Blog
Types of Trees to Plant in Calgary’s Plant Hardiness Zone
When you plant a tree, you want to see it grow tall and healthy for years. That’s why it’s essential to choose trees that’ll thrive in your climate. Established hardiness zones make it easier for you to identify the best trees to plant. Here’s a quick guide on trees that grow well in Calgary’s planting zone.
What Is Calgary’s Planting Zone?
Natural Resources Canada publishes information on hardiness zones across the country based on climate, temperature, precipitation, drainage, elevation, air quality, soil composition and sunlight. Your hardiness zone helps you determine which plants and trees are more likely to thrive in your area.
There are 10 hardiness zones in Canada, with zero being the coldest and nine the warmest. Calgary has a planting zone rating of 4a. However, experts recommend Zone 2 and 3 trees as having the best chance of surviving Calgary’s extreme weather events. You can plant trees rated for Zone 4, but they may require more care.
How to Find and Read a Zone Label for a Tree
Trees sold in nurseries and garden centres have labels with plenty of information about the species and its requirements for light, soil and other conditions. The label should also include the planting zone it’s best suited for.
Choosing Trees for Calgary’s Growing Zone
Here are some of the best trees for the Calgary planting zone divided into deciduous and coniferous varieties.
Deciduous shade trees suitable to Zones 2 and 3 include:
- American mountain ash
- Green ash
- Sutherland caragana
- Dropmore linden
- Ohio buckeye
- Brandon elm
- Trembling aspen
- Birch
- Maple
- Oak
- Poplar
- Northwest poplar
- Swedish columnar aspen
- Willow
Deciduous fruit and flowering trees suitable to Zones 2 and 3 include:
- Starlite flowering crabapple
- Navigator ornamental pear
- Gladiator flowering crab
- Schubert chokecherry
- Crabapple
- Toba hawthorn
- Mayday
- Ussurian pear
- Princess Kay plum
- Japanese tree lilac
Coniferous trees suitable to Zones 2 and 3 include:
- Colorado blue spruce
- Columnar Colorado spruce
- Norway spruce
- Siberian larch
- White spruce
- Scots pine
Get Expert Tree Planting Advice for Calgary Conditions
If you’re unsure of the best trees to plant on your property, get help from a certified professional arborist. Our tree experts know the species and varieties that grow well in Calgary and can help you choose trees to suit your needs and desires, whether shade, fruit or ornamental.
Tree Planting Services in Calgary
At ArborCare®, our certified local arborists know Calgary’s microclimates and soil conditions, and they can tell you which trees will grow best in your neighbourhood. We offer tree-planting services for Calgary homes and businesses, providing trees from local nurseries to ensure they’ve been exposed to the local climate before planting. Contact us today to schedule a consultation.