Best native trees for Minnesota and the Upper Midwest

Which native trees grow wild in Minnesota and the Upper Midwest, what zones 3 to 5 rule out, which natives replace a dying ash, and when to plant in the north.

In Minnesota’s north woods, plant red pine and jack pine on sand and rock, and balsam fir and yellow birch on cool, moist ground. Northern white cedar and tamarack take the swamps and bogs. In the hardwood forest that crosses the state from the southeast to the northwest, plant American basswood and northern red oak. The southeastern bluffs add shagbark hickory and black walnut. At the prairie edge, plant bur oak, with chokecherry and American plum. Choose trees hardy to zone 3 in the north, and plant bare-root stock in early spring.

Guides for other regions: Central and North Texas · Great Lakes and Midwest · Great Plains · Gulf Coast · Mid-Atlantic · New England and New York · Ozarks · Southeast · Southern Appalachians

Tall, straight pine trunks beside white-barked birches over ferns turning orange in an open northern forest — Red pine among birches in the Superior National Forest, Minnesota, on September 19, 2011. In much of the north woods, the conifers mingle with aspen, birch, sugar maple and basswood. Photo: Superior National Forest, CC BY 2.0 (source)

Where the north woods, the hardwood forest and the prairie meet

Minnesota falls into four ecological provinces, each with its own trees:

The north woods, a little more than 23 million acres of the northeast, hold conifer forest, mixed forest and conifer bogs and swamps. They run on across northern Wisconsin and Michigan.
The hardwood forest, nearly 12 million acres of the center and southeast, is where many forest species reach their western limits.
The prairie, just over 16 million acres of the west and southwest, was tallgrass. It runs on into Iowa and the Dakotas, which the Great Plains guide covers.
The aspen parkland of the northwest, about 3 million acres, is prairie and fen dotted with aspen groves and scattered bur oaks.

Fire drew the lines between them. Dry winters, short-lived snow cover and drying westerly winds brought severe spring fires that favored grass over trees on the prairie. Fire sorted the trees too:

“In Minnesota these woodlands include sugar maples in areas where lakes, rivers, and rugged terrain protect them from fire. At the prairie’s edge, where fires are common, oaks dominate.” (Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Deciduous forest biome)

Zones and when to plant

On the 2023 hardiness zone map, Minnesota runs from zone 3a in the far north to 5a in the Twin Cities and parts of the south:

Zone	Coldest night on average, °F	Where in Minnesota
3a	-40 to -35	Small pockets of Koochiching and St. Louis counties
3b	-35 to -30	Most of the north, from Roseau to Cook
4a	-30 to -25	The Red River Valley and the middle, from Detroit Lakes to Aitkin
4b	-25 to -20	Most of the south, and the shore at Duluth
5a	-20 to -15	The Twin Cities, Fairmont and stretches of the Minnesota River valley

Lake Superior moderates its shore, where the growing season runs about 10 days longer than 6 miles inland. Northern Wisconsin and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula read mostly 4a and 4b. The ZIP code lookup gives your half zone.

Extreme lows of minus 40 to minus 45 degrees in the northwest exceed what some woody species can survive. Keep trees rated only to zone 4, such as black walnut and shagbark hickory, to zones 4 and 5. Northern pin oak is one of the few North American oaks hardy in zone 3, and bur oak reaches farther north than any other American oak.

A large fallen bur oak leaf on dry leaves, its lobes cut deep near the middle and its broad top wavy — A fallen bur oak leaf on November 5, 2026. Bur oak formed Minnesota's oak savannas, and it stands scattered through the aspen parkland of the northwest. Photo: Blue Whale Trees

Plant bare-root trees in early spring, before growth begins, and potted or balled trees from spring into fall. Water new trees thoroughly in late fall, just before the soil freezes. Our planting-window tool puts the median last spring frost of Minnesota’s zone 4 at May 5. In the North, spring is safer for bare-root trees. Blue Whale Trees ships live plants while they are dormant, from February through May and in October and November.

