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Parkway Tree Program
Parkway Tree Program
The village welcomes residents to participate in the village tree planting program. All trees are provided by the village at no charge. Each year, in the spring and fall, the Flossmoor Public Works, Flossmoor Green Commission, and volunteers plant the trees on village parkways. Planting trees is a great way to add beauty and enhance property values in our community. Trees also provide many environmental benefits, including cleaning the air we breathe, providing wildlife habitat, and providing shade to reduce temperatures.
Fill out the attached form with your preferred tree species and return to the Flossmoor Public Works Department. Tree species and location must be approved by the Village Forestry Maintenance Technician. Efforts will be made to plant your preferred tree species. Changes to species may be necessary due to nursery availability, parkway location, and to promote species diversity. Approved applications will be put on the village tree planting list and planted on a first-come, first-serve basis. Trees are planted spring and fall. For each tree approved, a wooden stake will be delivered to you with a notice of a deadline to have the stake placed. Place the stake(s) in the parkway where you prefer that the tree(s) be planted. If for any reason, the tree cannot be planted at the exact location you desire, it will be planted as close to the stake as possible. Please contact Flossmoor Public Works at 708-957-4100 with questions.
Complete the Parkway Tree Planting Application.
Fall 2023 tree planting list and descriptions (PDF)
Type of Trees
- Ironwood
- Bitternut Hickory
- Pecan
- Northern Catalpa
- Kentucky Coffee Tree
- Hackberry
- Black Cherry
- Early Glow Ohio Buckeye
- Oak Species
- Thornless Cockspur Hawthorn
- Yellowwood
- Bald Cypress
- Elm Tree Cultivars
Contact Us
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Public Works
Email the Department
Public Works Facility
1700 Central Park Avenue
Flossmoor, IL 60422
Directions
Hours of Operation
Monday through Friday
7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Phone: 708-957-4100
Fax: 708-798-0299
Staff Directory
Tree Name | Botanical Name | Description |
---|---|---|
Yellow Buckeye | Aesculus flava | Height: 60 to 80 feet, Spread: 25 to 35 feet, Form: Oval, upright. Tolerant of a wide range of soils. Prefers moist, well-drained soils in full to part sun. Attractive display of yellow flower clusters in May. Fall color is yellow to orange. Native to a few counties in southern Illinois, often found along rivers and streams. (Read more about Yellow Buckeye) |
Canada Serviceberry | Amelanchier canadesi | Height: 15 to 20 feet, Spread: 10 to 15 feet, Form: Upright. Prefers wet soils and tolerates occasional flooding. Excellent small tree for sites with restricted space. White flowers bloom in early spring. Fall color is orange and red. (Red more about Canada Serviceberry) |
Blue Beech | Carpinus caroliniana | Height: 20 to 30 feet, Spread: 20 to 30 feet, Form: compact and globular. Prefers moist, well-drained and wet soil. Moderately tolerant of drought conditions. Grows well in full sun to full shade. This native small tree is slow growing. The smooth, gray trunk forms a distinctive muscle appearance with age. Excellent yellow, orange and red fall color. (Read more about Blue Beech) |
Northern Catalpa | Catalpa speciosa | Height: 40 to 70 feet, Spread: 20 to 50 feet, Form: Rounded to narrow oval crown. Tolerant of a wide range of soils. Prefers moist, fertile soils in full-sun to part-shade. Snowy white flowers in the spring. Large, long leaves turn yellow to brown in the fall. (Read more about Northern Catalpa) |
Hackberry | Celtis occidentalis | Height: 40 to 60 feet, Spread: 40 to 60 feet, Form: oval, round, vase-shaped. This fast-growing tree is adaptable to many soil types and conditions. The tree develops. The tree develops attractive corky ridges in the bark as the tree ages. Tolerant of many conditions and soil types. Fall color is yellow. (Read more about Hackberry) |
Yellowwood | Cladrastis kentukea | Height: 30 to 50 feet, Spread: 40 to 55 feet, Form: Round, medium-sized tree. Prefers moist, well-drained soils. Adaptable to many planting sites. Fragrant, white flower clusters in the spring. Flowers bloom heavily every other year. Fall color is yellow. This tree is a rare native species to Illinois, found in only a few southern counties. (Read more about Yellowwood) |
