Mountain Ash - Hubbard SWCD

Mountain Ash
Photo courtesy Gustavus Adolphus College
The mountain ash prefers full sun and does best on well-drained soil.
It has a medium to fast growth rate reaching a mature height of 20 to 30 feet.
The bark contains vitamins and minerals, so deer, moose and porcupine like to
graze on it. It also provides nesting sites and shelter for a wide variety of animals.
Paper Birch
The paper birch prefers full sun and does best on well-drained, moist soil.
It has a medium to fast growth rate reaching a mature height of 30 to 50 feet.
The bark contains vitamins and minerals, so deer, moose and porcupine like to
graze on it. It also provides nesting sites and shelter for a wide variety of animals.
Butternut
The butternut prefers full sun and is shade intolerant. It also prefers well-drained
soils.
It has a slow growth rate and has a mature height of 40 to 60 feet.
In late October, you can harvest the nuts which have a sweet buttery flavor that are
great for baking or eating raw. They begin to bear nuts 7—10 years after planting. The
nuts are a valuable food source for deer, squirrels and birds.
Black Cherry
The black cherry prefers full sun but can tolerate some shade and does best on moist
soil.
It has a fast growth rate and has a mature height of 70 to 80 feet.
They have little white clusters of flowers that turn into dark purple/black berries in August. The ripe berries are a favorite with game birds and songbirds . The berries
make good jelly and wine. Black cherries are not just for the birds, raccoons, black
bear, deer, rabbits and squirrels also feast on the ripe berries. The wildlife value of the
black cherry tree is high.
Dolgo Crabapple
Photo courtesy MN DOT
The Dolgo Crabapple prefers full sun, is not drought tolerant and does best in moist,
well-drained soil.
It is fast growing and reaches heights of 35 to 40 feet.
It is 0ne of the hardiest and earliest of the crabapples to bloom. Best all purpose, selfpollinating crabapple that is perfect for jelly and a good source of pectin for other
fruit jellies. It is also fairly disease resistant.
Red Splendor Crabapple
The red splendor crabapple tree prefers full sun and does best on well-drained, moist
soils.
It has a moderate growth rate and reaches a mature height of 10 to 25 feet.
Crabapples provide fair cover and high quality fruit and browse for many birds and a wide
variety of animals. The apples make great cider, jelly and sauce.
Thornless Honeylocust
Photo courtesy of aaronsfarm.com
Photo courtesy of arborday.org
The Thornless Honeylocust prefers full sun and adapts well to a wide variety of soils.
The open canopy and small leaves do not shade out grass or other landscape plants.
It is a very hardy fast growing tree with fragrant spring flowers and reaches a mature
height of 50 to 70 feet.
Bean pods are a desirable food for cattle, sheep, goats and squirrels, rabbits and deer.
The flowers are very attractive to pollinating insects.
Red Maple
The Red Maple prefers full sun to partial shade and can adapt easily to a wide variety
of soil types.
It has a moderate growth rate and reaches a mature height of 40 to 60 feet.
Red maple is browsed by some wildlife species, including white-tailed deer, moose,
and rabbits. It is a particularly valuable white-tailed deer browse during the late fall
and winter, and is considered an important deer food in Minnesota.
Sugar Maple
The Sugar Maple prefers full sun to partial shade and can adapt to a wide variety of
soils, but does best in deep, moist, and well-drained soil.
It is considered a slow growing tree with a mature height of 60 to 75 feet.
Sugar Maple is prized for its sap used in making maple syrup. It is also prized for
it’s hardwood, sometimes called hard maple. It provides browsing for deer, and
squirrels feed on the seeds, buds, foliage and twigs.
Black Walnut
Photo courtesy of tree-pictures.com
Photo courtesy of wikipedia.org
The Black Walnut prefers full or partial sun and likes moist well-drained soil conditions.
It is a medium growing tree and has a mature height of 50—75 feet.
The Black Walnut is prized for it nuts and attractive hardwood. The nuts are an
important food source for squirrels and chipmunks. Black Walnut is not considered a choice browse for deer, but the leaves are palatable to them.
White Cedar
Photos by Steve Nix and Jeffery Brokaw
The White Cedar prefers full sun to partial shade and does best in moist soil.
It has a slow growth rate and a mature height of 25 to 40 feet.
Stands of white cedar are important for wildlife. They provide shelter and forage
for wildlife and birds.
Balsam Fir
The Balsam Fir prefers full sun to partial shade and does best in moist soil.
It has a slow growth rate and a mature height of 40 to 60 feet.
The balsam fir is a source of food for many forms of wildlife, including birds,
squirrels, mice, voles, moose and deer. Moose and deer and small animals also
rely on the trees for shelter from the elements. Beavers use the bark of this tree to
build dams. They are also the most popular choice for Christmas trees.
