Salem, Oregon
Home MenuContact
Public Works Department
555 Liberty St. SE
Room 325
Salem, OR 97301
503-588-6211
developmentservices@cityofsalem.net
Hours
Monday – Friday
8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Select and Plant a Street Tree
Types of Street Trees Planting Areas
When streets are lined with trees, the trees benefit the whole community. However, not every tree fits in every location. Some trees have characteristics that are inappropriate in a street setting, and every tree needs specific growing conditions under which it can thrive.
Planting Guidelines
-
Salem's Urban Forester recommends trees be approximately 1-1.5 inch caliper at the
time of planting to facilitate more successful tree establishment. -
Root flare shall be exposed to facilitate removal of any girdling or circling roots and
shall be slightly above grade when planting. Planting too deep is the most common
mistake made when planting new trees. -
Holes shall be no deeper than the root ball, but at least 2 to 3 times the root ball width
to encourage lateral rooting. -
Excess soil shall be used to create a 3 inch continuous circular berm (ring shaped)
around the perimeter of the hole to contain and funnel water to the root zone. -
Trees shall be watered adequately at time of planting to collapse any air pockets in
the planting hole. -
Mulching is necessary to retain soil moisture, provide organic material and prevent
weeds. Mulch shall be approximately 3 inches in depth, not contacting the trunk and
extend to the drip line of the tree. -
Nursery stakes shall be removed at the time of planting to prevent trunk girdling. If
supplemental staking is needed to keep the tree upright after planting, make sure to
do so in a manner that allows the tree to move slightly. Some flex in the trunk will
allow the tree to add trunk diameter to support and strengthen itself. -
Establishment period for trees is typically three years and requires approximately 15 gallons of water per week during summer months. Watering needs are species and soil specific. Monitoring soil moisture is important to avoid over or underwatering.
-
Refer to ANSI A300 for planting standards and ANSI Z60.1 for nursery stock standards.
-
Street tree planting distances shall be followed unless otherwise approved by the Urban Forester.
Tree Species You Can Put in Planter Strips Along Streets
This list is intended to help you select the right tree for the right location. For each species, the list will provide guidance on the recommended planting area width and compatibility with overhead wires.
Use this list to narrow down tree choices for your planting location and contact the Urban Forester at Public Works to request a site evaluation. A City of Salem staff member will visit your site, speak with you, and determine final approval of street tree choices.
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Planting Strip Width | Overhead Power |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accolade Elm | Ulmus japonica x wilsoniana 'Morton' | Must be at least 6" wide | No |
| Allee Chinese Elm | Ulmus parvifolia emer II | 6 ft. to 8 ft. or wider | No |
| American Beech | Fagus grandiflora | Must be at least 8 ft. wide | No |
| American Hophornbeam | Ostyra virginiana 'Autumn Treasure' | Must be at least 6 ft. wide | No |
| American yellowwood | Cladrastis kentukea | Must be at least 6 ft. wide | Yes |
| Amur Maackia | Maackia amurensis | Must be at least 8 ft. wide | Yes |
| Autumn Gold Gingko | Ginkgo biloba 'Autumn Gold' | Must be at least 6 ft. wide | No |
| Bamboo-leaf Oak | Quercus myrsinifolia | Must be at least 6 ft. wide | Yes |
| Beacon Oak | Quercus bicolor 'Beacon' | Must be at least 6 ft. wide | No |
| Big Leaf Maple | Acer macrophyllum | 10 ft. | No |
| Black Tupelo/Blackgum | Nyssa sylvatica | Must be at least 6 ft. wide | No |
| Bloodgood London Planetree | Platanus x acerifolia 'Bloodgood' | Must be at least 8 ft. wide | No |
| Blue Oak | Quercus douglasii | Must be at least 6 ft. wide | No |
| Canada Red Chokecherry | Prunus virginiana 'Canada Red' | Must be at least 4 ft. wide | Yes |
| Canyon Live Oak | Quercus chrysolepis | Must be at least 6 ft. wide | No |