The north woods: pine, fir, cedar and bog

In the pine country of the central north, white and red pine held the moraines and jack pine the dry outwash sand. Black spruce, tamarack, northern white cedar and black ash filled the wet ground. Fire every 10 to 40 years kept conifers, aspen and birch in charge there. On the North Shore, aspen and paper birch have replaced the logged pines. Of ours, these belong in the north:

Red pine, the state tree, for sandy loam and dry, rocky ridges in full sun. Zones 2 to 5, 50 to 80 feet.
Jack pine, a pioneer after fire on the poorest, driest sand. Zones 2 to 7, 35 to 65 feet.
Balsam fir, the fragrant fir of cool forests and swamps, whose stands shelter deer. Zones 2 to 7, 40 to 75 feet.
Northern white cedar, the wild arborvitae, for cedar swamps and a dense screen. Zones 2 to 7, 40 to 60 feet.
Tamarack, the larch that turns gold in fall and is usually the first tree into a filling bog. Zones 2 to 6, 50 to 75 feet.
Yellow birch, the largest eastern birch, for cool, moist ground. Zones 3 to 7, 60 to 75 feet.

We do not grow quaking aspen, paper birch, eastern white pine, white spruce or black spruce. Red pine grows wild across much of northern Minnesota, and the state’s natural resources agency calls it popular for forest planting for its resistance to disease and insects. The Morton Arboretum, writing for the Chicago region, where red pine grows wild in only a few counties, warns against it:

“Despite its nativity, it is no longer recommended because of its susceptibility to a number of disease and insect problems. […] Red pine is not recommended for planting anywhere in the Midwest.” (The Morton Arboretum, Red pine)

The hardwood forest: basswood, maple and oak

The Big Woods, a block of hardwood forest astride the Minnesota River at settlement, was mostly elm, basswood, sugar maple and oak. In Grimm’s 1984 study of the land survey notes, elm made up 27 percent of its maple-basswood forest, basswood 14, sugar maple 12 and bur oak 10. In the southeastern bluffs, red oak, white oak, shagbark hickory and basswood grew on the moister slopes, and black walnut in sheltered valleys. We do not grow sugar maple. Of ours, these belong in the hardwood forest:

American basswood, the honey tree of the northern forest, which takes cold, shade and clay. Zones 2 to 8, 60 to 90 feet.
Northern red oak, fast and long-lived, among the commonest trees of the Big Woods. Zones 3 to 8, 50 to 75 feet.
White oak, for the oak woods of the eastern margins and the bluffs. Zones 3 to 9, 50 to 80 feet.
Black maple, a close relative of sugar maple that reaches farther west into drier country. Zones 3 to 8, 60 to 75 feet.
Shagbark hickory, the sweetest wild nut in the eastern forest. Zones 4 to 9, 60 to 90 feet.
Black walnut, for deep, fertile, well-drained soil. Zones 4 to 9, 70 to 100 feet.

A black walnut crown seen from below, long compound leaves of many narrow leaflets turned yellow against a pale sky — Black walnut in fall color on November 1, 2026. In Minnesota's southeastern bluffs, black walnut grew with red oak and basswood in sheltered valleys. Photo: Blue Whale Trees

The oak savanna and the prairie edge

Where prairie fires burned often enough to keep oak openings from closing into forest, bur oak savanna covered the rolling ridges and tallgrass prairie the level ground. On the Anoka Sand Plain of central Minnesota, the droughty uplands held oak barrens of small, misshapen bur oak and northern pin oak, and severe droughts killed both. Of ours, these take the savanna and the prairie edge:

Bur oak, whose thick, corky bark carries old trees through prairie fires. Zones 3 to 9, 60 to 80 feet.
Northern pin oak, the most drought-tolerant red oak, for dry, acid sand. Zones 3 to 7, 50 to 70 feet.
Chokecherry, a thicket-forming cherry for shelterbelts and stream banks. Zones 2 to 10, 20 to 30 feet.
American plum, the hardiest native plum, a shelterbelt tree for the prairie. Zones 3 to 8, 15 to 25 feet.
Prairie crabapple, the wild crab of the upper Mississippi Valley, for woodland and prairie edges. Zones 2 to 8, 20 to 30 feet.
American hazelnut, a nut thicket for turkeys and grouse, and the shrub row of a windbreak. Zones 3 to 9, 8 to 12 feet.