Jack Pine
The prefers full sun and is shade-intolerant. It does best with moist soil.
It is a fast growing tree with a mature height of 55 to 65 feet.
The Jack Pine is used for cover and nesting for morning doves and as a food source
for a variety of birds, squirrels and porcupines.
Norway (Red) Pine
The Norway (Red) Pine prefers full sun and is shade-intolerant. It does best with well
-drained, dry soil.
It is a slow-growing tree with a mature height of 60 to 80 feet.
It is the Minnesota state tree and popular for planting because of its resistance to disease and insects. White-tailed deer browse on saplings and young trees, rabbits feed
on seedlings and squirrels, chipmunks, mice and birds feed on the seeds.
White Pine
The White Pine prefers full sun and does best on well-drained moist soil.
It is a fast-growing tree with a mature height of 80 to 100 feet.
Songbirds eat the seeds and beaver, porcupine, white tailed deer and rabbits eat the
seeds, bark and foliage. The white pine is a favorite for the bald eagle’s nest.
White Spruce
The White Spruce prefers full sun to partial shade and tolerates most soil conditions.
It has a moderate growth rate and has a mature height of 40 to 60 feet.
Wildlife such as white-tailed deer, rabbits and grouse will eat the foliage of spruces in
winter and it provides shelter from the weather. Spruces are also used for Christmas
trees.
Tamarack
The Tamarack prefers full sun and does best in wetlands or moist soil.
It is a fast-growing tree with a mature height of 40 to 70 feet.
The Tamarack is the only conifer that loses its needles in late fall. They make a great
refuge for birds and small animals.
Nanking Cherry
The Nanking Cherry can grow in shade but blooms better in full sun. It does best in
well-drained soil and has low water needs.
It has a moderately fast growth rate and has a mature height of 6 to 8 feet.
They produce an edible fruit that are good for making jams and jellies. These berries
are popular with many birds and provide nesting. It is a preferred browse for deer,
rabbits, and other rodents.
Highbush Cranberry
The Highbush Cranberry prefers full sun to light shade and does best in moist, welldrained soil.
It is a fast-growing shrub with a mature height of 6 to 15 feet.
The fruit from cranberry trees are for jellies, sauces and juices. The cranberries are
eaten by a variety of animals such as birds, rabbits, squirrels, chipmunks, mice and
grouse. The berries stay on the shrub into the winter months providing much need-
Golden Currant
The Golden Currant prefers full sun to light shade and does best in moist, welldrained soil.
It is a moderate growth shrub with a mature height of 6 to 9 feet.
This shrub is good for erosion control and the fruit is used for jams, jellies, pies and
even ice cream. The shrub provides nesting and food for birds.
Elderberry
Photo courtesy of wikipedia.com
Photo courtesy of www.prairiemoon.com
The Elderberry prefers full to partial sun and moist well-drained soil but are tolerant to a variety of soil.
It is a fast-growing shrub that has a mature height of 5 to 12 feet.
The berries can be eaten when that are fully ripe but are mildly poisonous when
they are unripe. All green parts of the plant are poisonous. The berries are edible
after cooking and make excellent jam, jelly and wine.
The fruit is a valuable source of food for song and game birds, small animals, and
bear. Deer, elk, and moose eat the twigs and foliage. The flowers are attractive to
bees and hummingbirds.
Common Lilac
The Common Lilac prefers full sun and does best in moist, well-drained soil.
It has a moderate growth rate and reaches a mature height of 8 to 12 feet.
Lilacs are most noted for their showy, fragrant flowers. There is little value for food
or browse, but may be of value for nesting.
Nannyberry
The Nannyberry prefers full sun to partial shade and does best in a variety of soils.
It is a slow-growing shrub that reaches a mature height of 10 to 14 feet.
The Nannyberry is very good for birds. It is an excellent source of food, nesting,
perching and provides good cover. Other small animals benefit from the fruit and
coverage, as well.
The berries are good for making jams and jellies.
Harbin Pear
The Harbin Pear prefers full sun and does best in moist, well-drained soils.
It has a medium growth rate with a mature height of 15 to 30 feet.
It is commonly used for field windbreaks and riparian plantings and is the hardiest of
all pear trees.
The fruit from the pear tree can be used in jams and jellies and sweetens after a frost.
The tree provides food for birds and small mammals as well as a nesting site.
Prairie Red Plum
Prairie Red Plum is a winter hardy hybrid. Trees planted in lower areas will grow larger,
bear more fruit and the fruit will be larger in size.
It has a moderate growth rate and reaches heights up to 15 feet. It requires full sun and
is intolerant to shade. It grows best in moist soils.
Prairie Red Plum fruit can be used in jelly and their larger size deters songbirds from eating them. It provides good habitat for wildlife and as the plant matures it will form a
thicket.