Living in Northeast Illinois
Let's celebrate Earth Day everyday by planting hardy, native trees such as: Oaks, Hickories, River and Paper Birch, White Pine, Serviceberry, Black Chokeberry, Hawthorn, Viburnum and others.
OAKS (Quercus sp.): Our most important native species.
Host trees for Imperial and Polyphemus moths, Red-spotted Purple and several species of Hairstreak butterflies.
• Bur Oak (Q. macrocarpa) Pictured left: 50 - 100' tall and wide. Full sun. Mesic.
• White Oak (Q. alba): 50-80' tall and wide. Mildly shade tolerant. Mesic, but won't accept wet soil.
• Swamp White Oak (Q. bicolor): 50-80' tall and wide. Full sun. Wet soil.
• Red Oak (Q. rubra): 50-80' tall and 40-80' wide. Somewhat shade tolerant, accepts light shade. Dry- Mesic.
• Pin Oak (Q. palustris): 60-70' tall and 45' wide. Sun to partial shade. Must be wet.
HICKORIES (Carya sp): Important savanna species along with oaks.
Host trees for Luna moth, several species of Hairstreak and Skipper butterflies.
• Shagbark Hickory (C. ovata): 40-60' tall and 25-35' wide. Accepts some shade when young but full sun later. Mesic to dry soil.
• Bitternut Hickory (C. cordiformis): 40-60' tall and 30-40' wide. Shade tolerant when young. Full sun when mature. Mesic to dry soil.
• AMERICAN LINDEN or BASSWOOD (Tilia americana): 50-70' tall and 40-50' wide. Tolerates a little shade but best in full sun. Mesic soil.
Host tree for Question Mark, Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, Red-spotted Purple, and Mourning Cloak butterflies.
• SUGAR MAPLE (Acer saccharum) Pictured right: 50-75' tall and 35-55' wide. Shade to partial shade. Mesic to dry-mesic soil.
• HACKBERRY(Celtis occidendentalis): 50-60' tall and 40-50' wide. Full sun. Mesic to slightly wet.
Host tree for Question Mark, Mourning Cloak, American Snout, Hackberry Emperor butterflies and Io moth.
• ASH (Fraxinus sp): A wonderful group of trees that we do not recommend because of emerald ash borer.
Host trees for American Dagger, Giant Leopard moths and Easter Tiger Swallowtail, Hickory Horned Devil, Linden Looper, and Spiny Oak butterflies.
• BIRCH (Betula sp): Fast-growing trees, often with beautiful bark. Most need a good moisture supply.
Host trees for Imperial and Luna moths, Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, Compton Tortoiseshell, Mourning Cloak, and Duskywing butterflies.
• River Birch (B. nigra): 30-40' tall and 20-30' wide. Full sun. Wet or wet-mesic soils.
• Paper Birch (B. papyrifera): 50-60' tall and 30' wide. Full to partial sun. Wet or wet-mesic soils.
EVERGREEN TREES: Great winter shelter for birds, some food value for wildlife.
Host trees for Imperial moth.
• White Pine (Pinus strobus): 50-70' tall and 40-50' wide. Tolerates light shade. Prefers full sun. Mesic to dry.
• White Cedar, Eastern Arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis): 20-30' tall and 10-15' wide. Full sun. Moist, cool soil.
SMALLER TREES
• Serviceberry (Amelanchier sp): 20-25' tall and wide, depending on species. Most tolerate light shade but prefer sun. Mesic to slightly damp.
Host tree for Blindy Sphinx moth and Striped Hairstreak butterfly.
• Blue Beech (Carpinus caroliniana): 15-20' tall and wide. Tolerates light shade, prefers full sun. Mesic.
• American Plum (Prunus americana): 15-20' tall and 10-15' wide. Full sun. Mesic to dryish soil.
• Cherry species ( Prunus sp.): Size varies with species from 50' tree to 15' shrub. Full sun. Mesic to dry soil.
Host for Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, Coral Hairstreak, Spring Azure, Red-spotted purple, and Viceroy butterflies.
• Hawthorn species (Crataegus sp.): 15-30' tall and 15-35' wide, depending on species. Full sun. Mesic
Host for Mourning Cloak and Striped Hairstreak butterflies and Interrupted Dagger, Small-eyed Sphinx, and Smeared Dagger moths.
Redbud (Cercis canadensis): 15' tall and 10' wide. Full sun to light shade. Mesic.
VIBURNUMS (Viburnum sp.): Among the most beautiful, healthy, and wildlife-friendly of all native shrubs.
Host for Hummingbird Cloverwing butterfly.
• Blackhaw Viburnum (V. prunifolium): 15' tall and 8-12' wide. Full sun to partial shade. Mesic soil.
• Nannyberry Viburnum (V. lentago): 15' tall and 8-12' wide. Full to partial sun. Mesic soil.
• Maple Leaf Viburnum (V. acerfolium): 4-6' tall and wide. Partial shade. Mesic soil.
• American Cranberry (V. trilobum): 8-10' tall and 6-8' wide. Full sun to partial shade. Mesic to dry Mesic soil.
• Arrow Wood Viburnum (V. dentatum): 8-10' tall and 5-8' wide. Full sun to partial shade. Mesic to dry mesic soil.
• American Hazelnut (Corylus americana): 8-10' tall and wide. Full sun to partial shade. Mesic.
Host for Polyphemus moth and Saddled prominent butterfly.
• Spicebush (Lindera benzoin): 6-12' tall and wide. Sun and shade tolerant. Mesic or wet Mesic.
Host for Spicebush Swallowtail butterfly and Giant Leopard and Promethea moths.
• Ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius): 8-10' tall and wide. Full sun to partial shade. Mesic to damp Mesic.
DOGWOODS (Cornus, sp.): provide good wildlife food and ice blossoms.
Host for Polyphemus moth and dogwood thyativid, spring/summer Azure butterflies.
• Pagoda Dogwood (C. alternifolia): 15' tall and 10-15' wide. Shade. Mesic or moist Mesic.
• Red Osier Dogwood (C. stolonifera): 6-8' tall and wide. Full sun. Mesic to moist soil.
• Gray Dogwood (C. racemosa): 6-9' tall and 3-6' wide. Full sun to partial shade. Mesic to moist mesic.
• Witch Hazel (Hamamelis virginiana): 10-15'tall and wide. Full sun to partial shade. Mesic.
• Elderberry (Sambucus canadensis): 8-10' tall and 6-8' wide. Full to half day sun. Mesic to damp soil.
• Hydrangea (Hydrangea arorescens): 3-5' tall and wide. Shade. Moist soil.
• Winterberry (Ilex verticillata): 8-12' tall and wide. Full sun. Moist to wet soil.
• Black Chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa): 6' tall and 4' wide. Full sun to partial shade. Mesic to wet.
Several species not detailed above are important as hosts for butterflies/ lepodoptera, including:
• Cottonwood and other poplars: Viceroy, Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, Red-spotted Purple, and Mourning Cloak butterflies and Twin-spotted Sphinx, Satin and Virgin moths.
• Willows: Viceroy, Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, several Hairstreak species, Compton Tortoiseshell, Northern Finned Prominent, and Mourning Cloak butterflies.
• American Elm: Question Mark, Eastern Comma, and Mourning Cloak butterflies
• Black Walnut: Luna moth
• Sumac: Luna moth and Spring/Summer Azure butterflies
List compiled by Citizens for Conservation Community Education committee.
