Who remembers the days of video rentals? If you're old enough to shop for trees online, you're probably old enough to remember. You'd go into the nearest video rental store to your house. You knew your Friday night was about to rock.
They'd have all of the top picks for the week set right out in the front of the store. Next to the candy, of course, was the BEST section of all. The Employee Picks.
You never knew what kind of gems you'd find over there. It was a goldmine! Ahh, nostalgia.
I digress. So, without further ado, here are the iTrees.com crew's top picks!
Kyle's Killer Pick →
River Birch Trees. Shade, check. Privacy, check. Beauty, check, check, and check again! River Birch & Heritage® River Birch are some of the most versatile trees available. Grown in the single trunk and multi-stem clump form, they work well as a shade tree near patios and wherever privacy and screening might be needed. Green leaves turn a stunning yellow gold in the fall, and their attractive peeling bark adds texture and interest to the landscape.
Ray's Rad Pick →
Purple Fountain Beech. This tree's weeping appearance and dark greenish-purple leaf make a unique statement in the landscape. It's an architectural sculpture and is deserving of that title. This ornamental shade tree will be a head-turner in any yard.
Cesar's Classic Pick? →
Eastern Redbud. This is certainly a tried and true tree. Eastern Redbud is one of the most beautiful flowering trees available. Small purplish-pink flowers emerge in early spring, coating the branches. Huge heart-shaped green leaves follow, offering a wonderfully dense shade. In fall, it turns a bold yellow. This tree is a delightful accent tree in any yard. Plant it front and center or in landscape beds closer to the house. Also, the multi-stem clump form is super-duper useful for privacy and screening.
Marlee's Perfect Picks →
Swamp White Oak, Triumph™ Elm, and Ivory Silk Japanese Lilac. All of these trees are unique and beautiful in their own way. Top choices for any homeowner looking to add value, shade, and beauty to their landscape. Swamp White Oak is a long-living tree, adaptable and faster growing for an oak. Triumph™ Elm is the tree to plant if you want shade NOW. This big, fast-growing shade tree will make an impact in your yard. Ivory Silk Japanese Lilac adds a softness, fragrance, and ornamental interest. Plant it in landscape beds near the house, near patios as a conversation piece, or anywhere in your yard where a welcoming accent is needed.
Chris' Cool Picks →
Just like Marlee, Chris can't just pick one! There are too many great trees available. Celebration® Maple, Shingle Oak, and Native Hackberry.
Here's what's cool about these trees:
Celebration® Maple → Seedless (none of those helicopters in spring). AMAZING yellow to red fall color.
Shingle Oak → Unlobled oak leaf. Native to the Chicagoland area!
Native Hackberry → Native. Attracts wildlife. Tough as nails!
Britt's Best Pick →
Dr. Merrill Magnolia. Are Magnolias trendy? Maybe. Are they beautiful? Yes. Will their beauty transcend any style or trend? Definitely!
Magnolia trees are some of the first to flower in the spring. Buds appear long before any sign of spring. Once the weather warms up to "70 something and sunny" for a few days, their buds burst open! Their flowers hold tightly until they softly fade and fall, and green leaves emerge.
Eventually, Dr. Merrill Magnolia can be the perfect climbing tree with their big, low-hanging branches. In tree form, this tree will grow big enough to offer some decent shade. Once it has reached full maturity, its branches will be evenly tiered and almost ladder-like, meaning it will have some seriously climbable sturdy branches.
Order now for spring planting. The sooner you order, the better to ensure your trees are held for you for spring planting. Depending on the weather and our family-partner nursery, we kick off our planting season around the first or second week of May. Once we start to plant trees for the spring, there is NO stopping us!
We will continue to plant trees throughout the year— spring, summer, and fall until the ground begins to freeze. This is around the end of November.
Our website will stay fresh, reflecting our family-partner nursery's current availability.
