Understanding the Science Behind Riparian Forest Buffers: Planning, Establishment, and Maintenance

Author: Julia C. Klapproth, Faculty Assistant-Natural Resources, Maryland Cooperative Extension; James E. Johnson, Extension Forestry Specialist, College of Natural Resources, Virginia Tech

Publication Number 420-155, Posted October 2001

Table 5. Native trees and shrubs for riparian areas.

Plant Name Region* Flood Tolerance** Height (ft) Growth Wildlife Value Aesthetic Value

Deciduous Trees:

American hornbeam Notes: common in bottomlands of Piedmont and mountains P,M L-M 30-40 slow moderate

Atlantic white cedar Notes: sun; cannot compete with hardwoods C M-H 50-75 medium low

Baldcypress Notes: full sun; tolerates drought; Coastal Plain species C H >75 medium little food value; perching site for waterfowl stately form

Black walnut Notes: temporarily flooded floodplains; well-drained, deep soils C,P,M M >75 slow moderate, food

Black willow Notes: rapid growth; stabilizes streambanks; full sun C,P,M H 50-75 fast moderate, food and nesting

Blackgum (swamp tupelo) Notes: difficult to transplant; does best in sun to partial shade C,P,M M-H <50 moderate high; food for ducks, turkey, mammals brilliant red fall color, blue fruit

Bitternut hickory Notes: moist soils and wet bottomlands C,P,M M >75 medium-slow moderate, food yellow fall color

Downy serviceberry (shadblow) Notes: understory tree C,P,M H 30-40 slow high; food, nest, cover early spring flower

Eastern cottonwood Notes: sun; rapid growth; shallow, invasive roots; prone to windthrow C H >75 fast moderate yellow fall color

Eastern hophornbeam Notes: understory; tolerates all light conditions C,P,M M-H 40 medium low-moderate horticultural uses

Green ash Note: rapid growth; streambank stabilizer; good nutrient uptake; full sun to partial shade; good sawtimber tree C,P,M M-H 50-75 fast low-moderate yellow fall color

Hackberry Notes: full sun to partial shade; adaptable to a wide range of conditions M L >75 medium-fast high; fruits and twigs; cover

Overcup oak Notes: shade-partial shade; good on poorly drained sites C H 65-80 slow moderate

Persimmon Notes: edible fruit; not shade-tolerant C,P,M M <50 slow high red fall color

Pin oak Notes: tolerates acid soils; prefers sun to partial shade; gypsy moth target C,P,M H 50-75 fast high bronze or red fall foliage

Red maple Notes: tolerates acidic soils; rapid growth C,P,M H 50-75 fast high; seeds red fall color and spring bloom

Red mulberry C,P,M M 50-75 fast high yellow fall color

River birch Notes: bank erosion control; full sun C,P,M H 50 slow-medium low-medium; provides cavities and some food unique peeling; reddish bark

Swamp chestnut oak Notes: grows well in bottomlands; good sawtimber species C,P H >75 medium high full sun to partial shade

Swamp white oak Notes: partial shade; grows well on poorly drained soils; long-lived C,P,M H 60-70 fast high; ducks, woodpecker, turkey

Sweetbay Notes: part shade C H 50 slow low horticultural uses

Sweetgum Notes: sun to partial shade; tolerates acidic, clayey soils C,P,M L-M 50-75 medium-fast low excellent fall color; interesting seed pod

Sycamore Notes: rapid growth; common on floodplains C,P,M M >75 fast low; provides cavities unique white peeling bark; interesting seed pod

Water oak Notes: shade-partial shade; does not tolerate standing water; sprouts readily C H 50-80 slow moderate-high in the South common landscape tree

Willow oak Notes: full sun to partial shade; common in forested wetlands C,P M-H >75 fast high ornamental

Yellow (tulip) poplar Notes: full sun to partial shade; well drained soils; rapid growth; high nutrient uptake C,P,M L >75 fast nest sites moderate-low; attractive flower yellow fall color;

Evergreen trees:

Eastern hemlock Notes: tolerates acidic soil; all light conditions M M-H >60 slow-med moderate; good cover, winter food attractive form

Loblolly pine Notes: tolerant of extreme soil conditions; Coastal Plain species; fast growth C,P L >75 fast moderate

Shrubs:

Arrowwood viburnum Notes: sun to partial shade; suckers freely C,P,M M 10 medium moderate-high

Bayberry (wax myrtle) Notes: tolerates slightly acidic soil; roots fix N; sun C H 40 medium high; cover, nesting, persistent berries

