A list of tree species, grouped generally by biogeographic realm and specifically by bioregions, and shade tolerance. Shade-tolerant species are species that are able to thrive in the shade, and in the presence of natural competition by other plants. Shade-intolerant species require full sunlight and little or no competition. Intermediate shade-tolerant trees fall somewhere in between the two.
Shade tolerant
Abies balsamea, Balsam Fir
Acer negundo, Boxelder
Acer saccharum, Sugar Maple
Aesculus spp., Buckeyes
Chamaecyparis thyoides, Atlantic White Cypress or Atlantic White Cedar
Cornus florida, Flowering Dogwood
Diospyros spp., Persimmon
Fagus grandifolia, American Beech
Ilex opaca, American Holly
Ostrya virginiana, Eastern Hophornbeam
Picea glauca, White Spruce
Picea mariana, Black Spruce
Picea rubens, Red Spruce
Tilia americana, Basswood
Thuja occidentalis, Northern White Cedar
Morus rubra, Red Mulberry
Carpinus caroliniana, American Hornbeam
Magnolia grandiflora, Southern Magnolia
Tsuga canadensis, Eastern Hemlock
Nyssa spp., Tupelos
Acer rubrum, Red Maple
Carya laciniosa, Shellbark Hickory
Intermediate shade tolerant
Acer saccharinum, Silver Maple
Betula lenta, Sweet Birch
Castanea dentata, American Chestnut
Celtis occidentalis, Hackberry
Fraxinus americana, White Ash
Fraxinus pennsylvanica, Green Ash
Fraxinus nigra, Black Ash
Magnolia spp., Magnolias
Quercus alba, White Oak
Quercus macrocarpa, Bur Oak
Quercus nigra, Black Oak
Quercus rubra, Northern Red Oak
Pinus elliottii, Slash Pine
Pinus strobus, Eastern White Pine
Taxodium distichum, Bald Cypress
Ulmus americana, American Elm
Ulmus thomasii, Rock Elm
Betula alleghaniensis, Yellow Birch
Carya spp., Hickories (except for Shellbark)
Shade intolerant
Betula papyrifera, Paper Birch
Betula populifolia, Gray Birch
Catalpa spp., Catalpas
Carya illinoinensis, Pecan
Gymnocladus dioicus, Kentucky Coffee Tree
Juglans cinerea, Butternut
Juglans nigra, Black Walnut
Juniperus virginiana, Eastern Red Cedar
Larix laricina, Tamarack
Liriodendron tulipifera, Yellow poplar
Maclura pomifera, Osage Orange
Pinus banksiana, Jack Pine
Pinus echinata, Shortleaf Pine
Pinus palustris, Longleaf Pine
Pinus resinosa, Red Pine
Pinus rigida, Pitch Pine
Pinus taeda, Loblolly pine
Pinus virginiana, Virginia Pine
Platanus occidentalis, Sycamore
Populus deltoides, Eastern Cottonwood
Populus grandidentata, Big-Tooth Aspen
Populus tremuloides, Quaking Aspen
Prunus pensylvanica, Pin Cherry
Prunus serotina, Black Cherry
Robinia pseudoacacia, Black Locust
Salix spp., Willows
Sassafras spp., Sassafras
Shade tolerant
Abies amabilis, Pacific Silver Fir
Abies concolor, White Fir
Abies grandis, Grand Fir
Abies lasiocarpa, Alpine Fir
Acer circinatum, Vine Maple
Acer macrophyllum, Big-leaf Maple
Arbutus arizonica, Arizona Madrone
Arbutus menziesii, Pacific Madrone
Arbutus xalapensis, Texas Madrone
Cupressus nootkatensis, Nootka Cypress
Calocedrus decurrens, California Incense-cedar
Notholithocarpus densiflorus, Tan Oak
Picea engelmannii, Engelmann Spruce
Picea sitchensis, Sitka Spruce
Quercus chrysolepis, Canyon Live Oak
Sequoia sempervirens, Coast Redwood
Sequoiadendron giganteum, Giant Sequoia
Taxus brevifolia, Pacific Yew
