Large Trees
Large trees for the Houston Area (NOT recommended for planting near or under power lines).
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Benefits | Comments |
| Red maple | Acer rubrum | Spring & fall color | Rapid growth; Drummond is an excellent variety |
| River birch | Beula nigra | Showy, salmon colored bark; fall color | Rapid growth; prefers moist soils |
| Pecan | Carya illinoensis | Edible fruit; wildlife; long-lived | Texas state tree; native is best shade tree, while varieties produce larger pecans |
| Green ash | Fraxinus pennsylvanica | Fall color | Tolerates a wide range of conditions; rapid growth |
| Chinese pistache | Pistacia chinensis | Fall color | Tolerates a wide range of conditions; drought tolerant |
| American holly | Illex opaca | Females with red berries; wildlife | Evergreen; prefers moist, acidic soils; several varieties & hybrids available |
| Sweetgum | Liuidambar styraciflua | Fall color | Rapid, upright growth; prefers moist soils |
| Loblolly pine | Pinus taeda | Wildlife | Evergreen; rapid, upright growth, prefers acidic soils |
| Live oak | Quercus virginiana | Wildlife, long-lived | Semi-evergreen; spreading branch habit; dense shade; drought tolerant |
| Bur oak | Quercus macrocarpa | Wildlife, long-lived | Drought tolerant; prefers well-drained soils; unusually large acorns |
| White oak | Quercus alba | Fall color; wildlife; long-lived | Prefers well-drained soils |
| Shumard oak | Quercus shumardii | Fall color, wildlife | Prefers acidic to mildly alkaline, well-drained soils |
| Water oak | Quercus nigra | Wildlife | Rapid growth; tolerates poor drainage |
| Overcup oak | Quercus lyrata | Wildlife | Tolerates poor drainage |
| Bald Cypress | Taxodium distichum | Fall color, long-lived | Tolerates a wide range of conditions, including poor drainage |
| Cedar elm | Ulmus crassifolia | Fall color | Tolerates a wide range of conditions; drought tolerant |
| Chinese elm | Ulmus parvifolia | Fall color, unique bark | Rapid growth |
| American elm | Ulmus americana | Fall color | Rapid growth; distinctive vase shape; tolerates a wide range of conditions |
| Black walnut | Juglans nigra | Edible fruit; wildlife | Requires well-drained soils |
| Eastern redcedar | Juniperus virginiana | Good screen/windbreak; wildlife | Evergreen; drought tolerant |
| Southern magnolia | Magnolia grandiflora | Showy, fragrant flowers | Evergreen; dense shade; varieties available; avoid hot dry locations |