Buttonbush Notes: full to partial shade; will grow in dry areas C,P,M H 10 fast moderate; ducks, nectar for hummingbirds unusual round white flowers

Common (smooth) alder Notes: stabilizes streambanks, fixes N; full sun C,P,M H 25 medium-fast low-moderate

Elderberry Notes: full sun; edible berries used for pies, jelly, wine C,P,M 3-12 fast high; important food for many birds white fragrant flowers; purple clusters of fruit

Gray dogwood P,M L 10 medium high white flowers; white berries

Highbush blueberry C,P,M H 12 slow high sun to partial shade

Ninebark Notes: sun C,P H 9 fast low-med peeling bark hidden by dense foliage

Pawpaw Notes: suckers and forms colonies; shade C,P,M M 30-40 medium-fast high; food for turkey and mammals attractive flower

Red chokeberry Notes: bank stabilizer; partial sun C,P,M M 20 moderate; food and cover

Silky (swamp) dogwood Notes: bank stabilizer; shade- and drought-tolerant C,P,M M 10 fast high; berries and twigs white flower, blue berry

Spicebush Notes: understory; tolerates acidic soils; shade and rich soils C,P,M M 9 fast high; rabbit, opossum, birds fragrant leaves and twigs, yellow fall color

Swamp azalea Notes: shade C,P H 17 medium low glossy leaves, white-pink flower

Sweet pepperbush Note: sun to partial shade C H 15 medium high sweetly scented flower

Virginia willow (sweetspire) Notes: sun to partial shade C H 10 medium-slow low attractive flower spears

Winterberry Notes: full sun to partial shade; seasonally flooded areas; need male and female plants for fruit production C,P,M M-H 25 slow high; cover and food, holds berries in winter attractive berries held through winter, some times gathered for Christmas

Witch hazel Notes: prefers shade P,M L 25 slow low; food for squirrel, ruffed grouse unusual fall flower and fruit

