moist, rich, sandy, silty loam, well-drained and wet soils.

Description: High-bush cranberry is a large, rounded shrub with gray, smooth branches. From late May into June, it has lovely, white, lace-cap flowers that grow up to 4 inches across. The indented dark green leaves turn beautiful shades of yellow-orange to red in fall. The edible, showy, deep red fruits appear in August and often persist through winter.

Landscape Use: High-bush cranberry has something to offer the landscape all year. Use it in shrub borders, as a specimen plant, in foundation plantings, and for screening. The edible fruits can be used for preserves and are attractive for birds.

Wildlife Value: The fruit serves as food for various birds and wildlife.

Attributes:

• Produces showy white flowers in flat-topped clusters that are 3-4" in diameter and bloom in mid-to late May

• Yields edible bright red drupes from early September to February

• Features lustrous medium to dark green leaves that provide lovely fall color, turning variety of hues from yellow to red-purple

• Grows in a rounded shape

• Makes an excellent choice for screening and informal hedges

A magnificent sight of silver blue-green spruce. Rated one of the most popular evergreens. It grows well while young and matures at 50-75'; 10-'20' spread in the landscape, up to 135' and 35' spread in the wild. 

Zone 2-7

Mature Size: 50-75 feet tall, and 10-20 feet wide

Growth Rate: This tree grows at a slow to medium rate, with height increases of anywhere from less than 12" to 24" per year.

Sun Preference: Full sun is the ideal condition for this tree, meaning it should get at least six hours of direct, unfiltered sunlight each day.

Soil Preference: Adapts well to many soils - growing in acidic, loamy, moist, rich, sandy, well-drained and clay soils. It requires normal moisture with moderate tolerance to flooding and drought. 

Description: Picea pungens, commonly called Colorado Spruce (also Blue Spruce), is a medium to large, narrow, pyramidal conifer with horizontal branching to the ground. Stiff, bristly, four-angled, green to blue-green to silver-blue needles (to 1.5” long) point outward from the branches in all directions. Cylindrical light brown cones (to 4” long) have flexible scales. Dark gray bark furrows on mature trees. From a horticultural standpoint, trees with blue or silver blue foliage are generally more coveted than trees with green foliage. 

Landscape Use: Spruces are vital to northern landscapes and long-lived if properly cared for. Their large size restricts their use, but they can be used for screening, windbreak and shelterbelt plantings.

Wildlife Value: Provides food and shelter for birds, such as; siskins, nuthatches and crossbills.

Attributes:

• Displays its unique silvery blue-green color year-round

• Withstands wind better than most spruces due to a wide-spreading and moderately deep root system

• Is a long-lived specimen

• Features needles that are stiff, prickly and roughly 1-1 1/2" in length

• Provides privacy and a windbreak when planted in a row

• Yields light brown, 3-4" cones which hang downward on the branches and are concentrated in the upper crown

• Grows in a columnar, pyramidal shape

Description: An extremely fast-growing deciduous tree commonly used to create living privacy screens, windbreaks, and erosion control buffers. The hybrid willow is a cross between the white willow and the weeping willow. 

Conservation Uses: Young hybrid willows are targeted by deer in the first couple of years, so protective fencing is needed. Extensive root systems help stabilize soil along ponds, streams, and low-lying wet areas. Planted 5-10 feet apart they quickly form a dense, lush green wall that blocks wind, noise, and views. 

Growth Rate: 3-10 feet of height per year under ideal conditions.

Mature Size: 30-50 feet.

Sun/Soil Preference:

• Zone 4-9

• Prefers moist to wet soils, but adapts well to clay, sand, and varying pH levels. 

• Full sun to partial shade.

Attributes:

• They have aggressive, moisture-seeking roots, so it is suggested to plant them well away from foundations, water lines, and septic systems. 

Description: Also known as paper birch or canoe birch, and is a fast-growing, deciduous hardwood tree native to northern North America. 

Conservation Uses: Indigenous peoples famously harvested the durable, waterproof bark to build lightweight birchbark canoes, baskets, and containers. Provides vital browse for deer and beaver, while snowshoe hares, birds and small mammals feed on the buds, twigs, and seeds.  Commercially used for pulpwood, plywood, veneer, and turned wood products like spools, clothespins, and ice cream sticks. 

Mature Size: 40-70 Feet Tall (70-80 Years) 

Growth Rate: This shrub grows at a medium to fast rate, with height increases of anywhere from 13" to more than 24" per year.

Sun/Soil Preference:

• Zones 2-6

• Thrives best in full sun

• Moist to wet, well-drained soils.

Attributes:

• Can be single-trunked with a rounded crown or multi-stemmed with an irregular, open canopy. 

• Produces yellowish-brown male and female catkins in spring, followed by small, cone-like nutlets containing tiny winged seeds by late summer. 

Description: A natural red sport of the classic Honeycrisp apple featuring a more vibrant, uniformly deep crimson red color and enhanced storage capabilities. 

Conservation Uses: Anchor well into the soil and resist collar rot and woolly aphids. 

Mature Size: 15 Feet Tall, 12-16 Feet Wide

Growth Rate: 6-12 inches per year.

Sun/Soil Preference:

• Zones 3-9

• Requires full sun (atleast 6 hour/day)

• Prefers Well-drained soils.

Attributes:

• Green leaves during the spring and summer that typically change color or drop off as winter approaches. 

• Requires cross-pollination from another compatible apple or crabapple variety to set fruit. (placed 20-30 feet the ensure pollination) 

• Bears crisp, sweet fruit in early September ideal for fresh eating, salads, and baking in pies or tarts and cider production.