8 Fast-Growing Trees That Don’t Make You Wait for Shade

Zones: 5-9

Forever linked with American streetscapes, the American elm was a classic street tree from the late 1800s through the 1940s, often planted to create a tunnel-like canopy over roads. Although Dutch elm disease decimated earlier plantings in the 1970s, disease-resistant cultivars are reviving the species. ‘Valley Forge’ is a slight departure from the classic elm’s form, developing a rounded, vase-shaped canopy that reaches about 70 feet tall and 60 feet wide while retaining the species’ characteristic yellow fall color. ‘Princeton’ is another disease-resistant cultivar, with the traditional vase-shaped habit and a narrower spread of about 30 to 50 feet at maturity. Both retain the graceful arching form that made American elm such a beloved street tree.

Zones: 3-8

Not all maples are created equal. The sugar maples that turn New England’s hillsides fiery shades of red are moderate growers, while silver maple, though fast-growing, isn’t a great choice for most yards. Acer x freemanii ‘Jeffersred’ (sold as Autumn Blaze) crosses two native maples—red and silver—combining the vibrant fall color of the red maple with the rapid growth of the silver. Its dense, oval-to-rounded canopy can reach up to 55 feet tall and 40 feet wide. In autumn, this deciduous hardwood turns shades of orange and red, creating a long-lasting color display. The tree is also more adaptable than many maples, tolerating a range of soil conditions once established.

Zones: 2-8

Sometimes called American linden, American basswood is a large flowering shade tree that blooms in June. “Their heart-shaped leaves turn a bright yellow in the fall,” says North. “In the spring, they produce fragrant white flowers favored by bees and other pollinators.” Native to much of the eastern and central U.S. and parts of Canada, it reaches up to 80 feet tall and 60 feet wide, forming a high, dense canopy that casts deep shade.

Zones: 4-9

This fast-growing deciduous hardwood has a straight trunk and a pyramidal crown that can reach up to 90 feet tall and 50 feet wide. Its distinctive, four-lobed leaves can grow up to 8 inches across and turn golden yellow in fall, while tulip-shaped, greenish-yellow flowers with orange accents bloom in late spring. Native to eastern North America, the tulip tree thrives in full sun and well-drained soil and is best suited to large landscapes where it has room to stretch. The flowers draw pollinators, while its seeds provide food for birds and other wildlife.

Zones: 3-7

While standard shade trees often exceed 80 to 100 feet tall, this fragrant, flowering dogwood is far tidier, maturing to roughly 25 feet tall and 32 feet wide. The pagoda dogwood is capable of shading smaller yards and growing under larger trees, says North. Native to forests, forest edges, stream banks, and fields across much of eastern North America, its tiered, horizontal branches form a layered architectural canopy. Fragrant, yellowish-white flowers bloom in late spring and give way to bluish-black fruit on red stalks. Its leaves turn reddish-purple in fall, and unlike most dogwoods, they grow alternately along the stems.

Zones: 4-9

River birches are known for their interesting, exfoliating bark, and while the trunk of Betula nigra offers shades of white, brown, and pink, the species is easier to live with. “This is a unique birch that is drought-tolerant and has shown resistance to bronze birch borer, a native insect,” says North. Typically sold as a clump with multiple trunks, river birch can also be trained as a single-trunk tree and reaches up to 70 feet tall and 60 feet wide. Young trees feature a pyramidal habit that broadens into an oval crown filled with leathery, dark green leaves that turn bright yellow in autumn.