Open-grown oaks with gnarled trunks and thinning autumn leaves over tall grass, a gravel path running beside them — Oak savanna at Crane Meadows National Wildlife Refuge in Morrison County, Minnesota, on October 24, 2013. Frequent fire kept such oak openings from closing into forest. Photo: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Midwest Region, Public domain (source)

What to plant where ash dies

Minnesota has close to a billion ash trees, more than any other state, and emerald ash borer kills every native ash. It was found in St. Paul in 2009 and in greater Duluth in 2015. Black ash grows in nearly pure stands on wet ground, where it helps hold the water table. Where the borer kills it, the wet forest may turn to grass, cattails and shrubs.

Ash material and hardwood firewood may not enter Minnesota from other states without proper certification, one of the state rules on shipping. For an ash already in the yard, the advice is plain:

“If you already have an ash tree in your yard and it is healthy, there is no reason to remove it. […] But we strongly recommend not to plant additional ash.” (University of Minnesota Extension, Replacements for ash trees in yards and boulevards)

These natives take the place of ash on wet ground:

Swamp white oak, native only to Minnesota’s southeast, yet proven in floodplain trials in the north and expected to fare well in a warming climate. Zones 3 to 8, 50 to 60 feet.
Common hackberry, proven in southern floodplain trials, a hardy tree that takes heat, drought, wind and ice. Zones 2 to 9, 40 to 60 feet.
Balsam poplar, the northernmost American hardwood, proven in wet-forest trials in the north. Zones 2 to 5, 30 to 100 feet.
River birch, for floodplains and stream banks that sometimes flood, in the Twin Cities and the bluff country. Zones 3 to 9, 40 to 70 feet.

A tall river birch trunk seen from below, its dark bark broken into scaly plates, a vine’s yellow leaves beside it — An old river birch in dark, scaly bark on November 1, 2026. It suits floodplains and stream banks that sometimes flood. Photo: Blue Whale Trees

Northern white cedar did well in the northern wet-forest trials too. The trials’ elms were disease-resistant selections, and the seed-grown American elm we grow can still catch Dutch elm disease. Plant several kinds, since a mix of trees helps a yard survive the next insect or disease.

Oak wilt, elm disease, buckthorn and winter

Oak wilt

Oak wilt infects every oak in Minnesota, killing a red oak within about two months and a bur oak in one to seven years. It is widespread in east-central and southeast Minnesota and spreading north. Sap beetles carry it to fresh wounds, so prune oaks only from November through March.

Northern red oak leaves turning red among green ones, their pointed lobes tipped with bristles, on young stems — Northern red oak leaves turning on October 31, 2026. Oak wilt can kill a red oak within about two months, and a bur oak in one to seven years. Photo: Blue Whale Trees

Dutch elm disease

Dutch elm disease reached Minnesota in 1961 and is now in every county. Every native elm can catch it, rock elm and slippery elm among them. Plant an elm at least 60 feet from the next, and watch for leaves wilting branch by branch.

Buckthorn

Common and glossy buckthorn, brought from Europe as hedging, form dense thickets that crowd out the native shrubs and small trees where many birds nest. Their leaves stay green late into fall. Invasive vines and shrubs covers clearing them and replanting the gap.

Deer, rabbits and voles under snow

Voles chew bark hidden under the snow, and rabbits gnaw higher as it deepens. Set a guard 18 to 24 inches above the snow line you expect, and mow short within 2 feet of young trees in late fall. Deer browse northern white cedar heavily, so fence its seedlings. Protecting trees from animals has the hardware.