| Cascara | Rhamnus purshiana (Frangula purshiana) | Must be at least 6 ft. wide | Yes |
| Chinese Elm | Ulmus parvifolia | Must be at least 6 ft. wide | No |
| Chinquapin Oak | Quercus muehlenbergii | Must be at least 6 ft. wide | No |
| City Sprite Zelkova | Zelkova serrata 'JFS-KW1' P.P. #20996 | Must be at least 4 ft. wide | Yes |
| Corinthian Littleleaf Linden | Tilia cordata 'Corinthian' | Must be at least 4 ft. wide | No |
| Cork Oak | Quercus suber | Must be at least 8 ft. wide | No |
| Corneliancherry Dogwood | Cornus mas 'Saffron Sentinel' | Must be at least 4 ft. wide | Yes |
| Crimean Linden | Tilia x euchlora | Must be at least 8 ft. wide | No |
| Dawn Redwood | Metasequoia glyptostroboides | Must be at least 8 ft. wide | No |
| Dawyck Purple Beech | Fagus sylvatica 'Dawyck Purple' | 4 ft. to 7.5 ft. | No |
| Dura Heat River Birch | Betula nigra 'Dura Heat' | Must be at least 6 ft. wide | No |
| Eastern Redbud | Cercis canadensis | Must be at least 8 ft. wide | Yes |
| Edith Bogue Southern Magnolia | Magnolia grandiflora 'Edith Bogue' | Must be at least 6 ft. wide | No |
| Emerald Avenue Hornbeam | Carpinus betulus 'Emerald Avenue' | Must be at least 6 ft. wide | No |
| Emerald City Tulip Poplar | Liriodendron tulipifera 'Emerald City' | Must be at least 6 ft. wide | No |
| Emerald Sunshine Elm | Ulmus propinqua 'JFS-Bieberich' | Must be at least 6 ft. wide | No |
| Espresso Kentucky Coffee Tree | Gymnocladus dioicus 'Espresso' | Must be at least 6 ft. wide | No |
| European Beech | Fagus sylvatica | 6 ft. to 8 ft. or wider | No |
| Eye Stopper Amur Corktree | Phellodendron amurense 'Eye Stopper' | Must be at least 8 ft. wide | Yes |
| Fastigiata Goldenrain Tree | Koelreuteria paniculata 'Fastigiata" | Must be at least 4 ft. wide | Yes |
| Firestarter Black Tupelo/Blackgum | Nyssa sylvatica 'Firestarter' | Must be at least 6 ft. wide | No |
| Forest Green Oak | Quercus frainetto 'Schmidt' | Must be at least 6 ft. wide | No |
| Frans Fontaine Hornbeam | Carpinus betulus 'Frans Fontaine' | Must be at least 6 ft. wide | No |
| Gingko (males only) | Ginkgo biloba | Must be at least 6 ft. wide | No |
| Golden Colonnade Gingko | Ginkgo biloba 'Golden Colonnade' | Must be at least 6 ft. wide | No |
| Goldenrain Tree | Koelreuteria paniculata | Must be at least 8ft. wide | Yes |
| Green Gable Tupelo | Nyssa sylvatica 'Green Gable' | Must be at least 6 ft. wide | No |
| Green Vase Zelkova | Zelkova serrata 'Green Vase' P.P. #5080 | 6 ft. to 8 ft. or wider | No |
| Green Whisper Baldcypress | Taxodium distichum 'Green Whisper' | Must be at least 8 ft. wide | No |
| Greenspire Littleleaf Linden | Tilia codata 'Greenspire' | 6 ft. to 8 ft. or wider | No |
| Hackberry | Celtis occidentalis | Must be at least 6 ft. wide | No |
| Halka Honeylocust | Gleditsia tricanthos var inermis 'Halka' | Must be at least 6 ft. wide | No |
| Halka Zelkova | Zelkova serrata | 6 ft. to 8 ft. or wider | No |
| Hardy Rubber-Tree | Eucommia ulmoides | Must be at least 8 ft. wide | No |
| Harvest Gold Littleleaf Linden | Tilia cordata 'Harvest Gold' | Must be at least 6 ft. wide | No |
| Hedge Maple | Acer campestre | 6 ft. to 8 ft. or wider | Yes |
| Holly Oak | Quercus ilex | Must be at least 6 ft. wide | No |
| Incense Cedar | Calocedrus decurrens | Must be at least 8 ft. wide | No |
| Interior Live Oak | Quercus wislizeni | Must be at least 6 ft. wide | No |
| Jade Prince Dawn Redwood | Metasequoia glyptostroboides 'Jade Prince' | Must be at least 8 ft. wide | No |
| Japanese pagoda tree | Sophora japonica (Styphnolobium) | Must be at least 6 ft. wide | No |
| Japanese tree lilac 'Ivory Silk' | Syringa reticulata 'Ivory Silk' | Must be at least 4 ft. wide | Yes |
| Jim Wilson Sweetbay magnolia | Magnolia virginiana 'Jim Wilson' | Must be at least 4 ft. wide | Yes |
| Kwanzan Flowering Cherry | Prunus serrulata 'Kwanzan' | 6 ft. to 8 ft. or wider | Yes |
| Live Oak | Quercus virginiana | Must be at least 8 ft. wide | No |
| Magyar Gingko | Ginkgo biloba 'Magyar'' | Must be at least 6 ft. wide | No |
| Musashino Columnar Zelkova | Zelkova serrata 'Musashino' | Must be at least 6 ft. wide | No |
