Recommended Trees for Pocatello and Bannock County

These are trees which will grow well in our local climate and soils.  These selections are not all foolproof and some have significant problems which may require detailed management.  There are many other tree species which will grow well in this area which are not listed because they are much less likely to be available for purchase and planting.

Name                                                                                  Size

* indicates a species with a known or potential problem which is nevertheless still commonly planted

Alder, Black                                    Alnus glutinosa              medium
Alder, Gray                                     Alnus incana                  medium
Alder, Mountain                              Alnus tenifolia               small 
Apple, Common                               Malus domestica            small                 Nearly all apples grow here but late varieties may not ripen.
Apple, Crab                                     Malus species                small                 All crab species and varieties will grow well here.
Apricot                                            Prunus armeniaca          small                 Many varieties cold hardy but late frosts may ruin crop.
Arborvitae                                       Thuja occidentalis         small           
Arborvitae, Oriental                        Thuja orientalis             small                 Cold hardy and commonly grown in Bannock County.
Ash, European                                 Fraxinus excelsior          medium            Highly susceptible to borers and rarely planted any more.
Ash, Green*                                     Fraxinus pensylvanica     large                Many varieties, commonly planted, can get borers.
Ash, Manchurian                             Fraxinus mandshurica     medium 
Ash, White*                                     Fraxinus americana         large                Commonly planted, can get borers.
Aspen, Quaking*                             Populus tremuloides        medium             Very susceptible to diseases and insect problems
Aspen, Swedish*                             Populus tremula              medium             A very narrow columnar tree, less disease prone
Beech, European                            Fagus sylvatica               medium-large     numerous varieties of many types, grows well here
Birch, European*                           Betula pendula                medium             very popular but highly susceptible to borers
Birch, Himalayan                           Betula jacquemontii        medium             A beautiful birch, moderately susceptible to borers.
Birch, Water                                 Betula occidentalis          small                  Native birch with cinnamon colored bark, borer resistant.
Birch, Paper*                                Betula papyrifera            medium              White bark birch, some are subject to borers and   alkaline soil, while other superior varieties have few problems.
Birch, borer resistent varieties     Betula species                medium               'Avalanche', 'Whitespire' Sr. &  'Rocky Mountain Splendor' are borer resistant white barked birches that are available.
Black Locust*                                Robinia psuedoacacia         med.-large           Tough tree but susceptible to borers.
Box Elder                                      Acer negundo                     medium-large       Tough but trashy tree, 'Sensation' is superior & fruitless.
Buckeye, Ohio                              Aesculus glabra                  small-medium
Buckeye, Yellow                           Aesculus flava                   medium               Yellow flowers, excellent fall color.
Buckthorn, Tallhedge                  Rhamnus frangula              small                    A small columnar tree for hedges, screens, accents
Buffalo Berry                              Shephardia argentea           small                    Shrubby native tree, very tough and with edible fruit.
Butternut                                   Juglans cinera                     medium                 A walnut species that grows well but seldom planted.
Catalpa, Northern                      Catalpa speciosa                  large
Catalpa, Southern                      Catalpa bignonioides            medium
Catalpa, Umbrella                      Catalpa bignonioides            small
Cherry, Amur Chokechery          Prunus maackii                    small                    Ornamental golden bark.
Cherry, Choke                            Prunus virginiana                small                     Green leaf and red leaf forms.
Cherry, Cistena Sand                 Prunus x cistena                  small                     Purpleleaf hybrid plum x sand cherry.
Cherry, Japanese Flowering      Prunus serrulata                  small                     Cold hardy only in the warmer parts of Pocatello.
Cherry, Mayday or Bird             Prunus padus                       small - medium      Green leaf and red leaf forms.
Cherry, Pie or Sour                   Prunus cerasus                    small
Cherry, Sargent                        Prunus sargentii                  small-medium          Excellent flowers and fall color, columnar forms exist
Cherry, Sweet                           Prunus avium                      medium                   Some varieties self-fruitful others require pollinator.
Cherry, Weeping                       Prunus subhirtella                small                       Cold hardy in warmer parts of Pocatello.
Coffee Tree, Kentucky              Gymnocladus dioica              med. - large             A very excellent shade tree, fruitless forms available
Cottonwood  (see poplars)
Corktree, Amur                        Phellodendron amurense         med.                      Very well adapted shade tree but seldom planted.
Crab Apple, flowering             Malus species                         small                       Hundreds of varieties, all do well in Bannock County.
Dawn Redwood                        Metasequoia glyptostroboides  med.                      Grows well in Pocatello but questionable elsewhere.
Dogwood, Cornelian Cherry     Cornus mas                            small                      Small flowering, early yellow flowers and edible fruits.
Douglas Fir                             Pseudopsuega menziesii          large                      Common evergreen of areas mountain forests.
Eastern Redcedar                  Juniperus virginiana                small                       Actually a juniper, several varieties are commonly planted
Elderberry, American           Sambucus canadensis               small                      Cutleaf variety most commonly planted, fruits edible.
Elderberry, Black                 Sambucus nigra                       small                      Many colored leaf and cut leaf varieties, fruits edible.
Elderberry, Blue Native       Sambucus caerulea                   small          
