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Welcome Planters! 👋
On this website you will find a list of native trees currently available for request from PA IPL for Fall 2025 planting (scroll down) including their attributes and requirements. We've also included further resources and links to help you learn about native trees and how to plant them.
Why Plant Native?
Planting native trees and shrubs helps support our wildlife and waterways. It also has human impacts too - cleaner air, lowering air temperatures, and acting as carbon sinks in our communities. Some native trees and shrubs are food sources for people too! Why Native Species Matter
Climate change doesn't impact all communities in the same ways - that is an injustice. Tree equity is the process by which people and systems seek to to improve outcomes in vulnerable communities by planting trees to practice equity and justice. To learn what your neighborhood's tree score is, you can visit this map.
Indigenous peoples have a long history of stewarding the lands of the region now known as Pennsylvania. When we care for these lands, we are stepping into relationship with the waters, lands, and its original peoples. You can learn on which Indigenous lands you reside here.
If you are looking for a native plants educational resource that extends beyond trees and shrubs, check out Choose Native Plants PA.
How to Choose your Trees
There are many things to consider when discerning what native trees to plant - whether in your backyard, former agricultural land, or in a public park.
You'll want to take into consideration
1/The environment, which includes existing trees, type of soil and its health, power lines and water mains, access to water. Questions might include: what is the history of this place? what is already thriving here? what is needed here?
2/The trees, which includes whether they fruit or flower, how big they grow, sun exposure they need, what environments they thrive in, how they look at maturity. Questions might include: what particular benefits am I looking for? what do I want this space to look like in 5, 10, 25 years?
Descriptions of Trees (look up by common or scientific name):
Pennsylvania Native Tree database
Morton Arboretum (Illinois) Native Tree database
Ladybird Johnson (Texas) Plant Database (includes trees and shrubs as well as flowers and grasses)
3/The social impacts, which includes being mindful of neighbors, any existing codes or laws for your region, as well as factors like how a tree planting would impact future functions (this is especially true of churches, you don't want to plant a bunch of trees in the exact same place you host your yearly apple festival without a conversation about it!). Questions might include; what is this space currently used for and who also makes use of it? how do I tell the story of these trees and their importance? are there any permissions I need before I can start this project?
4/The maintenance, which includes who will be responsible for watering, weeding, and wellness as well as the frequency and duration of more intensive maintenance until trees are established. Questions might include: what is the plan for the hot summer months or drought periods? when are we going to assess and re-plant trees that did not make it? (If you are planting 25+ trees, we require a planting plan, an example is available here). We recommend resources available through TreePhilly for guidance on choosing, siting, and planting yard trees and street trees. If you own farmland, additional conservation resources may be available to you through your county's ACAP program.
If you are a congregation or community group and want guidance in building a planting or maintenance plan, we can provide limited advising or referrals to other sources. We are not credentialed arborists or watershed experts. Please reach out to info@paipl.org with any questions.
Pictures from around Pennsylvania from our PA Plants Native! program as well as collaboration with Germantown Tree Tenders in Philadelphia
Videos and How-to Guides:
Why Native Plants?
Can Trees Undo Climate Change?
How Do Trees Reduce Stormwater & Flooding?
Mapping the Path to Tree Equity
How do Plant Tree and Shrub Seedlings
How to Plant a Seedling
Fall 2024 PA IPL Tree Training
Fall 2023 PA IPL Tree Training
Fall 2025 Available Trees & Shrubs
Alleghany serviceberry (Amelanchier laevis)
to 25' tall x 15' wide, moist well drained, slightly acidic soil. White flowers in early Spring, edible fruit.
to 80' tall x 50' wide, sun to shade, dry to moist soil. Aromatic yellow-green flowers in early Summer.
to 15' tall x 10' wide, sun-shade, any soil, slow grower. White aromatic flowers in early Spring.
male/female, up to 60' tall, fast-growing, brittle, sun-shade, moist to wet soil, flood-tolerant
to 12' tall x 8' wide, sun-part-shade, moist to wet soil, flood-tolerant. 1/2-inch spheres of tiny aromatic white flowers in early Summer, excellent butterfly attractor
to 8' tall x 8' wide, sun-part shade, dry to wet soil, very tolerant, vigorous grower
to 50' tall x 20' wide, sun, dry to moist well-drained soil
to 12' tall x 10' wide, moist, well-drained, fertile, slightly acidic soil
to 30' tall - 30' wide, sun-part shade, dry-moist soil, resists disease better in sun.
to 60' tall x 60' wide, sun-part shade, wet to dry, fast grower, brittle
to 20' tall x 2' wide, rich, well drained soil, need water, partial shade ok
to 60' tall x 35' wide, sun-part shade, rich moist soil, 2 trees for fruit
to 70' tall x 40' wide, sun to shade, moist to wet *acidic* soil, fast grower
(Cornus sericea or stolonifera)
to 10' tall, sun-part shade, thicket-forming, moist to boggy, clay-tolerant
to 30' tall x 35' wide, sun-part-shade, well-drained soil, fast-growing, short-lived, seeds easily. Lots of pink-purple flowers in early Spring
male/female, to 12' tall x 25' wide, sun to shade, moist wet soil, clay or sand, flood-tolerant, thicket
to 80' tall x 50' wide, sun to shade, rich moist well-drained soil, can suffer leaf scorch
to 12' tall, thicket-forming, moist-wet, streambank stabilizer
to 12' tall x 12' wide, dry to wet well-drained soil, male/female. Yellow flowers on both sexes in early spring
to 60' tall x 60' wide, sun, medium to wet acidic soil, tolerates wet
to 35' tall x 18' wide, sun-part-shade, medium-wet acidic soil, aromatic white flowers most of summer
to 100' tall x 100' wide, sun-shade, moist soil, tolerates flooding, fast grower
to 90' tall x 40' wide, sun to shade, rich moist soil. Probably PA's most common woodland tree, large showy orange-yellow-green flowers in June
to 15' tall x 12' wide, sun-shade, dry-wet, deciduous, male/female. Showy red berries on female plants in winter when leaves drop
Are you ready to place your request? Go here!
Do you have further questions about PA Plants Native? Visit PA Plants Native! main webpage.
If you are located in Philadelphia, we encourage you to take advantage of the resources and education (like free street trees) available through TreePhilly.
You can learn more about the 10 year Philadelphia tree plan and goals here.
If you are located in Pittsburgh, we encourage you to take advantage of the resources and education available through TreePittsburgh.
You can learn more about the Pittsburgh Urban Forest Master Plan here.
Looking for more trees or watershed support?
Looking for more trees or watershed support?
Every county in Pennsylvania has a County Conservation District (except for Philadelphia) which is a great place to look for additional funding, support, and resources.
You can find out where yours is and how to get in touch here.
This resource was compiled by Pennsylvania Interfaith Power & Light, thanks to support from the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and PA Department of Environmental Protection Growing Greener grant program. All pictures courtesy of Morton Arboretum, except where otherwise noted.
This program is made possible by generous donors who cover costs not met by our funders. Please consider making a gift today or you can send a check to Pennsylvania Interfaith Power & Light, 321 W Chestnut St., Lancaster PA 17603
Do you have a suggestion for a resource that we should include here?
Please reach out to creationcare@paipl.org with the link as well as a description of the resource and why you find it valuable!
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