Best Storm-Tough Trees to Plant in Nashville Yards

Top Shade Tree Choices for Nashville

White Oak

A slow, long-lived native with deep roots and dense wood. It does well in the clay and rocky soil around Forest Hills and Oak Hill, and it needs room. Plan on a large planting area well away from the house, driveway and sewer line.

Bald Cypress

Despite the name, it does fine in Tennessee and tolerates wet feet, which makes it a good fit near creeks, drainage swales and low lawns near Mill Creek or Richland Creek. It sheds feathery needles in fall rather than leaves.

Bur Oak

Tough, drought-tolerant and wide-crowned, with corky bark and big acorns. It copes with the dry spells and heavy clay of Nashville yards better than many shade trees, and it suits properties with plenty of open space.

Smaller Native Trees

• Redbud, a dependable native that blooms early and fits under many lines
• Flowering dogwood and serviceberry, good for borders and understory spots
• American hornbeam and black gum, compact native choices that handle wet or shady spots
• Swamp white oak, a sturdy oak for low, damp areas where other oaks struggle

Smaller trees are not automatically safe, but they carry less weight over your roof. Skip heavy pruning on young ones; our guide on when to prune trees explains timing and why too much cutting can weaken them.

Trees to Think Twice About

Two species cause a lot of grief in Nashville: Bradford pear and silver maple. Both grow fast and break easily, and Bradford pear is on Tennessee's invasive plant list. If you have one, read about the warning signs of a failing Bradford pear before deciding whether to keep it.

Ash is another worry. Emerald ash borer was found in Davidson County in 2014, and untreated ash typically die within a few seasons of infestation. Do not plant new ash.

Leaving a healthy older tree in place is fine for now. The point is not to plant more of the weak ones and to give existing ones regular checkups.

Plant for Wind, Not Just Species

Give Roots Room

Shallow rocky soil over limestone means roots spread sideways. A big tree squeezed into a narrow strip between a sidewalk and driveway has little to hold it up. As a rule of thumb, allow a wide planting area for large trees and less for small ones.

Plant in Groups

Clustered plantings tend to shelter each other from wind. A grouping of redbuds, dogwoods and serviceberries along a back fence in Sylvan Park or Bellevue works better than a lone tree out in the open.

Right Tree, Right Place

NES clears 15 feet on both sides of power lines, so keep tall trees away from them. Under or near wires, choose a redbud or dogwood that stays short, rather than an oak that will be cut back hard.

Start Young Trees Right

Structural pruning in the first few years builds a single strong trunk and well-spaced limbs, and prevents most of the weak unions that fail decades later. Our tree trimming and pruning crews handle young-tree training at a fraction of what a mature-tree fix costs.

If you are replacing a storm-damaged tree, the old stump has to go first. Stump grinding typically runs $150 to $500 per stump. For a yard full of storm wreckage, land clearing gets the site ready in one visit.

Check With Metro and Your HOA

Street trees in the right-of-way belong to Metro, so ask before planting or removing one. Root Nashville set a goal of 500,000 trees by 2050, and since 94 percent of Davidson County land is privately owned, yard trees decide the canopy. If a tree removal needs replacement trees, such as in Franklin, the town can tell you which species count.

Get Advice Before You Plant

We are happy to walk your yard, mark safe spots for a big tree and give you a free estimate for clearing old stumps first.