Ash Tree Alternatives

Ash trees were an important street and shade tree for many years. They were tough native trees that stood up to a variety of conditions with relatively few problems. Unfortunately, the introduction of Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) from China about 20 years ago changed all that.

Any ash in southeastern Wisconsin that has not been treated to protect it from EAB is likely infested at this point and probably not a good candidate for treatment. So if you have an ash tree that needs to be replaced, or even if you want a new tree, what do you do?

A broad tree diversity helps guard against large scale devastation by pests and diseases. Such devastation is happening with EAB and has happened previously with Dutch Elm disease and other outbreaks.

By planting a mix of diverse trees, you also add more interest, color and wildlife habitat to the landscape. Consider some of the following trees and their cultivars

Acer miyabei: Miyabe maple
Acer hybrids: cross of Shantung (Acer Truncatum) and Norway (Acer platanoides) maples; good alternative to larger trees for smaller spaces.

• Cultivars to consider: ‘RUBY SUNSET®, ‘CRIMSON SUNSET®, ‘URBAN SUNSET®, ‘NORWEGIAN SUNSET’, ‘PACIFIC SUNSET®

Celtis occidentalis: common hackberry

• Cultivars to consider: ‘Chicagoland’, ‘PRAIRIE SENTINEL®, ‘Windy City’Cultivars to consider: ‘Autumn Gold”, ‘GOLDEN COLONNADE®, ‘Magyar’, ‘PRINCETON SENTRY®, ‘PRESIDENTIAL GOLD®

Corylus colurna: Turkish hazelnut, Turkish filbert

Ginkgo biloba: ginkgo (male cultivars only)

• Cultivars to consider: ‘Autumn Gold”, ‘GOLDEN COLONNADE®, ‘Magyar’, ‘PRINCETON SENTRY®, ‘PRESIDENTIAL GOLD®

Gleditsia triacanthos f. inermis: thornless honeylocust, native

• Cultivars to consider: ‘STREET KEEPER®, ‘NORTHER, ACCLAIM®, ‘SKYLINE®

Gymnocladus dioicus: Kentucky coffeetree (male cultivars only)

• Cultivars to consider: ‘Espresso’, ‘PRAIRIE TITAN™

Phellodendron amurense (male cultivars only) Amur corktree

• Cultivars to consider: ‘Longenecker’ EYESTOPPER™

Platanus x acerifolia ‘Morton Circle’: EXCLAMATION!® London planetree
Quercus bicolor

• Cultivars to consider: ‘AMERICAN DREAM®, ‘BEACON®

Quercus x bimundorum: hybrid oak of Quercus robur x Quercus alba

• Cultivars to consider: ‘CRIMSON SPIRE, ‘PRAIRIE STATURE™, ‘FOREST KNIGHT®, ‘SKINNY GENES®, ‘STREETSPIRE®

Quercus x macdenielli ‘Clemon’s’: HERITAGE® oak hybrid of Q. robur x Q. macrocarpa
Quercus macrocarpa: bur oak

• Cultivars to consider :‘COBBLESTONE®, ‘URBAN PINNACLE®

Quercus montana (formerly Q. prinus): chestnut oak
Quercus muehlenbergii: chinkapin oak
Quercus x schuettei: swamp bur oak, hybrid of Q. bicolor x Q. macrocarpa 
Quercus x warei: hybrid oak of Quercus robur ‘Fastigiata’ and Quercus bicolor

• Cultivars to consider: ‘REGAL PRINCE®, ‘KINDRED SPIRIT®

Taxodium distichum: baldcypress ‘SHAWNEE BRAVE®’
Tilia americana: American linden, basswood ‘AMERICAN SENTRY’
Tilia x flavescens ‘Glenleven’: Glenleven linden, hybrid of T. americana x T. cordata
Tilia ‘Redmond’: Redmond linden, hybrid of T. americana x T.euchlora
Ulmus americana: American elm (DED resistant cultivars)

• Cultivars to consider: ‘New Harmony’, ‘Jefferson’, ‘PRAIRIE EXPEDITION®’ , ‘Princeton’, ‘Valley Forge’

Ulmus davidiana var. japonica: Japanese elm, below cultivars previously listed under U. japonica, U. propinqua, and U. wilsoniana;

• Cultivars to consider: ‘Prospector’

Ulmus hybrids: complex hybrids of Asian and European elms, not American elm

• Cultivars to consider: ‘Frontier’, ‘ACCOLADE™, ‘Morton Glossy’ (TRIUMPH™, ‘Patriot’

As you can note from the above reference list, a numerous list of diverse tree species grow well in our SE Wisconsin landscapes. The “silver lining” of the introduction of EAB is the opportunity to plant new trees previously not considered. The Certified Arborists at Wachtel Tree Science are knowledgeable in assessing your property to determine which trees are best suited for your landscape. Contact us today to assist with all your tree planting needs!

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