Elm, Camperdown                Ulmus glabra                           small                       Popular dwarf weeping tree.
Elm, hybrids & varieties       Ulmus species                         med. - large            Many new and outstanding varieties resistant to disease and  insect problems.  Should be much more widely planted.
Elm, Frontier                       Ulmus hybrid                           medium                   A completely seedless variety, good red fall color.
Elm, Lacebark                      Ulmus parvifolia                     medium                   Popular throughout U.S. but hardy only in Pocatello
Elm, Siberian                       Ulums pumila                          large                      The elm that gives them all a bad name, only for worst areas.
Filbert, Turkish                  Corylus colurna                       medium                   Excellent, very well adapted tree but seldom planted.
Fir, Alpine, Subalpine        Abies lasiocarpa                      medium                  Vary narrow native evergreen.
Fir, White                          Abies concolor                         large                      Can grow well but not at it's best in heavy soils or high pH.
Ginkgo                               Ginkgo biloba                          medium                  Grows very well in Bannock County but slow growing.
Golden Chain Tree             Laburnum species                    small                      Grows quite well in Pocatello but questionable elsewhere.
Golden Rain Tree               Koereuteria paniculata             small                      Grows very well in Pocatello but perhaps marginal elsewhere.
Hackberry, Common          Celtis occidentalis                   med. - large             Very well adapted but moderately slow growing.
Hackberry, Netleaf            Celtis reticulata                      small - med.             Native to some dry slopes in this area but rarely planted
Hawthorn, Black               Crataegus douglasii                 small                        The native hawthorn, rarely cultivated but could be.
Hawthorn, Cockspur         Crataegus crus-galli                 small                        Generally good but may get chlorotic in high pH soils.
Hawthorn, English            Crataegus laevigata                 small                       Most commonly planted variety is red flowered 'Pauls Scarlet'.
Hawthorn, Lavelle            Crataegus x lavellii                 small                        Excellent small tree.
Hawthorn, Russian           Crataegus ambigua                 small                        Very well adapted tree but only occasionally planted.
Hawthorn, Washington     Crataegus phaenopyrum         small                         Good multi-season tree but can get chlorotic in high pH.
Hawthorn, 'Winter King'   Cratagus viridis                     small
Hazels and Filberts          Corylus species                      small - med.              Several species, all of which grow well here and bear nuts.
Heartnut                          Juglans ailantifolia                medium                     Also called Japanese Walnut, grows well, produces nuts.
Honey Locust                  Gleditsia triacanthos              med. - large              One of the most popular shade trees in Bannock County.
Hornbeam, European      Carpinus betulus                    medium                    Grows well in Pocatello, several distinct varieties.
Horse Chestnut               Aesculus hippocastanum         medium  
Horse Chestnut, Red       Aesculus x carnea                   medium                   More attractive, fewer fruits than Common Horse Chestnut.
Juniper, Chinese            Juniperus chinensis                small - med.             Pyramid to columnar shaped varieties grow very well here.
Juniper, Rocky Mountain  Juniperus scopulorum           small                        Native but selected pyramidal to columnar varieties planted.
Juniper, Utah                  Juniperus osteosperma          small                        Common native juniper on dry hills often called "cedars".
Larch, European              Larix decidua                        med. - large              Grows well here but not very attractive.
Larch, Siberian                Larix sibirica                         med. - large              More attractive, rare here but planted elsewhere in E. Idaho.
Lilac, Chinese Tree         Syringa pekinensis                  small                         A true tree, flowers later than other lilacs, ornamental bark.
Lilac, Japanese Tree       Syringa reticulata                   small                         A true tree, white flowers a month later than other lilacs.
Linden, American           Tilia americana                      medium                     Commonly planted large leaf linden species.
Linden, Little Leaf          Tilia cordata                          medium                     Most commonly planted Linden species.
Linden, Silver                 Tilia tomentosa                     medium                     Sometimes sold here,  most resistant to heat and aphids
Linden species                Tilia species                         small - med.               Many species of Linden exist and all will grow well here.
London Plane Tree          Platanus x acerfolia              large                          'Bloodgood' is often planted, at hardiness limits in Pocatello.
Maackia, Amur                Maackia amurensis               small                          Excellent tough tree with white flowers in summer.
Maple, Bigtooth               Acer grandidentatum            small                          The native maple which turns red - orange in fall.
Maple, Hedge                 Acer campestre                     small - med.               Very well adapted but seldom planted
Maple, Japanese*          Acer palmatum                       small                         A few of the hardiest varieties survive in Pocatello but only  in sheltered locations out of sun and wind.
Maple, Norway              Acer platanoides                    medium                     Most common maple here, many varieties including red leaf.
Maple, Pacific Sunset,  Norwegian Sunset                  medium                      Grow very well here, fall color can orange-red but often yellow.
Maple, Rocky Mountain  Acer glabrum                        small                          Native but confused with Bigtooth Maple, fall color yellow.
Maple, Sugar                 Acer saccharum                     medium                     Does better here than often supposed, some large trees exist.
Maple, Sycamore          Acer pseudoplatanus               medium                     Grows very well here but seldom planted, large old trees exist.
Maple, Tatarian           Acer tataricum                        small                         Much better in alkaline soil than similar Amur Maple.
Mountain Ash*            Sorbus aucuparia                     small                          Beautiful multi-season tree but has numerous small problems.
Mountain Mahogany    Cercocarpus ledifolius              small                         Tough native broadleaf evergreen tree, excellent for screens.
