The Best Shade Trees for Zone 8
With summer right around the corner, we’ve got shade on the mind! In this post, we’ll share our top 12 picks for shade trees in USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 8.
Summer is almost here, and in most of the US, that means heat. When you’re looking for some relief from that hot summer sun, a shade tree is a welcome site. It’s funny how you don’t realize just how nice some shade is until you need it….like yesterday!
Shade is another essential aspect of planning ahead with your property. As much as we would like instant gratification, a good shade tree takes some time to grow and develop a dense canopy. So, the sooner you get started on choosing and planting some shade trees, the sooner you will have a lovely oasis under the canopy of some shade trees during those sweltering summer months.
In this post, I will share my 12 favorite shade trees for Zone 8. But first, if you’re not familiar with USDA Plant Hardiness Zones, this is just a way for folks to determine which perennial plants will do well in their area. The zones are categorized by average annual extreme minimum temperatures, ranging from Zone 1a which is extremely cold, to Zone 13b, which doesn’t drop below 65-70 degrees F.
All perennial plants should have their zone range in the description. Even if you’re not in Zone 8, some of these trees might work in your zone also! I will note each species zone range in the descriptions below.
Northern Red Oak (Quercus rubra)
Quick Facts:
- USDA Zones 3-8
- Foliage Type: Deciduous
- Growth Rate: Fast
- Height: 60-75 feet
- Width: 50-75 feet
- Sun Exposure: Full sun
- Water Needs: Moderate water
Fast growing, deciduous oak tree with spreading branches and a rounded canopy of shiny dark green leaves, turning bright red in the fall. Does well in USDA Zones 3-8. The Northern Red Oak matures to a height of 60 to 75 feet and spread of 50-75 feet. If you’re looking for a fantastic display of fall color, the Northern Red Oak might just be for you.
California Sycamore (Platanus racemosa)
Quick Facts:
- USDA Zones 7-10
- Foliage Type: Deciduous
- Growth Rate: Fast
- Height: 30-80 feet
- Width: 20-50 feet
- Sun Exposure: Full sun
- Water Needs: Regular water
The California Sycamore is a fast growing shade tree that grows near streams in it’s native territory of the California foothills and coast ranges. It is a large and spreading tree with smooth branches that are often gracefully twisted. It has smooth bark in patches of brown, gray and white. Its leaves are large and deeply lobed, turning dusty brown in fall.
American Sycamore (Platanus occidentalis)
Quick Facts:
- USDA Zones 4-9
- Foliage Type: Deciduous
- Growth Rate: Fast
- Height: 75-100 feet
- Width: 75-100 feet
- Sun Exposure: Full sun
- Water Needs: Moderate to regular water
The American Sycamore, also known as Buttonwood or Buttonball tree, is a large, fast growing shade tree that can grow up to six feet per year! It has a wide, irregularly shaped crown and distinctive bark that is reddish-brown, shedding to an inner bark of white to cream-colored.
Red Maple (Acer rubrum)
Quick Facts:
- USDA Zones 3-9
- Foliage Type: Deciduous
- Growth Rate: Fast
- Height: 40-60 feet
- Width: 30-50 feet
- Sun Exposure: Full sun
- Water Needs: Moderate to regular water
The Red Maple is a fast-growing tree with an oval canopy. It has red twigs, branchlets and buds, with shiny green leaves of three to five lobes. It is prized for its brilliant display of color in the fall, ranging from yellow to crimson.
Hybrid Poplar (Populus deltoides x Populus nigra)
Quick Facts:
- USDA Zones 3-8
- Foliage Type: Deciduous
- Growth Rate: Fast
- Height: 40-50 feet
- Width: 30-35 feet
- Sun Exposure: Full sun
- Water Needs: Regular water
The Hybrid Poplar is a cross between an Eastern Cottonwood and a European Black Poplar. It is an extremely fast growing shade tree, and has been known to grow 5-8 feet per year once established! The Hybrid Poplar is an attractive shade tree with a heavy, rounded crown with silvery green leaves.
American Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua)
Quick Facts:
- USDA Zones 5-9
- Foliage Type: Deciduous
- Growth Rate: Medium to fast
- Height: 60-75 feet
- Width: 40-50 feet
- Sun Exposure: Full sun
- Water Needs: Moderate to regular water
The American Sweetgum is native to the Eastern U.S. It is a large, attractive shade tree with an oval-shaped crown. The leaves are deeply lobed and star-shaped. Glossy green in spring, turning shades of purple, red, orange or yellow in the fall.
California Pepper Tree (Schinus Molle)
Quick Facts:
- USDA Zones 8-11
- Foliage Type: Evergreen
- Growth Rate: Fast
- Height: 25-40 feet
- Width: 25-40 feet
- Sun Exposure: Full sun
- Water Needs: Little to moderate water
The California Pepper Tree is a unique evergreen tree with bright green, feathery leaves and bright pink berries. Fast growing and upright habit with a broad canopy, this tree makes a beautiful shade tree in the warm and dry climates of Zones 8-11.
Weeping Willow (Salix Babylonica)
Quick Facts:
- USDA Zones 6-8
- Foliage Type: Deciduous
- Growth Rate: Fast
- Height: 30-50 feet
- Width: 30-50 feet
- Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial sun
- Water Needs: Regular to ample water
With its open crown of wispy, low hanging branches and long slender leaves, the Weeping Willow is a well-known, whimsical tree. Although ample water is required to keep this tree happy, it is relatively low maintenance and easy to grow.
Strawberry Tree (Arbutus unedo)
Quick Facts:
- USDA Zones 7-10
- Foliage Type: Evergreen
- Growth Rate: Slow to moderate
- Height: 15-30 feet
- Width: 15-30 feet
- Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial sun
- Water Needs: Little to moderate water
The Strawberry Tree is a beautiful broadleaf evergreen tree or shrub, noted for it’s attractive flowers, fruit, leaves and bark. Somewhat slow growing, it grows in a multi-stemmed form but can be trained to grow as a single-trunk tree. When trained in this way, it makes a charming small to medium size shade tree.
White Ash (Fraxinus americana)
Quick Facts:
- USDA Zones 3-9
- Foliage Type: Deciduous
- Growth Rate: Fast
- Height: 50-80 feet
- Width: 30-50 feet
- Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial sun
- Water Needs: Regular water
The White Ash Tree is a favorite for many reasons – it’s dense shade, vibrant fall color, low maintenance and fast growth. This tree can grow to 80 feet or taller, with a straight trunk and broad, oval-shaped crown. ‘Autumn Purple‘ is a seedless variety with beautiful purple fall color.
Tulip Tree (Liriodendron tulipifera)
Quick Facts:
- USDA Zones 4-9
- Foliage Type: Deciduous
- Growth Rate: Fast
- Height: 60-80 feet
- Width: 30-40 feet
- Sun Exposure: Full sun
- Water Needs: Regular water
This unique tree is named for it’s distinct, tulip-shaped flowers. It is a fast-growing tree to around 70 feet tall and 40 feet wide. Although it usually doesn’t flower until 10-15 years old, it has plenty of other attractive features. The Tulip Tree‘s leaves are uniquely shaped, sometimes described as lyre shaped or saddle shaped. The foliage turns from bright green to deep golden-yellow in the fall; it makes an attractive shade tree year-round.
Willow Oak (Quercus phellos)
Quick Facts:
- USDA Zones 5-9
- Foliage Type: Deciduous
- Growth Rate: Fast
- Height: 50-90 feet
- Width: 30-50 feet
- Sun Exposure: Full sun
- Water Needs: Moderate water
The Willow Oak is a unique oak tree in that the leaves look more like a willow (Salix) than those of a typical oak. It has smooth gray bark and a balanced, rounded form, making it an attractive shade tree for any landscape.
That wraps up my list of the best shade trees for Zone 8. I hope this post was helpful to you, and maybe even inspired you to plant a shade tree or two!
Shade trees are such a lovely addition to any landscape. I know I’m excited just thinking about what types of shade trees we might plant on our property.
If you do plant one of these shade tree varieties, please let me know with a comment below! And don’t forget to share this post with a friend. As always, thanks for reading!
