The main question when you are thinking about planting trees in the yard is what do you need them for! Some people simply like the appearance of the yard with trees. Others think of them as the way to enjoy the shade during summer months, while some want to block the neighbors’ views.  Whatever is the reason you need to know how to choose good trees to plant near the house.  Many people think that all trees are the same and it makes no difference which one you choose as long as it does the job. But it is a bit more complicated than that. Trees live for a pretty long time, so if you choose wrong, you might regret it, but there won’t be anything you can do about it. For example, many trees only grow more beautiful over the years, but some tend to make more problems than you might have expected. That is why you must take the time and decide which tree can provide you with the qualities you can enjoy.  

Considerations When Choosing Best Trees to Plant Near House

When you are not very experienced when it comes to trees understanding how to choose types that can accommodate your particular needs can be challenging.  There are many questions you might think as such as,  what type of soil is good for them, which types have fruit and which don’t, etc.  We understand how you might feel, so we discussed with experts and experienced homeowners and decided to share with you their recommendations about choosing the best trees to plant near house. Before we go to trees, here are some things you might want to consider.

• Hardiness: Some trees can withstand very cold temperatures while others can’t. You need to select trees that will thrive without problems in your area.
• Type of soil: Most trees prefer moist, acid soil, but some grow better on the alkaline ground.
• Type of tree: Some trees have thorns, others fruit, etc., while others don’t.  
• Size of the tree
• Resistance to pollution

What Trees Are Safe to Plant Near House 

Many of you are wondering what trees are safe to plant near a house! Before we go to the selection of adequate trees, we want to remind you that regardless of the type. It is always better to plant the tree about 15 feet away from the house. This way, it has enough space to properly grow.  Some trees that grow higher might need a bit more space, though, while small trees can be closer to the house.

Ornamental Trees

If you have a little yard, we would say ornamental trees make a perfect choice.  These types of trees are ideal insects and birds and sometimes can come with a gift in the form of fruit you can eat.  

• Star Magnolia: The scientific name of this tree is Magnolia stellata. It is a slow-growing small tree, originally from Japan.  It is very popular for its large white or pink flowers that bloom in early spring. Star magnolia grows up to 1.5 – 2.5 meters tall and spread to 4.6 meters wide when they are fully mature. This one of the best small trees for landscaping near the house.
• Japanese Maples: This tree is native to Japan, China, Korea, and southeast Russia. People love it for the magnificent color of its leaves. It grows best in part shade, but the heavy shade doesn’t prevent it from thriving either.  
• Callery Pear: As the name says, this is the type of pear tree, but unlike many of her relatives, this one doesn’t bear edible fruits. It can grow to be 5 – 8 meters tall, and the crown is rounded or conical.  The crown can be 9 – 13 meters wide when the tree is fully mature. 
• Crabapple: The scientific name of this tree is Malus. However, this refers to a genus that contains about 30 – 55 species, among which also orchard apple. It grows to about 4 to 7 meters and is known for pink buds that later blossom into beautiful white flowers. 
• Chinese Dogwood: This small deciduous tree is also known as kousa dogwood. It originally comes from East Asia.  Chinese Dogwood grows up to 8-12 meters when it is fully mature.  It comes with edible berries.
• Redbud: Otherwise known as Eastern redbud or Cercis Canadensis this tree is native to North America. It is also considered a small tree that grows 6 to 9 meters high, and the crown can be 8-10 meters wide. The color of leaves ranges from light to dark pink.  It usually blossoms in April and May. The pink flowers can be eaten both raw and cooked.
• Saucer Magnolia: This is a hybrid plant that is about 9 meters tall when it reaches full maturity. It blossoms in early spring with beautiful big light pink flowers.  This tree is best known for its ease of cultivation.
• Weeper Cherry: It is an ornamental tree grown in Japan for centuries. The branches of this tree are very thin and flexible, and they are directed towards the ground.  This tree blossoms in spring with beautiful white and pink single or double flowers.
• Citrus Trees: All citrus trees are usually pretty small between 5 and 15 meters, and thus convenient for a little yard. They have nice white flowers and fruits you can eat.  All citruses are hybrid trees and a great choice when you are looking for small tree to plant near the house.

Shade Trees

If the purpose of planting a tree in your yard is to enjoy the shelter from the summer sun, then you should look for some of the shade trees.  It takes time for them to grow to full maturity, but once they do, you will see that waiting paid off. Here are some examples of good shade trees. 

• Honey Locust: This tree originated in North America and thrived best in moist soil, but it is very adaptable to other environments.  When it is fully mature, it is somewhere between 9 and 15 meters tall.  It is the best tree to plant near house for shade because it grows pretty quickly. 
• Tulip Tree: This tree is famous for its wide flowers that resemble tulips. It also overgrows, so it is perfect as a shade tree. It can grow to be exceptionally tall  – around 60 meters. 
• Willow Oak:  It is another North American tree. It makes a good shade, that is why it is one of the preferred options. It is a medium-sized tree and grows to about 25 to 30 meters.

Conifers

If you are looking for a way to protect yourself from curious neighbors that confer trees are the best option for you.  They are named conifers because of the cones they bear. They can also provide you with some shade. 

• Arborvitae: This tree is widely known as thuja, and there are 5 different species. They are evergreen trees that can vary in height from 3 to 60 meters. They are grown as ornamental and trees for hedges. 
• Pine: Pine trees are tall coniferous, and resinous trees. They can grow from 3 – 80 meters in height. They also have a very large lifespan – 100 – 1000 years. 
• Spruce: Most of us know about these trees because they are commonly sold for Christmas. These are large trees, from 20 to 60 meter high but there are dwarf variations as well.  They are also popular as best trees to plant near house because they are considered as ornamental trees. 

Worst Trees to Plant Near House

Now when we listed all trees that are safe to plant near the house let’s look at some that you should avoid. Keep in mind that you need to do a bit of research to see whether a tree is adequate for you regardless of how much you like it.

• White Ash: People are attracted to this tree because it provides good shade and grows fast. However, you must be careful because its lateral roots are very invasive. Besides they are easy prey of emerald ash borer, a disease-causing pest that can harm not just your tree but other plants as well.  
• Poplar: Otherwise known as cottonwood is a tall tree that attracts people. However, keep in mind that this tree has aggressive roots that can damage the foundation of the house and the sewers.  
• American Elm: This is another tree that should be avoided as well because of the damage it may cause. 
• Silver Maple: This is a tree with beautiful leaves. However, if you wish to plant it in your garden choose a spot far from the house as it has roots that might go above the ground.  
• Weeping Willow: It also has roots that might damage the sewers. 
• Oak: It is a popular tree but should be planted as far as possible from the foundation. 

Useful Tips for Proper Plating a Trees Near House

• Plant trees at a proper distance from the house.  The distance from the foundation should be about 2- 3 meters for smaller trees. If you are looking for  some of the best trees to plant near house then consider planting it about 5 meters from the house. 
• Make sure to plant trees away from power lines. This, of course, also depends on the height of the tree you are planning to plant. 
• Getting informed about root growth to make sure the tree cant cause any damage. 

Final Word

Trees make a great difference in the yard, and every homeowner should plant them. As you can see, there are plenty of wonderful trees that you can plant and enjoy them without a single worry.  We hope you liked this text and invite you to revisit us and get informed on how to tell if a tree is dead.