Great Small Trees for Houston

To celebrate The Garden Club of America's Centennial in 2013, The Garden Club of Houston has created a list of great small trees for Houston. The trees were selected based on three criteria: 1) native to our area and likely to thrive with little maintenance, 2) exceptional beauty and the widest possible range of seasonal interest, and 3) habitat benefits, particularly for birds.


Scientific Name Common Name Duration Habit Sun Water
Acer leucoderme Chalk maple Perennial Tree Part-shade Dry
Carpinus caroliniana American hornbeam, Blue beech, Musclewood, Ironwood Perennial Tree Shade, Part-shade Moist
Cercis canadensis Eastern redbud, Redbud Perennial Tree Shade, Part-shade Moist
Chionanthus virginicus White fringetree, Fringe tree, Grancy Graybeard Perennial Tree Part-shade Moist
Cordia boissieri Mexican olive, Anacahuita, Texas wild olive, Anacahuite Perennial Shrub, Tree Sun, Part-shade Moist, Dry
Crataegus marshallii Parsley hawthorn Perennial Tree Part-shade Dry
Halesia diptera Two-wing silverbell, Silver bell, Two-winged silverbell, Snowdrop tree, American snowdrop tree Perennial Shrub, Tree Part-shade Dry
Ilex decidua Possumhaw, Possumhaw Holly, Deciduous Holly, Winterberry, Deciduous yaupon Perennial Shrub Sun, Part-shade Moist
Ilex opaca American holly, Christmas holly Perennial Tree Sun, Shade, Part-shade Wet, Dry
Ilex vomitoria Yaupon, Yaupon holly, Cassina Perennial Shrub, Tree Sun, Shade, Part-shade Moist, Dry
Magnolia virginiana Sweetbay, Sweetbay magnolia, Swampbay, Swamp magnolia, Small magnolia Perennial Tree Part-shade Moist
Morella cerifera Wax myrtle, Southern bayberry, Candleberry Perennial Shrub Sun, Part-shade Wet, Moist
Prunus mexicana Mexican plum, Bigtree plum Perennial Tree Sun, Part-shade Moist, Dry
Viburnum rufidulum Rusty blackhaw viburnum, Rusty blackhaw, Southern blackhaw, Downy viburnum Perennial Tree Part-shade Dry