Fast Growing Trees & Shrubs for Idaho

1. Fast Growing
Trees & Shrubs
suited to Idaho
a short selection

2. Why?
• Most librarians enjoy research, I’m no
exception
• Naturally grew out of other research projects
I’d been assigned
• Good use of my Master Gardener certificate
• Personal interest: want to hide a couple of
views quickly
• While not exhaustive, list has almost 250 trees
& shrubs

3. Things to Consider
 Mature height
 Sunlight requirements
 Water requirements
 Power lines
 Pipes underground
 Pests

4. Evergreen Trees
 Pinus nigra / Austrian pine
 Introduced to the lower 48
 Growth rate: Medium to fast
 Mature height: 60 ft
 Lifespan: Long
 Medium drought tolerance
 Tolerant of shade

5. Evergreen Trees
 Pinus monticola / western white pine
 Native to the lower 48
 Idaho’s state tree
 Growth rate: Rapid
 Mature height: 200 ft
 Lifespan: Long
 Low drought tolerance
 Shade: Intermediate

6. Evergreen Trees
 Picea glauca / white spruce
 Introduced to the lower 48
 Growth rate: Medium to fast
 Mature height: 60 ft
 Lifespan: Long
 Medium drought tolerance
 Intolerant of shade

7. Evergreen Trees
 Pseudotsuga menziesii var. glauca / rocky
mountain douglas-fir
 Native to the lower 48
 Growth rate: Moderate
 Mature height: 110 ft
 lifespan: Long
 High drought tolerance
 Shade: Intermediate

8. Evergreen Trees
 Cupressus × leylandii / Leyland cypress
 Introduced to the lower 48
 Growth rate: Rapid
 Mature height: 70 ft
 Lifespan: Moderate
 Medium drought tolerance
 Intolerant of shade

9. Deciduous Trees
 Acer rubrum / red
maple
 Native to the lower 48
 Has Fall color
 Growth rate: Medium
to fast
 Mature height: 60 ft
 Drought tolerance:
Moderate
 Low drought
tolerance
 Tolerant of shade
 Betula nigra / river
birch
 Native to the lower
48
 Growth rate:
Medium to fast
 Mature height: 70 ft
 Drought tolerance:
Moderate
 Low drought
tolerance
 Intolerant of shade

10. Deciduous Trees
 Cornus nuttallii /
Pacific dogwood
 Native to the lower
48
 Has Fall color
 Growth rate:
Moderate
 Mature height: 50 ft
 Lifespan: Long
 Low drought
tolerance
 Tolerant of shade
 Betula papyrifera /
paper birch
 Native to the lower
48
 Has Fall color
 Growth rate: Rapid
 Mature height: 70 ft
 Lifespan: Moderate
 Low drought
tolerance
 Intolerant of shade

11. Deciduous Trees
 Tilia cordata /
littleleaf linden
 Introduced to the
lower 48
 Growth rate:
Medium to fast
 Mature height: 50 ft
 Lifespan: Moderate
 High drought
tolerance
 Intolerant of shade
 Quercus rubra /
northern red oak
 Native to the lower
48
 Has Fall color
 Growth rate: Rapid
 Mature height: 65 ft
 Lifespan: Moderate
 High drought
tolerance
 Tolerant of shade

12. Deciduous Trees
 Quercus acutissima /
sawtooth oak
 Introduced to the
lower 48
 Has Fall color
 Growth rate:
Medium to fast
 Mature height: 60 ft
 Lifespan: Long
 Medium drought
tolerance
 Tolerant of shade
 Larix occidentalis /
western larch
 Native to the lower
48
 Has Fall color
 Growth rate: Rapid
 Mature height: 200 ft
 Lifespan: Long
 Low drought
tolerance
 Intolerant of shade

13.  Acer glabrum / Rocky
Mountain maple
 Native to the lower 48
 Has Fall color
 Growth rate: Rapid
 Mature height: 30 ft
 Lifespan: Moderate
 Medium drought
tolerance
 Shade: Intermediate
Shrubs
 Elaeagnus commutata
/ silverberry
 Native to the lower 48
 Has Fall color
 Growth rate: Rapid
 Mature height: 12 ft
 Lifespan: Moderate
 High drought
tolerance
 Intolerant of shade

14. Shrubs
 Cornus sericea ssp.
sericea / redosier
dogwood
 Native to the lower 48
 Has Fall color
 Growth rate:
Moderate
 Mature height: 12 ft
 Lifespan: Moderate
 Low drought
tolerance
 Intolerant of shade
 Cornus sericea ssp.
occidentalis / western
dogwood
 Native to the lower 48
 Has Fall color
 Growth rate:
Moderate
 Mature height: 16 ft
 Lifespan: Long
 Low drought
tolerance
 Shade: Intermediate

15. Shrubs
 Spiraea douglasii /
rose spirea
 Native to the lower
48
 Growth rate:
Moderate
 Mature height: 7 ft
 Lifespan: Long
 Medium drought
tolerance
 Intolerant of shade
 Physocarpus
malvaceus / mallow
ninebark
 Native to the lower 48
 Has Fall color
 Growth rate: Rapid
 Mature height: 15 ft
 Lifespan: Long
 High drought
tolerance
 Intolerant of shade

16. Shrubs
 Sambucus racemosa
var. racemosa / red
elderberry
 Native to the lower 48
 Has Fall color
 Growth rate:
Moderate
 Mature height: 18 ft
 Lifespan: Moderate
 Low drought
tolerance
 Shade: Intermediate
 Celtis laevigata var.
reticulata / netleaf
hackberry
 Native to the lower
48
 Growth rate: Rapid
 Mature height: 20 ft
 Lifespan: Moderate
 High drought
tolerance
 Intolerant of shade

17. Shrubs
 Cercocarpus
ledifolius / curl-leaf
mountain mahogany
 Native to the lower
48
 Growth rate:
Moderate
 Mature height: 20 ft
 Lifespan: Long
 High drought
tolerance
 Shade: Intermediate
 Hammamelis virginiana
/ American witch hazel
 Native to the lower 48
 Has Fall color
 Growth rate: Medium
to fast
 Mature height: 30 ft
 Lifespan: Moderate
 Medium drought
tolerance
 Tolerant of shade

18. References
 Missouri Botanical Garden
 http://bit.ly/1AcJD3Y
 PLANTS Database
 http://1.usa.gov/1viH7ZX
 SelecTree: A Tree Selection Guide
 http://bit.ly/11PSQmR