Best Trees & Shrubs for Staten Island and New Jersey | FLS

Start With Our Region’s Growing Conditions

The best plant is not simply the most attractive one at the nursery. It is a plant whose sunlight, soil, drainage, mature size and exposure requirements match the place where it will grow.

Landscapes throughout Staten Island and nearby New Jersey can include compact residential lots, heavy or disturbed soil, coastal wind, road salt, reflected heat, deer pressure and drainage conditions that may change within a single property.

Conditions can also vary considerably between properties. A sheltered Staten Island backyard may require different plants than an exposed coastal property or a larger New Jersey landscape.

Cold hardiness is important, but it is only one part of plant selection. Sunlight, moisture, soil, wind and available space can be equally important to long-term success.

This guide is a starting point—not a one-size-fits-all list

A tree or shrub may perform beautifully on one local property and struggle on another. Always match the individual plant and cultivar to the actual planting site.

Common Regional Site Challenges

Limited Planting Space

Measure the bed and choose plants by mature height and width. Do not rely on constant pruning to keep an oversized plant contained.

Clay or Compacted Soil

Dense soil may drain slowly and limit root growth. Select plants for the actual drainage or correct the larger site problem first.

Coastal Wind and Salt

Exposed properties may experience drying wind and salt spray. Plants beside salted roads face an additional challenge.

Deer Pressure

No plant is completely deer-proof. Browse resistance can change with weather, deer populations and available food.

Reflected Heat

Pavement, stone and south-facing walls can create conditions much hotter and drier than the rest of the property.

Wet or Low Areas

Low locations may remain saturated after storms. Choose plants that tolerate moisture or address drainage before planting.

Trees and Shrubs for Privacy

Privacy plants must suit the available width as well as the desired height. They also need enough sunlight, suitable drainage and proper spacing to develop into a healthy screen.

Emerald Green Arborvitae

Thuja occidentalis ‘Smaragd’

A narrow evergreen commonly used for formal privacy screens where horizontal space is limited.

Best use: Narrow property lines, screening and evergreen structure.

Watch for: Poor drainage, drought stress, deer browsing and planting too closely.

Green Giant Arborvitae

Thuja ‘Green Giant’

A vigorous, pyramidal evergreen suited to larger screening areas with enough room for its mature width.

Best use: Tall privacy screens, property boundaries and wind protection.

Watch for: Planting in beds that are too narrow or too close to buildings, fences and utilities.

Skip Laurel

Prunus laurocerasus ‘Schipkaensis’

A broadleaf evergreen with glossy foliage that creates a softer, less formal screen than a row of narrow conifers.

Best use: Hedges, foundation screening and partially shaded sites.

Watch for: Poorly drained soil, exposed winter locations and its eventual height and width.

Nellie R. Stevens Holly

Ilex × ‘Nellie R. Stevens’

A dense evergreen holly valued for year-round screening, glossy foliage and red fruit on established plants.

Best use: Informal screens, large hedges and evergreen specimens.

Watch for: Exposed winter wind, drainage and allowing enough room for its mature dimensions.

Privacy plants need space to grow

Extremely tight spacing may create faster initial coverage, but it increases competition for water, nutrients, sunlight and air circulation as the plants mature.

Flowering Trees for Residential Landscapes

Eastern Redbud

Cercis canadensis

A small ornamental tree known for pink-purple spring flowers appearing before the leaves.

Best use: Specimen planting, woodland edges and smaller residential yards.

Watch for: Wet soil, trunk damage and excessively exposed locations.

Kousa Dogwood

Cornus kousa

A small flowering tree offering late-spring interest, attractive branching, fruit and exfoliating bark as it matures.

Best use: Specimen beds, patios and layered garden designs.

Watch for: Poor drainage, severe drought and conflicts with structures.

Serviceberry

Amelanchier species and cultivars

A versatile small tree with white spring flowers, summer fruit and colorful fall foliage.

Best use: Naturalistic landscapes, mixed borders and four-season interest.

Watch for: Cultivar size, multi-stem growth and fruit dropping near paving.

Crape Myrtle

Lagerstroemia cultivars

A summer-flowering tree or large shrub valued for vivid blooms, attractive bark and heat tolerance.

Best use: Sunny, warm and protected landscape locations.

Watch for: Cultivar hardiness, mature size, winter exposure and unnecessary severe topping.

Flowering Shrubs for Color and Structure

Panicle Hydrangea

Hydrangea paniculata cultivars

A dependable flowering shrub with large summer blooms on new growth. Cultivars range from compact shrubs to large forms.

Best use: Foundation beds, flowering hedges and sunny mixed borders.

Watch for: Mature cultivar size, afternoon heat and establishment watering.

Oakleaf Hydrangea

Hydrangea quercifolia

A multi-season shrub offering flowers, bold foliage, fall color and attractive peeling bark.

Best use: Part-shade borders, woodland-style gardens and specimen groups.

Watch for: Exposed sites, wet soil and selecting a cultivar that fits.

Weigela

Weigela florida cultivars

A sun-loving flowering shrub available in different sizes and foliage colors, with strong spring flower displays.

