Spreading Trees

• Choose trees with wide, spreading canopies for maximum shaded areas on the ground. The Italian oak ("Quercus franinetto") grows to 80 feet tall with an equal spread. This deciduous tree is hardy in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 5 to 7, and thrives in sites with full sun. Italian oaks have leather, dark-green foliage with heavily waved margins. The black walnut ("Juglans nigra") grows to 70 feet with a similar spread. This upright, spreading tree produces edible green to black fruits and grows slowly, making it easier to maintain. Black walnuts prefer full sun and moist, well-drained soil. They tolerate drought once established.
  
  

Airy Trees

• If you want to add more landscaping plants under your shade trees, choose tree species with airy, open canopies. The thornless honeylocust ("Gleditsia triacanthos" cv. inermis) grows to 70 feet with a 40-foot spread and has narrow, bright-green foliage that casts light shade. Plant honeylocusts in zones 4 to 9 in sites with full sun and a range of soils, including dry. The ginkgo ("Ginkgo biloba") also has an airy, open canopy. This deciduous tree grows slowly to 70 feet tall with a 40-foot spread. Ginkgos have bright-green foliage that grows in clusters, and these trees prefer full sun and thrive in a range of soil types, with the exception of poorly draining sites. They're hardy in zones 3 to 9.
  
  

Rounded Trees

• For maximum shading on a house, choose trees with rounded canopies. The Norway maple ("Acer platanoides") generally grows 40 to 50 feet tall with a 45-foot spread but can reach a height of 90 feet. Norway maples have lobed foliage that turns yellow in fall. They're hardy in zones 3 to 7 and prefer full sun and a range of soils. Maple roots can grow near the surface, so don't plant them near septic tanks or drain field systems. The saucer magnolia ("Magnolia x soulangiana") also has a rounded, dense canopy. This tree prefers sites in sun to partial shade and moist, well-drained soil. Saucer magnolias grow to 25 feet with an equal spread, and bloom in spring with pink, purple and white flowers. They're hardy in zones 4 to 9.
  
  

Columnar Trees

• For striking accents near a house, choose upright, columnar trees. Sometimes described as fastigiate, these trees grow much taller than they do wide. The columnar English oak ("Quercus robur" cv. Fastigiata) grows to 60 feet tall with a spread of 15 feet. Though this tree is deciduous, its blue-green leaves often last into the winter. Plant this oak in full sun and well-drained soil in zones 5 to 8. The columnar European hornbeam ("Carpinus betulus" cv. Fastigiata) grows to 60 feet with a much narrower spread. This slow-growing deciduous tree prefers sun to partial shade and moist, well-drained soil. European hornbeams are hardy in zones 4 to 7 and have serrated foliage that turns yellow in fall.