Plant Name	Region*	Flood Tolerance**	Height (ft)	Growth	Wildlife Value	Aesthetic Value
Deciduous Trees:
American hornbeam Notes: common in bottomlands of Piedmont and mountains	P,M	L-M	30-40	slow	moderate
Atlantic white cedar Notes: sun; cannot compete with hardwoods	C	M-H	50-75	medium	low
Baldcypress Notes: full sun; tolerates drought; Coastal Plain species	C	H	>75	medium	little food value; perching site for waterfowl	stately form
Black walnut Notes: temporarily flooded floodplains; well-drained, deep soils	C,P,M	M	>75	slow	moderate, food
Black willow Notes: rapid growth; stabilizes streambanks; full sun	C,P,M	H	50-75	fast	moderate, food and nesting
Blackgum (swamp tupelo) Notes: difficult to transplant; does best in sun to partial shade	C,P,M	M-H	<50	moderate	high; food for ducks, turkey, mammals	brilliant red fall color, blue fruit
Bitternut hickory Notes: moist soils and wet bottomlands	C,P,M	M	>75	medium-slow	moderate, food	yellow fall color
Downy serviceberry (shadblow) Notes: understory tree	C,P,M	H	30-40	slow	high; food, nest, cover	early spring flower
Eastern cottonwood Notes: sun; rapid growth; shallow, invasive roots; prone to windthrow	C	H	>75	fast	moderate	yellow fall color
Eastern hophornbeam Notes: understory; tolerates all light conditions	C,P,M	M-H	40	medium	low-moderate	horticultural uses
Green ash Note: rapid growth; streambank stabilizer; good nutrient uptake; full sun to partial shade; good sawtimber tree	C,P,M	M-H	50-75	fast	low-moderate	yellow fall color
Hackberry Notes: full sun to partial shade; adaptable to a wide range of conditions	M	L	>75	medium-fast	high; fruits and twigs; cover
Overcup oak Notes: shade-partial shade; good on poorly drained sites	C	H	65-80	slow	moderate
Persimmon Notes: edible fruit; not shade-tolerant	C,P,M	M	<50	slow	high	red fall color
Pin oak Notes: tolerates acid soils; prefers sun to partial shade; gypsy moth target	C,P,M	H	50-75	fast	high	bronze or red fall foliage
Red maple Notes: tolerates acidic soils; rapid growth	C,P,M	H	50-75	fast	high; seeds	red fall color and spring bloom
Red mulberry	C,P,M	M	50-75	fast	high	yellow fall color
River birch Notes: bank erosion control; full sun	C,P,M	H	50	slow-medium	low-medium; provides cavities and some food	unique peeling; reddish bark
Swamp chestnut oak Notes: grows well in bottomlands; good sawtimber species	C,P	H	>75	medium	high	full sun to partial shade
Swamp white oak Notes: partial shade; grows well on poorly drained soils; long-lived	C,P,M	H	60-70	fast	high; ducks, woodpecker, turkey
Sweetbay Notes: part shade	C	H	50	slow	low	horticultural uses
Sweetgum Notes: sun to partial shade; tolerates acidic, clayey soils	C,P,M	L-M	50-75	medium-fast	low	excellent fall color; interesting seed pod
Sycamore Notes: rapid growth; common on floodplains	C,P,M	M	>75	fast	low; provides cavities	unique white peeling bark; interesting seed pod
Water oak Notes: shade-partial shade; does not tolerate standing water; sprouts readily	C	H	50-80	slow	moderate-high in the South	common landscape tree
Willow oak Notes: full sun to partial shade; common in forested wetlands	C,P	M-H	>75	fast	high	ornamental
Yellow (tulip) poplar Notes: full sun to partial shade; well drained soils; rapid growth; high nutrient uptake	C,P,M	L	>75	fast nest sites	moderate-low; attractive flower	yellow fall color;
Evergreen trees:
Eastern hemlock Notes: tolerates acidic soil; all light conditions	M	M-H	>60	slow-med	moderate; good cover, winter food	attractive form
Loblolly pine Notes: tolerant of extreme soil conditions; Coastal Plain species; fast growth	C,P	L	>75	fast	moderate
Shrubs:
Arrowwood viburnum Notes: sun to partial shade; suckers freely	C,P,M	M	10	medium	moderate-high
Bayberry (wax myrtle) Notes: tolerates slightly acidic soil; roots fix N; sun	C	H	40	medium	high; cover, nesting, persistent berries
Buttonbush Notes: full to partial shade; will grow in dry areas	C,P,M	H	10	fast	moderate; ducks, nectar for hummingbirds	unusual round white flowers
Common (smooth) alder Notes: stabilizes streambanks, fixes N; full sun	C,P,M	H	25	medium-fast	low-moderate
Elderberry Notes: full sun; edible berries used for pies, jelly, wine	C,P,M		3-12	fast	high; important food for many birds	white fragrant flowers; purple clusters of fruit
Gray dogwood	P,M	L	10	medium	high	white flowers; white berries
Highbush blueberry	C,P,M	H	12	slow	high	sun to partial shade
Ninebark Notes: sun	C,P	H	9	fast	low-med	peeling bark hidden by dense foliage
Pawpaw Notes: suckers and forms colonies; shade	C,P,M	M	30-40	medium-fast	high; food for turkey and mammals	attractive flower
Red chokeberry Notes: bank stabilizer; partial sun	C,P,M	M	20		moderate; food and cover
Silky (swamp) dogwood Notes: bank stabilizer; shade- and drought-tolerant	C,P,M	M	10	fast	high; berries and twigs	white flower, blue berry
Spicebush Notes: understory; tolerates acidic soils; shade and rich soils	C,P,M	M	9	fast	high; rabbit, opossum, birds	fragrant leaves and twigs, yellow fall color
Swamp azalea Notes: shade	C,P	H	17	medium	low	glossy leaves, white-pink flower
Sweet pepperbush Note: sun to partial shade	C	H	15	medium	high	sweetly scented flower
Virginia willow (sweetspire) Notes: sun to partial shade	C	H	10	medium-slow	low	attractive flower spears
Winterberry Notes: full sun to partial shade; seasonally flooded areas; need male and female plants for fruit production	C,P,M	M-H	25	slow	high; cover and food, holds berries in winter	attractive berries held through winter, some times gathered for Christmas
Witch hazel Notes: prefers shade	P,M	L	25	slow	low; food for squirrel, ruffed grouse	unusual fall flower and fruit

*C = coastal plain; P = piedmont; M = mountains

**H = high; M = moderate; L = low From:

Tjaden, R. L., and G. M. Weber. 1997. Trees for riparian forest buffers. Maryland Cooperative Extension Service Fact Sheet 726. College Park, MD.
USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service 1996. Maryland Conservation Practice Standard: Riparian Forest Buffer Standard. USDA-NRCS, Annapolis, MD.
Palone, R. S., and A. H. Todd (eds.). 1997. Chesapeake Bay riparian handbook: A guide for establishing and maintaining riparian forest buffers. USDA Forest Service NA-TP-02-97.
Elias, T. S. 1980. The complete trees of North America. Outdoor Life/Nature Books. Van Nostrand Reinhold Co., NY.

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