A list of tree species, grouped generally by biogeographic realm and specifically by bioregions , and shade tolerance . Shade-tolerant species are species that are able to thrive in the shade , and in the presence of natural competition by other plants. Shade-intolerant species require full sunlight and little or no competition. Intermediate shade-tolerant trees fall somewhere in between the two.
Eastern North America
Shade tolerant
Abies balsamea , Balsam Fir
Acer negundo , Boxelder
Acer saccharum , Sugar Maple
Aesculus spp. , Buckeyes
Carpinus caroliniana , American Hornbeam
Carya laciniosa , Shellbark Hickory[1]
Chamaecyparis thyoides , Atlantic White Cypress or Atlantic White Cedar
Cornus florida , Flowering Dogwood
Diospyros spp. , Persimmon
Fagus grandifolia , American Beech
Ilex opaca , American Holly
Magnolia grandiflora , Southern Magnolia
Morus rubra , Red Mulberry
Nyssa spp. , Tupelos
Ostrya virginiana , Eastern Hophornbeam
Picea glauca , White Spruce
Picea mariana , Black Spruce
Picea rubens , Red Spruce
Tilia americana , Basswood
Thuja occidentalis , Northern White Cedar
Tsuga canadensis , Eastern Hemlock Intermediate shade tolerant
Acer rubrum , Red Maple [2]
Acer saccharinum , Silver Maple
Betula alleghaniensis , Yellow Birch
Betula lenta , Sweet Birch
Carya spp. , Hickories (except for Shellbark)
Castanea dentata , American Chestnut
Celtis occidentalis , Hackberry
Fraxinus americana , White Ash
Fraxinus pennsylvanica , Green Ash
Fraxinus nigra , Black Ash
Magnolia spp. , Magnolias
Quercus alba , White Oak
Quercus macrocarpa , Bur Oak
Quercus nigra , Water Oak
Quercus rubra , Northern Red Oak
Pinus elliottii , Slash Pine
Pinus strobus , Eastern White Pine
Taxodium distichum , Bald Cypress
Ulmus americana , American Elm
Ulmus thomasii , Rock Elm Shade intolerant
Betula papyrifera , Paper Birch
Betula populifolia , Gray Birch
Catalpa spp. , Catalpas
Carya illinoinensis , Pecan
Gymnocladus dioicus , Kentucky Coffee Tree
Juglans cinerea , Butternut
Juglans nigra , Black Walnut
Juniperus virginiana , Eastern Red Cedar
Larix laricina , Tamarack
Liriodendron tulipifera , Yellow poplar
Maclura pomifera , Osage Orange
Pinus banksiana , Jack Pine
Pinus echinata , Shortleaf Pine
Pinus palustris , Longleaf Pine
Pinus resinosa , Red Pine
Pinus rigida , Pitch Pine
Pinus taeda , Loblolly pine
Pinus virginiana , Virginia Pine
Platanus occidentalis , Sycamore
Populus deltoides , Eastern Cottonwood
Populus grandidentata , Big-Tooth Aspen
Populus tremuloides , Quaking Aspen
Prunus pensylvanica , Pin Cherry
Prunus serotina , Black Cherry
Robinia pseudoacacia , Black Locust
Salix spp. , Willows
Sassafras spp. , Sassafras
Western North America
Shade tolerant
Abies amabilis , Pacific Silver Fir
Abies concolor , White Fir
Abies grandis , Grand Fir
Abies lasiocarpa , Alpine Fir
Acer circinatum , Vine Maple
Acer macrophyllum , Big-leaf Maple
Arbutus arizonica , Arizona Madrone
Arbutus menziesii , Pacific Madrone
Arbutus xalapensis , Texas Madrone
Cupressus nootkatensis , Nootka Cypress
Calocedrus decurrens , California Incense-cedar
Notholithocarpus densiflorus , Tan Oak
Picea engelmannii , Engelmann Spruce
Picea sitchensis , Sitka Spruce
Quercus chrysolepis , Canyon Live Oak
Sebastiania pavoniana , Mexican jumping bean[3]
Sequoia sempervirens , Coast Redwood
Sequoiadendron giganteum , Giant Sequoia
Taxus brevifolia , Pacific Yew