Best use: Mixed borders, foundation beds and seasonal color.

Watch for: Reduced flowering in shade and oversized cultivars.

Virginia Sweetspire

Itea virginica cultivars

A versatile shrub offering fragrant flowers and colorful fall foliage, with tolerance for a range of moisture conditions.

Best use: Rain-garden edges, mixed borders and mass plantings.

Watch for: Natural spreading and the selected cultivar’s mature size.

Evergreen Shrubs for Year-Round Structure

Inkberry Holly

Ilex glabra cultivars

A native broadleaf evergreen with smaller leaves and a softer, more natural appearance than traditional boxwood.

Best use: Low hedges, mass plantings and evergreen foundation structure.

Watch for: Cultivar height, insufficient light and establishment watering.

Japanese Holly

Ilex crenata cultivars

A fine-textured evergreen available in compact, spreading and upright forms.

Best use: Foundation beds, formal hedges, accents and narrow spaces.

Watch for: Poor drainage, winter stress and differences between cultivars.

Plum Yew

Cephalotaxus harringtonia cultivars

A shade-tolerant evergreen with soft needles, available in upright and spreading forms.

Best use: Shaded foundations, woodland borders and evergreen masses.

Watch for: Wet soil and choosing the correct growth habit.

Juniper

Juniperus species and cultivars

A durable group of sun-loving evergreens ranging from low groundcovers to large upright shrubs.

Best use: Sunny slopes, foundation beds, accents and low-maintenance areas.

Watch for: Shade, saturated soil and selecting the wrong mature form.

Strong Choices for Smaller Properties

Compact properties need plants selected for their mature dimensions. A dwarf cultivar is often a better investment than a naturally large plant that must be repeatedly cut back.

Landscape Need	Plant Types to Consider	What to Confirm
Narrow privacy screen	Narrow arborvitae cultivars, upright hollies and other columnar evergreens.	Mature width, sunlight, drainage and required spacing.
Below a window	Compact hydrangeas, dwarf hollies, low junipers and compact flowering shrubs.	Mature height without relying on constant shearing.
Small ornamental tree	Redbud, serviceberry, smaller dogwood cultivars or another site-appropriate ornamental tree.	Canopy width, overhead clearance, fruit and root-zone space.
Sunny slope	Spreading junipers, selected groundcovers and drought-tolerant mass plantings.	Establishment watering, erosion and spreading habit.
Part-shade foundation	Plum yew, selected hollies, oakleaf hydrangea and shade-tolerant flowering shrubs.	Drainage, winter exposure and actual hours of direct sun.

Consider Native and Regionally Adapted Plants

Native and regionally adapted plants can provide food and habitat for wildlife while contributing flowers, foliage, fruit and seasonal interest. Native status does not mean a plant will succeed in every location—the site must still provide the correct light, moisture, drainage and available space.

Eastern redbud for spring flowers and a smaller canopy
Serviceberry for flowers, fruit and fall color
Inkberry holly for evergreen structure
Winterberry holly for bright fruit on deciduous stems
Virginia sweetspire for flowers and fall color
Oakleaf hydrangea for foliage, flowers and bark interest
Arrowwood viburnum for flowers, fruit and screening

Some fruiting plants require a compatible pollinating plant nearby. Confirm pollination requirements before purchasing if fruit production is important to the design.

Planting Near Wind, Salt or Pavement

Coastal exposure and deicing salt can damage foliage, buds, stems and roots. Salt tolerance varies by plant and does not make a plant immune to repeated heavy exposure.

Place sensitive plants away from salted roads and direct salt spray.
Use fences, walls or tolerant plants to help shelter vulnerable selections.
Avoid piling salt-contaminated snow over planting beds.
Consider reflected heat and limited root space near driveways and sidewalks.
Water new plants properly so they develop resilient root systems.

Common Selection Mistakes

Buying before measuring the planting area
Choosing by appearance without checking sunlight requirements
Ignoring standing water or compacted soil
Planting large trees beneath utility lines
Placing wide shrubs in narrow foundation beds
Assuming every evergreen makes a suitable privacy screen
Ignoring coastal wind, road salt or reflected heat
Expecting a deer-resistant plant never to be browsed
Spacing plants according to their nursery size
Choosing a cultivar without checking its mature size

What to Bring to FLS

Help us recommend the right plants

Clear photos of the entire planting area
Bed length and width
Distance from the house, fence, walkway and utilities
Approximate hours of direct sunlight
Whether the strongest sun occurs in the morning or afternoon
Information about drainage or standing water
Your desired mature height and width
Privacy, flowering, shade or screening goals
Problems with deer, wind, salt or reflected heat
Your preferred maintenance level

Inventory changes throughout the season. The FLS team can help compare currently available plants and identify choices that better match your property.

Choose the site first and the plant second

Matching mature size, sunlight, soil moisture and exposure produces healthier plants and reduces unnecessary pruning, treatment and replacement.

Best Trees and Shrubs for Staten Island & New Jersey Landscapes