Mulberry, White        Morus alba                               med. - large               Grows very well here, fruitless varieties for shade trees
Oak, Bur                   Quercus macrocarpa                  med. - large               Excellent shade tree with few insect or disease problems.
Oak, Chinkapin         Quercus muehlenbergii               large                         Excellent shade tree but rarely planted here.
Oak, English              Quercus robur                           large                         Excellent fast growing shade tree resistant to pests.
Oak, Gambels            Quercus gambelii                     small                          Very tough small tree. very drought resistant.
Osage Orange            Maclura pomifera                    medium                      Tough tree, rarely planted, look for fruitless & thornless types.
Pagoda Tree             Sophora japonica                     medium                      Excellent flowering and shade tree, large trees exist in Pocatello.
Peach and Nectarine  Prunus persica                       small                          Hardiest varieties do well, especially in warm parts of Pocatello.
Pear                           Pyrus communis                    small - med.                Nearly all varieties of Pear do well, most need a pollinator.
Pear, Flowering          Pyrus calleryana                   small-med.                  Common, does well except for chlorosis in over-watered lawns.
Pear, Asian                 Pyrus serrulata                    small                           Not commonly planted but does well and fruits in Pocatello.
Pine, Austrian            Pinus nigra                          medium                      Most commonly planted larger pine, very well adapted.
Pine, Bristlecone        Pinus aristata                     small                           Very interesting contorted growth form.
Pine, Lacebark           Pinus bungeana                  small - med.                 Well adapted but seldom planted, ornamental bark
Pine, Limber              Pinus flexilis                      medium                        Native species, very tough, 'Vanderwolf Pyramid' is common.
Pine, Lodgepole         Pinus contorta                   medium                         Native but seldom planted, looks better cultivated than in wild.
Pine, Mugo                Pinus mugus                      small                             Often shrubby but tree sized and tree form specimens exist.
Pine, Pinyon             Pinus edulis & monophylla  small                              Very tough small trees do very well but seldom planting
Pine, Ponderosa       Pinus ponderosa                large                               Tallest growing pine planted here, quite variable.
Pine, Scotch             Pinus sylvestris                medium                           Commonly planted pine with open form and orange bark.
Pine, Swiss Stone      Pinus cembra                  medium                            Dense, shapely and well adapted but seldom planted.
Plum, Fruiting          Prunus                            small                                Many varieties of fruiting plums grow well in Bannock County.  European plums are usually self-fruitful  while most American, Japanese and hybrids need a pollinator.
Plum, Purpleleaf      Prunus cerasifera             small                               Very common ornamental trees.  'Newport' and 'Mt. St. Helens' are hardy everywhere.  Other varieties very marginal.
Plum, 'Princess Kay'  Prunus nigra                   small                               Excellent flowers and fall color, very hardy.
Poplar                      Populus species               large                               Huge, fast growing, broad spreading trees.  Many varieties, 'Siouxland' and 'Robusta' are most popular.  Often referred to as hybrid poplars though not all are actual hybrids.
Poplar, Columnar    Populus nigra                  large                                These are the very tall and narrow poplars typified by the varieties 'Lombardy' and 'Theves' the latter the superior one.
Poplar, White          Populus alba                   large                                The only variety commonly sold now is columnar 'Bolleana'.
Poplar, 'Tower'        Populs x canescens          med. - large                    A hybrid of 'Bolleana' and Swedish Aspen and superior to both.  Narrowly columnar when young.
Redbud                   Cercis canadensis            small                              Does well in Pocatello but subject to Verticillium Wilt disease.
Russian Olive          Elaeagnus angustifolia     small - med.                   Very well adapted but quite weedy.
Serviceberry, Tree  Amelanchier species       small                              Several species native to midwest, more tree like.
Serviceberry, Native  Amelanchier alnifolia   small                              Usually shrubby but can be a small tree.  Nice flowers and edible fruits which can be good on selected varieties.
Spruce, Blue             Picea pungens             large                              May be any color from very blue to completely green
Spruce, Englemann  Picea engelmannii        large                              Native tree, perhaps better than blue spruce but seldom planted.
Spruce, Norway      Picea abies                   large                              Elegant conifer when well grown but seldom planted anymore.
Spruce, Serbian      Picea omorika              medium                          Excellent tree and superior to larger spruce for yard planting.
Spruce, White        Picea glauca                 medium                          Smaller and better for yards than larger species.  Blackhills Spruce is a smaller, denser variety and the only one sold now.
Sumac, Smooth      Rhus glabra                  small                              Smaller than Staghorn but with same excellent fall color.  Native
Sumac, Staghorn    Rhus typhina                small                               Tremendous fall color and tough except chlorosis in wet soils.
Sycamore               Platanus occidentalis     large                              Several large trees in Pocatello but seldom planted.
Tree of Heaven      Ailanthus altissima       medium                          Never planted but several hundred in Pocatello as weed trees.
Willow, weeping     Salix species               med. - large                   Several weeping varieties exist,disease prone and drop branches.
Willow, Globe         Salix matsudana         medium                          Grows well in Pocatello though chlorotic in over-watered lawns
Willow, Golden       Salix alba                   large                              Golden barked variety of White Willow
Willow, Pussy         Salix caprea               small                              Small multi-stemmed tree, very disease prone
Zelkova, Japanese   Zelkova serrata         medium                          Excellent shade tree but probably hardy only in Pocatello.