Thuja plicata Western Red Cedar
Torreya californica, California Torreya
Tsuga heterophylla, Western Hemlock
Tsuga mertensiana, Mountain Hemlock
Umbellularia californica, California Laurel
Intermediate shade tolerant
Abies magnifica, Red Fir
Alnus rubra, Red Alder
Chrysolepis spp., Golden Chinquapin
Fraxinus latifolia, Oregon Ash
Picea pungens, Colorado Blue spruce
Pinus lambertiana, Sugar Pine
Pinus monticola Western White Pine
Pinus radiata, Monterey Pine
Pseudotsuga spp., Douglas-fir
Quercus garryana, Oregon White Oak
Quercus lobata, valley oak
Shade intolerant
Abies procera, Noble Fir
Juniperus ashei, Ashe Juniper
Juniperus californica, California Juniper
Juniperus deppeana, Alligator Juniper
Juniperus monosperma, One-seed Juniper
Juniperus occidentalis, Western Juniper
Juniperus osteosperma, Utah Juniper
Juniperus scopulorum, Rocky Mountain Juniper
Larix lyallii, Alpine Larch
Larix occidentalis, Western Larch
Pinus albicaulis, Whitebark Pine
Pinus aristata, Rocky Mountains Bristlecone Pine
Pinus attenuata, Knobcone Pine
Pinus balfouriana, Foxtail Pine
Pinus contorta, Lodgepole Pine
Pinus coulteri, Coulter Pine
Pinus flexilis, Limber Pine
Pinus jeffreyi, Jeffrey Pine
Pinus longaeva, Great Basin Bristlecone Pine
Pinus muricata, Bishop Pine
Pinus ponderosa, Ponderosa Pine
Pinus sabineana, Gray Pine
Pinus Ducampopinus spp., Piñon Pines
Populus fremontii, Fremont Cottonwood
Populus tremuloides, Quaking aspen
Shade tolerant
Abies alba, European Silver Fir, especially shade tolerant
Acer platanoides, Norway Maple
Acer pseudoplatanus, Sycamore Maple
Carpinus betulus, European Hornbeam
Fagus sylvatica, European Beech, especially shade tolerant
Ilex aquifolium, European Holly
Ostrya carpinifolia, European Hop-Hornbeam
Prunus avium, Wild Cherry
Sorbus domestica, True Service Tree
Sorbus torminalis, Wild Service Tree
Taxus baccata, European Yew, especially shade tolerant
Ulmus glabra, Wych Elm
Ulmus laevis, European White Elm
Intermediate shade tolerant
Acer campestre, Field Maple
Acer monspessulanum, Montpellier Maple
Acer opalus, Italian Maple
Alnus glutinosa, Black Alder
Alnus incana, Grey Alder
Castanea sativa, Sweet Chestnut
Fraxinus excelsior, European Ash
Fraxinus ornus, Manna Ash
Juglans regia, Common Walnut
Mespilus germanica, Common Medlar
Picea abies, Norway Spruce
Pinus cembra, Swiss Pine
Prunus padus, Bird Cherry
Pyrus pyraster, European Wild Pear
Quercus cerris, Turkey Oak
Quercus petraea, Sessile Oak
Sorbus aria, Whitebeam
Sorbus aucuparia, European Rowan
Sorbus intermedia, Swedish Whitebeam
Tilia cordata, Small-leafed Linden
Tilia platyphyllos, Large-leafed Linden
Ulmus minor, Field Elm
Shade intolerant
Betula pendula, Silver Birch, especially high light requirement
Betula pubescens, Downy Birch
Juniperus communis, Common Juniper
Larix decidua, European Larch, especially high light requirement
Malus sylvestris, European Crab Apple
Pinus mugo, Mountain Pine
Pinus nigra, European Black Pine
Pinus sylvestris, Scots Pine
Populus alba, Silver Poplar
Populus nigra, Black Poplar
Populus tremula, Aspen
Quercus pubescens, Downy Oak
Quercus robur, Pedunculate Oak
Salix alba, White Willow
Salix caprea, Goat Willow
Salix fragilis, Crack Willow
