Best Trees and Shrubs for Clay

by Doug
(in my garden)

Here are some of the better woody tree and shrub plants for heavy clay soils. You can experiment with other plants on soils with lighter amounts of clay but if in doubt, go with these.

Note that I've broken them down into the "best" and "tolerate" lists. Those in the best list should take darn near anything. Those in the "tolerate" list will tolerate but not thrive in heavy clays and will start to thrive as you decrease the clay content. So start with the "best" list if you're unsure.

Best Trees for Clay Soil

Apples and Crabapples
Norway and Silver Maple
Common Honeylocust
Aspen and Cottonwood
River Birch
Kentucky Coffeetree
White, Black, Green Ash
Elms
European Larch and Tamarack
Ohio Buckeye and Horsechestnut
Hawthorn
Lindens
Bur Oak and Eastern Pin Oak
Swamp White Oak
Willow

Trees That Tolerate Clay

Balsam and White (Concolor) Fir
Freemani, Red and Amur Maples
Norway and Black Hills Spruce
Austrian, White and Scotch Pines
Japanese Tree Lilac
Gingko
Black Walnut

Best Shrubs For Clay Soil

Alpine Currant
Honeysuckle
Siberian Peashrub
Arborvitae
Lilac
Snowberry
Chokeberry
Ninebark
Arrowwood and Nannyberry Viburnum
Redtwig Dogwood
Potentilla
European and Highbush Cranberry Viburnum
Forsythia
Russian Olive
Willow

Shrubs That Tolerate Clay

Barberry
Winged Euonymus
Serviceberry
Diervilla
Junipers
Sumac
Pagoda Dogwood
Winterberry

Comments for
Best Trees and Shrubs for Clay

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black walnut
by: Anonymous

I do have to say that our Black Walnut trees grow quite nicely here. I also have to say that I wish we did not have them! It has taken me five years of trial and error to grow anything near them! They are one of my biggest nightmares!:>

trees/shrubs
by:

I agree - many garden centres sell trees, shrubs, and perennials that are on our invasive plant list for Ontario.

Big problem in southern Ontario is buckthorn....it is literally taking over our park lands, thankfully it is not sold in a garden centres.

Clay Soil Trees/Shrubs - Zone 9
by: Candi

Magnolias, Crepe Myrtle and some Japanese Maple trees grow very well in clay soil within zone 9. Bottlebrush, Wax Myrtle, Privet, Camelias, azaleas and Lorapetalum are what I consider shrubs (when mature) that will thrive also. Several types of Holly are popular here too.

Trees and shrubs in clay soil
by: Dorothy

I have found that Cypress, Chokecherry, Cedars and Japanese Maple ll tolerate clay soi.

All hydrangeas. in my experience, tolerate clay soil also.

Shrubs for clay soil
by: Artichoke Gal

I have found that the mallows do quite well in my clay soil. Also, as for perennials, Japanese sweet flag is thriving in clay soil beneath a stone wall in an area that is sometimes underwater from poor drainage.

why include weeds?
by: Fossiljim

Great list for those wishing to increase their odds of planting trees that have a fighting chance in clay.
I wonder if we should be taking a more pro-active stance though when it comes to suggesting plants that are outright thugs, no matter if they're continually sold in garden centres etc. The Norway Maple is so invasive there is a danger of it replacing our native flora.
The thousands of keys dropped are so good at outgrowing our local vegetation that entire areas have been devastated. Gardeners should be aware that some species just should not be tolerated in the local landscape, no matter how nice it looks, how easy it is to take care of, or how many neighbours etc have one.

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Doug Green