A young swamp white oak with broad, lobed leaves standing inside a low ring of fine wire mesh on a mown lawn — A young swamp white oak inside a ring of wire mesh on October 21, 2026. Against rabbits, a guard should reach 18 to 24 inches above the snow line expected. Photo: Blue Whale Trees

Sunscald, winter burn and road salt

Winter sun kills patches of thin bark on the south or southwest side of a young trunk, and a white guard reflects it, as frost cracks and sunscald explains. Evergreens lose water to winter sun and wind while their roots sit in frozen soil. Set trees at least 7 feet back from a salted road, and see native street trees for the natives that take salt.

Where to start

Your state’s natives: the native trees by state tool lists the ones we grow for Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan and the Dakotas.
A tree for zone 3: the tree finder is set here to zone 3, a large tree and full sun.
Distance from the house: the site check tests an American basswood 30 feet from a wall in zone 4.
The season: the planting window gives the dates for a bare-root sapling in zone 4 of Minnesota.
The trees in the opening paragraph: put them on a request list, and we reply with what is ready and current pricing.

Common questions

What trees are native to Minnesota?

Red pine, jack pine, balsam fir, tamarack, aspen and paper birch fill the north woods. Elm, basswood, sugar maple and oak led the hardwood forest, and bur oak the savannas of the prairie edge.

Which native trees grow in zone 3?

Red pine, jack pine, balsam fir, tamarack, northern white cedar and American basswood are hardy to zone 2. Bur oak, northern pin oak and northern red oak are hardy to zone 3.

When should you plant trees in Minnesota?

Plant bare-root trees in early spring, before growth begins, and potted or balled trees from spring into fall. Water a fall planting thoroughly just before the soil freezes.

What can I plant instead of ash in Minnesota?

A mix of natives matched to the site: swamp white oak and hackberry on floodplains, and balsam poplar and northern white cedar in the wet forests of the north. Keep a healthy ash, but plant no more.

When is it safe to prune oaks in Minnesota?

From November through March, the safe season against oak wilt. If a cut cannot wait between April and July, cover the wound at once with latex paint or shellac.

Map Downloads: USDA Agricultural Research Service, 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the state maps of Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan, Minnesota’s zones from 3a to 5a with each zone’s coldest night and where each lies, and the zones of northern Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula.
Deciduous forest biome: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, with its pages on the coniferous forest and tallgrass aspen parkland biomes, on the Laurentian Mixed Forest, Eastern Broadleaf Forest, Prairie Parkland and Tallgrass Aspen Parklands provinces, on the Big Woods, Oak Savanna, Anoka Sand Plain, Blufflands, Pine Moraines and Outwash Plains and North Shore Highlands subsections, and on red pine, emerald ash borer, oak wilt and buckthorn: the quotation; the four provinces, their acreage, forests and reach into neighboring states; spring fire on the prairie; the Big Woods’ trees and Grimm’s 1984 ranking; the bluffs’ forests; the pines, bogs, fire and logging of the north; the oak savanna, the oak barrens and the parkland; extreme lows in the northwest; the North Shore’s longer season; red pine’s sites and its planting by foresters; the borer’s arrival and black ash; oak wilt’s toll and range; and buckthorn’s thickets.
Replacements for ash trees in yards and boulevards: University of Minnesota Extension (Julie Weisenhorn and Matt Russell, reviewed 2026), with its pages Replacement trees for ash woodlands with emerald ash borer, Emerald ash borer in Minnesota, Oak wilt in Minnesota, Dutch elm disease, Planting and transplanting trees and shrubs, Protecting trees and shrubs in winter, How to manage vole damage on lawns, trees and shrubs, and The effects of deicing salts on landscapes: the quotation; the ash replacements proven in trials and where each suits; swamp white oak’s range and promise; hackberry’s hardiness; river birch’s sites; elms 60 feet apart; deer on cedar; diverse planting; Minnesota’s ash count; the oak pruning seasons and the wound cover; Dutch elm disease’s arrival, reach and hosts; planting seasons for bare-root, potted and balled stock; late fall watering; sunscald, winter drying and guards against rabbits; voles under snow; and planting back from salted roads.
Red pine: The Morton Arboretum: the quotation, and red pine’s few native counties in northeastern Illinois.
Emerald ash borer: Minnesota Department of Agriculture: ash material and hardwood firewood barred from entering Minnesota without certification.