When most of us think about trees, we tend to focus on the external benefits that delight us: red maples ablaze in fall, the pink haze of spring cherry blossoms or the ripe bounty of an Italian plum tree.

Yet trees do much more for us and the environment, from increasing property values and lowering energy bills to cleaning the air and boosting our health. From a community perspective, shaded sidewalks feel safer from traffic and are more inviting, which makes residents more likely to frequent their own neighborhoods. In fact, the city of Seattle’s goal is to achieve 30% canopy cover by 2037 (it was at 28% in 2016).

Because winter rains help establish a tree’s roots, fall is the perfect time for adding a tree to your property. If you’re ready to plant one (or two), remember that they can be expensive to remove. You’ll want to choose your tree and its location wisely. 

Here are some tips for selecting the tree that’s right for you and your yard. 

How big will it get?

Lisa Bauer, the owner of Seattle-based Chartreuse Landscape Design, says the first step in selecting a tree is evaluating the space you have in three dimensions to forecast the tree’s ultimate height and width. She recommends using a measuring tape to mark its estimated drip line (the widest tips of future branches) to gain some perspective. Note the proximity of existing power lines, because the city will cut any encroaching branches.

While shopping, consider the sizes given on nursery plant tags as estimates. Trees tend to grow rapidly to their “mature height,” but will continue to grow forever, just at a slower rate. When it comes to conifers, for example, the height and width given are usually the 10-year estimates — that pine may double in size after that, Bauer says.

“Also, remember the word ‘dwarf’ is relative,” she says. It means that relative to a given wild species, the plant is more compact — but it could still dwarf your house.

Bauer says it helps to know the plant’s rate of growth, too. She says 1 foot or less per year is considered “slow growing.” Can you transplant or prune your sapling before it outgrows its pot or reaches the power lines? Not all plants take well to pruning, so pre-planting research saves a lot of money and work. 

Location, location, location

As with all gardening, “right plant, right place” is the best way to ensure that new trees thrive. 

Observation is key when determining the conditions of your planting site. Is it at the bottom of a hill, creating a “frost pocket” where winter winds can linger and water tends to gather? If so, you’ll want an especially cold-hardy tree that can stand having its roots wet during the winter. Or is it on the hillside, baked by sun, with sandy soil that sends water and nutrients flowing down? Look for a drought-tolerant tree that prefers a less-fertilized life.

“Most trees like good drainage [in the soil], especially conifers,” Bauer says. One outlier she favors is American native Chionanthus virginicus, which likes to be planted with “wet feet” in partial sun. It also has beautiful lacy blooms and an open rounded habit.

Bauer suggests robinias, palm trees and conifers for your yard’s sunniest spots, while stewartias, Japanese maples and many dogwoods are among her favorites for locations with partial sun or eastern exposure.

Job requirements

Keep in mind what you’d like your new tree to accomplish, Bauer recommends. In urban spaces, where there may not be room for multiple trees, it is especially important that trees fulfill a number of jobs.

For example, she says, “You can plant a tree for shade, as a street tree, for screening and privacy, for beauty or a focal point, food production, for a certain season or seasons of interest, or for attracting wildlife and pollinators.” 

Many of Bauer’s clients are seeking increased privacy and shade. Some trees, like Styrax obassia, weave an opaque shade, while Robina pseudoacacia ‘Twisty Baby’ or Acer palmatum ‘Hubb’s Red Willow’ offer delicate screening.

“‘Hubb’s Red Willow’ is like a sheer curtain,” she says. “Great for a front window that you still want to see through.”

For greater privacy, Bauer favors Azara microphylla, Luma apiculata (Chilean myrtle) and Eucryphia nymansensis, all of which can be pruned to be kept narrower in skinny spots, such as between buildings. 

The thick evergreen leaves of Magnolia ‘Little Gem’ can provide “an instant block” if the tree is purchased at a large size, she says. But it also drops old leaves regularly, so plant it near the back of the property so fallen leaves are hidden in open shrubs or ground covers. While trees are filling in, Bauer recommends adding the shrubby Musa basjoo (hardy banana) or Sambucus nigra (elderberry) as eye-catching, deciduous fillers. 

Where space is at a premium, consider Carpinus betulus ‘Frans Fontaine’ and Acer palmatum ‘Twombly’s Red Sentinel,’ deciduous trees that add architectural structure even after leaf drop.

To make sure you and those living nearby are happy cohabitating with your new tree, you may want to avoid certain features and behaviors, such as trees that drop copious leaves, seeds or branches, or those that attract deer or other unwelcome guests. 

Some trees simply don’t belong in a big city, Bauer says. Avoid those with aggressively growing roots, like willows, especially near foundations, or that multiply by root runners, such as Populus tremuloides (quaking aspen). Big leaf maples (Acer macrophyllum) are wonderful for wild spaces, but their massive roots can displace pavement. 

Climate-ready strategies

Two landscape criteria people are considering more and more as weather extremes heighten are climate readiness and drought tolerance. That’s especially important when selecting trees.

“We should be careful about [trees] that use a lot of water,” Bauer says. “Put these together on the same zone and concentrate water only where it’s needed.”

She also points out that trees and plants can take up to three years to establish in these hotter summers — no plant is drought-tolerant until its roots are established. Early care is especially important, Bauer says.

The Seattle area is experiencing more rain in the winter, and less in the summer. Homeowners should choose trees that can handle these extremes, Bauer says. Also, pests like the bronze birch borer and various diseases are on the rise, attracted by weather-stressed trees and plants. Bauer recommends checking with a nursery professional about any current issues affecting the trees you’re considering. 

A tree for all seasons

For year-round appeal, look to trees that continue to shine through winter with attractive bark, branches or foliage. These can be evergreen conifers, or deciduous trees with artistic branching patterns or with mottled or colorful bark.

Bauer’s favorite is Arbutus unendo ‘Compacta,’ the native strawberry tree. “It has toasted red/brown, slightly peeling bark and has blooms and fruit in fall, just as you’re getting depressed that summer’s over,” Bauer says. “The hummingbirds love them. I see them outside my office window buzzing around this tree at all times of year.”

Other multiseason favorites include: 

Stewartia and Lagerstroemia (crepe myrtle) varieties. Flowers, fall color, ornamental bark.

Robinia pseudoacacia ‘Twisty Baby’ (black locust). Flowers, zigzag branch pattern, lush leaves.

Acer circinatum ‘Pacific Fire’ (native vine maple). Yellow fall color, bright red bark.

Acer griseum (paperbark maple). Peeling mahogany-toned bark, fall color.

Acer davidii (snakebark maple). Green-and-white striped bark, fall color.