Thuja plicata Western Red Cedar
Torreya californica , California Torreya
Tsuga heterophylla , Western Hemlock
Tsuga mertensiana , Mountain Hemlock
Umbellularia californica , California Laurel Intermediate shade tolerant
Abies magnifica , Red Fir
Alnus rubra , Red Alder
Cercis canadensis , Texas Redbud
Chrysolepis spp. , Golden Chinquapin
Fraxinus latifolia , Oregon Ash
Juniperus ashei , Ashe Juniper
Picea pungens , Colorado Blue spruce
Prunus mexicana , Mexican Plum
Pinus lambertiana , Sugar Pine
Pinus monticola Western White Pine
Pinus radiata , Monterey Pine
Pseudotsuga spp. , Douglas-fir
Quercus garryana , Oregon White Oak
Quercus lobata , valley oak Shade intolerant
Abies procera , Noble Fir
Juniperus californica , California Juniper
Juniperus deppeana , Alligator Juniper
Juniperus monosperma , One-seed Juniper
Juniperus occidentalis , Western Juniper
Juniperus osteosperma , Utah Juniper
Juniperus scopulorum , Rocky Mountain Juniper
Larix lyallii , Alpine Larch
Larix occidentalis , Western Larch
Pinus albicaulis , Whitebark Pine
Pinus aristata , Rocky Mountains Bristlecone Pine
Pinus attenuata , Knobcone Pine
Pinus balfouriana , Foxtail Pine
Pinus contorta , Lodgepole Pine
Pinus coulteri , Coulter Pine
Pinus flexilis , Limber Pine
Pinus jeffreyi , Jeffrey Pine
Pinus longaeva , Great Basin Bristlecone Pine
Pinus muricata , Bishop Pine
Pinus ponderosa , Ponderosa Pine
Pinus sabineana , Gray Pine
Pinus Ducampopinus spp. , Piñon Pines
Populus fremontii , Fremont Cottonwood
Populus tremuloides , Quaking aspen
Shade tolerant
Abies alba , European Silver Fir, especially shade tolerant[4]
Acer platanoides , Norway Maple
Acer pseudoplatanus , Sycamore Maple
Carpinus betulus , European Hornbeam
Fagus sylvatica , European Beech, especially shade tolerant[4]
Ilex aquifolium , European Holly
Ostrya carpinifolia , European Hop-Hornbeam
Prunus avium , Wild Cherry
Sorbus domestica , True Service Tree
Sorbus torminalis , Wild Service Tree
Taxus baccata , European Yew, especially shade tolerant[4]
Ulmus glabra , Wych Elm
Ulmus laevis , European White Elm Intermediate shade tolerant
Acer campestre , Field Maple
Acer monspessulanum , Montpellier Maple
Acer opalus , Italian Maple
Alnus glutinosa , Black Alder
Alnus incana , Grey Alder
Castanea sativa , Sweet Chestnut
Fraxinus excelsior , European Ash
Fraxinus ornus , Manna Ash
Juglans regia , Common Walnut
Mespilus germanica , Common Medlar
Picea abies , Norway Spruce
Pinus cembra , Swiss Pine
Prunus padus , Bird Cherry
Pyrus pyraster , European Wild Pear
Quercus cerris , Turkey Oak
Quercus petraea , Sessile Oak
Sorbus aria , Whitebeam
Sorbus aucuparia , European Rowan
Sorbus intermedia , Swedish Whitebeam
Tilia cordata , Small-leafed Linden
Tilia platyphyllos , Large-leafed Linden[5]
Ulmus minor , Field Elm Shade intolerant
Betula pendula , Silver Birch, especially high light requirement
Betula pubescens , Downy Birch
Juniperus communis , Common Juniper
Larix decidua , European Larch, especially high light requirement
Malus sylvestris , European Crab Apple
Pinus mugo , Mountain Pine
Pinus nigra , European Black Pine
Pinus sylvestris , Scots Pine
Populus alba , Silver Poplar
Populus nigra , Black Poplar
Populus tremula , Aspen
Quercus pubescens , Downy Oak
Quercus robur , Pedunculate Oak
Salix alba , White Willow
Salix caprea , Goat Willow
Salix fragilis , Crack Willow