(Main image from TLCgarden.com)

As the season changes into Fall, it is the best time to plant a new tree. All of these trees are great for landscaping here in OKC. Trees planted in Oklahoma need to be drought and disease resistant. Drought resistant does not mean you don’t have to water your new trees. All trees need to be established into their landscape before they can take care of themselves.

Special Thanks to Verbode Agent and Owner of Echelawn Complete Lawn & Landscaping, Tim Lloyd. This list is the top ten trees he recommends for planting in OKC!

10. Shumard Oak

A stately, strong and long-lived tree with beautiful fall color, the Shumard oak is a great selection for yards. This adaptable species has been successfully grown in urban areas where air pollution, poor drainage, compacted soil, and/or drought are common, making it a fine choice for street trees as well. While this tree is favored by homeowners, deer and squirrels also love its small acorns.

9. Blue Ice Cypress (Evergreen)

They’re tenacious trees, unfazed by searing heat and strong winds, and they can handle icy-cold winters, too.  Wildfires are even their friend, as the seeds for the next generation are released only by fire.  This extra-blue selection was discovered in New Zealand, of all places. Give them room to grow. They may be skinny at first, but they will grow fast.

8. Nellie R Stevens Holly (Evergreen)

A cross between the English Holly and Chinese Holly. The Nellie R Stevens Holly has a naturally dense broad pyramidal shape. The leaves are glossy with a dark green color and are among the darkest of any plant. The flowers produced in spring allow the tree to pollinate and produce an abundant amount of vivid red berries that are very attractive. It is adapted to many environmental conditions with its superior level of shade and drought tolerance.

7. Autumn Blaze Maple

An improved hybrid with brilliant, long lasting orange-red fall color, a uniform branching habit and rapid growth rate. Thrives in warm climates extending well into the deep south and west; will tolerate wet soils with good drainage. An excellent lawn, park or street tree.

6. Oklahoma Red Bud

The ideal tree when you want ornamentation, but don’t have a lot of room. Growing to 20 to 25 feet in height, the tree provides red flowers that grow out of the trunk and branches in the spring, followed by pink leaves that eventually turn green. Timing is the most important consideration when planting the Oklahoma redbud tree. It should be planted as soon as there is no longer a threat of frost.

5. Junipers

There are thirteen juniper species native to North America and eleven are mostly tree-like. They have a fleshy, berry-looking cone where the seeds develop and the leaves are more like scales than coniferous needles.

4. Crepe Myrtle

Chiefly known for their colorful and long-lasting flowers which occur in summer. Most have sinewy, fluted stems and branches with a mottled appearance that comes from having bark that sheds throughout the year. While all species are woody in nature, they can range in height from over 100 ft to under 1 ft. However, most are small to medium multiple-trunked trees and shrubs. The leaves of temperate species provide autumn color.

3. Bald Cypress

A classic tree of southern swamps. There, in its native habitat, it displays a peculiar habit of raising conical “knees” from its roots. The function of these growths is something of a mystery, although some believe it is a way to help the roots get oxygen. It does quite well when planted in the right soil in yards or along streets and is a beautiful specimen tree. It has been grown successfully in cities as far north as Milwaukee and on dry Texas hills.

2. Lacebark Elm

A graceful tree with a rounded crown adorned with lustrous dark green leaves that change to yellow and reddish purple in fall. A landscape standout, the lacebark elm has distinctive bark, which is mottled and often creates colorful patterns in its trunk. Medium to fast-growing, this elm adapts to many soil conditions and is relatively free from the diseases ravaging other elm species, making it a tough and durable tree for any situation.

1. Chinese Pistache

This tree starts out as an unattractive and misshapen young tree but grows into a magnificent specimen. It is a tough tree that can withstand urban conditions and is commonly used in dry landscaping. This tree is popular in California and is often put to use as the under stock for commercial pistachio growers. Full sun is the ideal condition for this tree, meaning it should get at least six hours of direct, unfiltered sunlight each day.