| COMMON NAME | SCIENTIFIC NAME | REASON FOR COMPLAINTS |
| Bradford pear | Pyrus calleryanna | split apart and/or uproot after 10 or so years; a pest of epidemic proportions; now considered an invasive exotic; choose other trees! |
| American elm | Ulmus americana | Dutch elm disease and elm phloem necrosis are fatal; DED is controllable, but it's not cheap |
| apple | Malus spp. | see fruit trees |
| ash | Fraxinus spp. | like most plants, will have numerous pest problems if planted in wrong situation or if growing poorly |
| Austree | brittle wood; canker diseases; roots clog pipes and buckle pavement, smaller ones can be cut back to renew growth | |
| black locust | Robinia pseudoaccacia | brittle wood; insect and disease problems |
| black walnut | Juglans nigra | poisonous to many other plants; drops leaves early; nuts are objectionable, but it is really a good tree |
| catalpa | Catalpa speciosa | brittle wood, seeds everywhere, catalpa sphinx caterpillar defoliates it periodically |
| cherry | Prunus spp. | see fruit trees |
| crabapple | Malus spp. | see fruit trees |
| deodar cedar | Cedrus deodara | sudden cold weather has killed almost all in this region twice in the last 60 years |
| empress tree | Paulownia tomentosa | an exotic invasive; pretty flowers become millions of seeds; however, the wood can be quite valuable |
| dogwood | Cornus florida | sad to say this tree must now be added to the list because of Discula anthracnose |
| fir, Fraser & balsam | Abies spp. | trees for cooler climates; lose attractiveness after a few years east of the Blue Ridge |
| fir, Douglas | Pseudotsuga menziesii | |
| fruit trees |
Prunus spp., Malus spp., Pyrus spp. |
short lived and subject to numerous pest problems; require diligent care at every stage of growth; not for the lazy gardener! Be sure to select resistant cultivars. |
| hawthorn | Crataegus spp. | numerous pests; thorns; flowers smell bad |
| hemlock | Tsuga spp. | need shelter from wind and hot sun plus good soil and water to get off to a good start; woolly adelges will require treatment regularly |
| honeylocust | Gleditsia triacanthos | plant thornless and seedless cultivars if you must have this tree; several insect and disease problems |
| maple, sugar, Norway, silver |
Acer saccharum and Acer platanoides and Acer saccharinum |
sugar maple needs cool, moist environment; a few cultivars are reputedly tolerant of adverse site conditions. Norway maple is an exotic invasive; surface roots and dense shade prevent grass growth nearby; brittle wood; girdling roots; "Crimson King" and other cultivars may be acceptable; silver maple has surface roots, buckles sidewalks and pavement; is poisonous to turfgrass; tends to become hollow and hazardous with age |
| mimosa | Albizia julibrissin | dies of Fusarium wilt at a young age; seeds everywhere in the meantime |
| mulberry | Morus alba and Morus rubra | numerous pests; M. alba is an exotic invasive; both have undesirable traits such as fruiting habits, brittle wood; excellent firewood however |
| mountain ash | Sorbus spp. | requires cool climate |
| peach | Prunus spp. | see fruit trees |
| pear | Pyrus spp. | see fruit trees |
| pin oak | Quercus palustris | good when sited properly; requires acid soil and moisture; lower branches droop; many pests occur when not vigorous |
| poplars (e.g., hybrid poplar, cottonwood, Lombardy poplar) | Populus spp. | brittle wood; surface roots; susceptible to cankers that disfigure and kill them early in life; most truly are pests to be avoided; cottonwood flowers cause allergic reactions for some people |
| Siberian elm | Ulmus pumila | brittle wood; seeds, suckers, and elm leaf beetle make it a nuisance |
| spruces, Alberta, blue, white, red, and black | Picea spp. | trees for cooler climates; lose attractiveness after a few years east of the Blue Ridge; look out for mites |
| sycamore | Platanus occidentalis | brittle wood; surface roots; messy leaves, seeds, twigs; anthracnose defoliates native species annually; London planetree is a good tree in the right place |
| tree of heaven | Ailanthus altissima | weed tree that sprouts up everywhere; has a disagreeable odor; outlawed in some cities |
| white pine | Pinus strobus | short lived east of the Blue Ridge; intolerant of disturbed soil, wet sites, drouth, compacted soil, crowding, air pollution, road salt |
| white-bark birches | Betula papyrifera | does not thrive where mean July temperature is above 70 degrees F; bronze birch borer finishes it off; river birch is the only reliable birch here |
| willows (& "Austree") | Salix spp. | brittle wood; canker diseases; roots clog pipes and buckle pavement, smaller ones can be cut back to renew growth |
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