| Native Flame American Hornbeam | Carpinus caroliniana 'Native Flame' | Must be at least 6 ft. wide | Yes |
| New Harmony Elm | Ulmus americana 'New Harmony' | Must be at least 8 ft. wide | No |
| Nuttall Oak | Quercus nuttallii | Must be at least 8 ft. wide | No |
| Okame Cherry | Prunus 'Okame' | Must be at least 4 ft. wide | Yes |
| Oregon Myrtle | Umbellularia californica | Must be at least 6 ft. wide | No |
| Oregon White Oak, Garry Oak | Quercus garryana | Must be at least 8 ft. wide | No |
| Pacific Madrone | Arbutus menziesii | Must be at least 8 ft. wide | Yes |
| Paperbark Maple | Acer griseum | Must be at least 4 ft. wide | Yes |
| Persian Parrotia | Parrotia persica | Must be at least 8 ft. wide | Yes |
| Ponderosa Pine | Pinus ponderosa (Willamette Valley) | Must be at least 10 ft. wide | No |
| Presidential Gold Gingko | Ginkgo biloba 'Presidential Gold' | Must be at least 6 ft. wide | No |
| Princeton Elm | Ulmus americana 'Princeton' | Must be at least 8ft. wide | No |
| Princeton Sentry Gingko | Ginkgo biloba 'Princeton Sentry' | Must be at least 6 ft. wide | No |
| Red Oak, Northern Red Oak | Quercus rubra | 6 ft. to 8 ft. or wider | No |
| Red Rage Black Tupelo/Blackgum | Nyssa sylvatica 'Red Rage' | Must be at least 6 ft. wide | No |
| Redmond Linden | Tilia americana 'Redmond' | Must be at least 6 ft. wide | No |
| Rising Fire American Hornbeam | Carpinus caroliniana 'Rising Fire' | Must be at least 4 ft. wide | Yes |
| Rotundiloba Seedless Sweetgum | Liquidambar styraciflua 'Rotundiloba' | Must be at least 6 ft. wide | No |
| Rugged Charm Maple | Acer tataricum 'JFS-KW2' | Must be at least 4 ft. wide | Yes |
| Scarlet Oak | Quercus coccinea | Must be at least 8 ft. wide | No |
| Shawnee Brave Baldcypress | Taxodium distichum 'Shawnee Brave' | Must be at least 8 ft. wide | No |
| Shumard Oak, Swamp Red Oak | Quercus shumardii | 8 ft. to 8 ft. or wider | No |
| Silverleaf Oak | Quercus hypoleucoides | Must be at least 6 ft. wide | Yes |
| Skinny Latte Kentucky Coffee Tree | Gymnocladus dioicus 'Skinny Latte' | No | |
| Snowcloud Serviceberry | Amelanchier laevis 'Snowcloud' | Must be at least 4 ft. wide | Yes |
| Sourwood | Oxydendrum arboreum | Must be at least 6 ft. wide | Yes |
| Starburst Amur Maackia | Maackia amurensis 'Starburst' P.P. #10557 | Must be at least 6 ft. wide | Yes |
| State Street Maple | Acer miyabei “Morton” | 6 ft. to 8 ft. or wider | No |
| Sterling Silver Linden | Tilia tomentosa 'Sterling' | Must be at least 8 ft. wide | No |
| Swamp White Oak | Quercus bicolor | 8 ft. to 8 ft. or wider | No |
| Sycamore Maple, Planetree Maple | Acer pseudoplatanus | 6 ft. to 8 ft. or wider | No |
| Thundercloud Plum | Acer pseudoplatanus | 6 ft. to 8 ft. or wider | Yes |
| Toba Hawthorn | Crataegus x mordenensis 'Toba' | Must be at least 4 ft. wide | Yes |
| Trident Maple | Acer buergerianum | Must be at least 6 ft. wide | Yes |
| Triumph Elm | Ulmus 'Morton Glossy' | Must be at least 6 ft. wide | No |
| Turkish filbert | Corylus colurna | Must be at least 6 ft. wide | No |
| Upright English Oak | Quercus robur 'Fastigiata" | Must be at least 4 ft. wide | No |
| Upright European Hornbeam | Carpinus betulus 'Fastigiata' | Must be at least 6 ft. wide | No |
| Valley Forge Elm | Ulmus americana 'Valley Forge' | Must be at least 8 ft. wide | No |
| Vanderwolf's Pyramid Pine Pinus flexilis |
Pinus flexilis 'Vanderwolfs Pyramid' | Must be at least 6 ft. wide | Yes |
| Vanessa Persian Parrotia | Parrotia persica 'Vanessa' | Must be at least 4 ft. wide | Yes |
| Village Green Zelkova | Zelkova serrata 'Village Green' | Must be at least 8 ft. wide | No |
| Western Sun Chinese Pistache | Pistachia chinensis 'Western Sun' | Must be at least 6 ft. wide | Yes |
| White Shield Osage Orange | Maclura pomifera var. inermis (male) | Must be at least 6 ft. wide | No |
| Wildfire Black Tupelo/Blackgum | Nyssa sylvatica 'Wildfire' | Must be at least 6 ft. wide | No |
| Willow Oak | Quercus phellos | Must be at least 8 ft. wide | No |
| Wireless Zelkova | Zelkova serrata 'Schmidtlow' | Must be at least 6 ft. wide | Yes |
| Yoshino cherry | Prunus x yedoensis | Must be at least 4 ft. wide | Yes |