Trees not adapted that are sometimes planted :

Birch, River or Heritage     Betula nigra            Resistant to borers but does not grow in our alkaline soil. more than a few years
Cedar, Blue Atlas               Cedrus atlantica      Will survive mild to average winters but killed or damaged by cold winters.
Dogwood, Flowering          Cornus florida          Would be cold hardy in Pocatello but not at all adapted to our alkaline soils.
Hemlock                            Tsuga species          All species of Hemlock must have acid soil and grow poorly in alkaline soils.
Magnolia                           Magnolia species      Several Magnolias are cold hardy but none have lived very long in our soils.
Maple  'Autumn Blaze'                                      A hybrid of Silver and Red Maple, neither of which grows well in alkaline soil.
Maple, Red                       Acer rubrum             Not adapted to alkaline soils, do not confuse with red leaved Norway Maples.
Maple, Silver                    Acer saccharinum     Grows poorly in most places because of alkaline soil.
Oak, Pin                           Quercus palustris     Will not grow at all in alkaline soil.
Oak, Red                          Quercus rubrum        Usually grows poorly in highly alkaline soil.
Oak, Swamp White           Quercus bicolor        Usually chlorotic in alkaline soil.
Pine, Eastern White         Pinus strobus            Short lived and grows poorly in our soil.
Pine, Western White        Pinus monticola        Despite being our state tree this species will not grow on alkaline soils.
Tulip Tree                        Liriodendron            Cold hardy but generally grow poorly in our soils.

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