The flowers of the sweet crabapple are attractive features.
The coldest minimum temperatures in New Jersey drop to around minus 10 degrees Fahrenheit in winter, with the coastal areas being about 10 degrees warmer on average. The native tree species in New Jersey have the ability to withstand these readings, with those growing in proximity to the Atlantic Ocean able to tolerate wind and salt spray among their growing conditions. Many of the New Jersey trees are suitable for completing your landscape. Does this Spark an idea?
Shortleaf Pine
Not noted for its ornamental value, the shortleaf pine (Pinus echinata) is still a useful landscaping New Jersey native. Growing to 60 feet, the shortleaf pine grows as far north as New Jersey, but the Garden State is the northern boundary of its distribution. When immature, the shortleaf pine makes an effective windbreak and/or privacy screen. Shortleaf pine is also a tree to consider for the naturalized areas of your acreage. Shortleaf pines are evergreen conifers that feature needles colored with dark shades of bluish-green. The needles develop to 5 inches and come in bundles of twos. Shortleaf pine requires sunshine in which to thrive, and the tree adapts to most kinds of soils.
Sweet Crabapple
The springtime blossoms of the sweet crabapple (Malus coronaria) make this native of western New Jersey a desirable species for ornamental purposes. The tree, a member of the rose family, produces fragrant and showy flowers in the spring, with each flower having five separate petals. The tree grows to only between 20 to 30 feet, making it fitting for many landscaping jobs, including uses as a specimen plant and in areas with limited space. Sweet crabapples will grow in partially shaded sites but prefer sunny places. Sweet crabapple's fruit is appropriate for ciders and as preserves. The species will form thickets in the wild, giving many forms of wildlife a place to hide and to nest.
Scarlet Oak
All of New Jersey is within the range of the scarlet oak (Quercus coccinea), a potential shade or lawn tree that the University of Connecticut Plant Database recommends saving when it grows next to new construction. Scarlet oak's major asset is its brilliant scarlet fall foliage. The scarlet oak grows to 75 feet, so give it room to develop in your landscape. Scarlet oak's acorns grow in twos or by themselves, with a cap that covers the top half of the fruit. Scarlet oak has a furrowed, ridged, black-gray bark. The tree may be a hard species to find in the nursery trade. Transplanting the scarlet oak is no easy task, due to its long taproot. The tree needs full sun and does much better when in a sandy, acidic soil than any other type of site.
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