Although New Jersey’s state tree is the majestic red oak, the state is also home to many native tree varieties.
These tree species are broadly categorized into evergreen and deciduous trees. While there are many native trees in New Jersey, we won’t be discussing all.
However, we’ve mentioned a good number of these trees while discussing an even fewer number of them. The information supplied below should give you a fair idea of tree varieties native to New Jersey.
The details provided give you a better idea of what trees can be grown within your area.
New Jersey Native Tree Species
Part of what you might want to learn as a citizen of New Jersey is the native trees within the region.
Many of these include flowering dogwood, cumber tree magnolia, eastern black walnut, common persimmon, sassafras, pawpaw, and horse chestnut trees.
Other species include black locust, oak, gum, cherry, ash, bitternut hickory, American linden, and American Planetree. More species include American beech, elm, eastern hemlock, flowering dogwood, gray birch, mockernut hickory, and northern catalpa.
More native trees of New Jersey include Norway maple, Norway spruce, paper birch, the pignut hickory, pin oak, quaking aspen, red pine, and red maple trees.
There are also red spruce trees, river birch, shagbark hickory, shellbark hickory, silver maple, slippery elm, sugar maple, and sweet birch trees.
You’ll also find native species like tulip trees, Virginia pines, white ash, white oak, yellow birch, pitch pine, northern red oak, and hazel alder.
Silverbell and American holly trees are additional species in New Jersey. Let’s have a look at some of these species for more understanding.
i. Black Locust Tree
The black locust tree is one native tree suitable for growing in zones 3 to 8. It produces a seed that feeds many bird species, including turkey, grouse, pheasant, and quail.
It’s a vast rot-resistant tree that’s not only native to New Jersey but to other states like Illinois, Arkansas, Missouri, West Virginia, and Missouri, etc.
At maturity, lack locust trees grow to around 60 to 80” tall with a spread of 20” to 30” wide. It does well under full sun and on sandy loam, silt loam, clay, and loam soil types.
Of course, these soil types must drain well.
ii. Black Oak Tree
The black oak is another tree species found in New Jersey.
It thrives in hardiness zones 3 to 9, grows to around 60 to 100 tall at maturity, and spreads to about 40 to 80 ft. wide. Suitable soil conditions for the growth of this tree include acidic soils and pretty much any average soil.
This drought-resistant tree species requires total sun exposure to thrive. It’s a vast low-maintenance tree for persons seeking such tree types.
Black oak trees provide food for wildlife.
iii. Black Gum Tree
Another tree you’ll find in New Jersey is the black gum tree. This slow-growing tree attains a maximum height of around 30 to 50 ft. Its spread is about 20 to 30 ft. wide.
At the early growth stage, you’ll notice these trees having a pyramidal shape which later changes to an irregularly rounded or flat-topped form as it ages.
One of the great features of the black gum tree is its ornamental value. It grows best in well-drained, moist soils that are acidic. Full sun to partial shade will also support its development.
iv. Black Cherry Tree
Several other names, including rum cherry, wild black cherry, and black mountain cherry, know about this tree. Its oval-shaped leaf can identify it with serrated leaf edges. These leaves grow in an alternate form.
Black cherry trees can reach around 66 to 99 ft when fully mature.
It’s a deciduous tree that flowers around April to June with white blossoms. These lovely-smelling flowers are usually cylindrical and long.
v. Black Ash Tree
Also called black ash, these deciduous trees adapt to various soils. They grow to around 40 to 60 ft. tall and bloom between April and May.
Black ash trees will mostly do well in hardiness zones 2 to 9. This tree species isn’t only native to New Jersey, the entire eastern U.S. and Canada.
Black ash trees do well under total sunlight exposure.
Common pests and diseases affecting black ashes include emerald ash borer, ash yellows, ash anthracnose, and verticillium wilt.
vi. Bitternut Hickory Tree
This native North American tree is also found in New Jersey. It’s a large tree that reaches a mature height of between 50 and 70 ft.
Also, the width at maturity is around 40 to 50 ft. Bitternut hickory will do well under total sun exposure. However, it also tolerates partial sun conditions.
Hardiness zones suitable for growing this tree species include zones 4 through 9. Bitternut hickory does well in well-drained, acidic soils. However, it can also tolerate alkaline soils and those with occasional flooding.
vii. American Linden Tree
The American linden tree is known for its flower color and fragrance. The flowers are yellow, and the tree takes a pyramidal shape.
This tree grows around residential areas, parks, and city parkways. American linden trees are large and grow to about 49 to 45 ft.
They also achieve a width of around 25 to 30 ft. These trees will do well in well-drained soils but tolerate alkaline soils and wet sites.
What more? Hardiness zones 3 through 8 are suitable for growing these trees.
viii. American Planetree
This is a large woody tree that’s grown for its ornamental value.
It’s sometimes confused with the London plane tree. Other popular names wh, ich include buttonwoods, call this tree and American sycamores.
In terms of height, the American Planetree grows to around 50 m or 160 ft. at maturity. It’s one of many tree species you’ll find in New Jersey.
There you go! These are some tree species found in the state of New Jersey. While there are many more, we’ve only listed some of the most popular.