Espresso Kentucky Coffeetree | Gymnocladus dioicus 'Espresso' | Height: 60 to 80 feet, Spread: 40 to 55 feet, Form: Attractive vertical ascending branches, bold winter outline with stout branches and furrowed bark. Prefers moist, well-dried soils. This tree is very adaptable and can tolerate poor soils and drought. Almost tropical appearance in summer. Excellent yellow fall color. (Read more about Kentucky Coffee Tree) |
Sweet Gum | Liquidamber styraciflua | Height: 60 to 80 feet, Spread: 40 to 60 feet, Form: upright growth habit with straight trunk. Prefers moist, fertile soils but is very adaptable. Star-shaped leaves turn shades of yellow, orange, purple and red in the fall. The fruit are 1 1/2 inches in diameter and remain on the tree for much of the winter. (Read more about Sweet Gum) |
Black Tupelo | Nyssa sylvatica | Height: 30 to 50 feet, Spread: 20 to 30 feet, Form: oval, upright. Prefers well-drained soils in full sun. Moderately tolerant of drought and poor drainage. Parkway locations high in organic matter is a requirement for tree health. This slow growing, native Illinois tree has excellent red fall color. (Read more about Black Tupelo) |
Swamp White Oak | Quercus bicolor | Height: 50 to 60 feet Spread: 50 to 60 feet, Form: broad, round. Grows well in well-drained to wet soils. This oak is found throughout Illinois in lowland forests. Excellent shade tree and very adaptable to the urban environment. Provides orange/gold fall color. (Read more about Swamp White Oak) |
Shingle Oak | Quercus imbricaria | Height: 40 to 60 feet, Spread: 40 to 60 feet, Form: oval, pyramidal. Full sun to shade. Prefers moist, well-draied soil. Tolerant of many conditions and soil types. Leaves are unlobed, unlike other native oaks. Fall color is yellow-brown. This oak holds leaves throughout the winter. (Read more about Shingle Oak) |
Chinquapin Oak | Quercus muehlenbergii | Height: 50 to 80 feet Spread: 50 to 60 feet, Form: pyramidal, round. Excellent parkway tree due to high drought tolerance. Prefers well-drained soils. Found in well-drained highland forest of Illinois. Leaves are coarsely toothed, unlike other oaks. Fall color is yellow to orange-brown. (Read more about Chinquapin Oak) |
Bald Cypress | Taxodium distichum | Height: 50 to 70 feet, Spread: 20 to 45 feet, Form: Pyramidal cone-bearing tree. Tolerates a wide range of soils and conditions. Excellent choice for wet areas, but adaptable to drier upland areas. Native to Southern Illinois & Southern United States swamps. Feather-like leaves turn orange in the fall. (Read more about Bald Cypress) |
Tree Name | Botanical Name | Description |
---|---|---|
Ironwood | Ostrya virgininana | Height: 25 to 40 feet, Spread: 15 to 30 feet, Form: pyramidal to round. Prefers moist, well-drained soil. Tolerant of dry and rocky soils. Grows well in full sun to shade in forest understory. Fruit looks similar to hops. This medium sized tree has attractive yellow fall color. (Read more about Ironwood) |
Bitternut Hickory | Carya cordiformis | Height: 50 to 70 feet, Spread: 40 to 50 feet, Form: oval, upright. Tolerant of dry sites and occasional flooding in full sun to full shade. This tree is one of the faster growing hickories. Fall color is yellow/brown with showy bright yellow buds in the winter. (Read more about Bitternut Hickory) |
Pecan | Carya illinoinensis | Height: 70 to 100 feet, Spread: 40 to 75 feet, Form: oval. Prefers full sun in moist to wet soils. Fast growing and very adaptable to parkway locations. This tree is native to Illinois, found in wet bottomland forests. Fall color is yellow. Nuts provide a food source for wildlife. (Read more about Pecan) |
Northern Catalpa | Catalopa speciosa | Height: 40 to 70 feet, Spread: 20 to 50 feet, Form: rounded to narrow oval crown. Tolerant of a wide range of soils. Prefers moist, fertile soils in full sun to part shade. Showy white flowers in the spring. Seedpods are 12 to 24 inches long. The large 12 inch leaves turn yellow to brown in the fall. (Read more about Northern Catalpa) |
Kentucky Coffee Tree | Gymnocladus dioicus | Height: 60 to 80 feet, Spread: 40 to 55 feet, Form: attractive vertical ascending branches, bold winter outline with stout branches and furrowed bark. Prefers moist, well-drained soils. This tree is very adaptable and can tolerate poor soils and drought. Almost tropical appearance in summer. Medium growth rate. Excellent yellow fall color. (Read more about Kentucky Coffee Tree) |
Hackberry | Celtis occidentalis | Height: 40 to 60 feet, Spread: 40 to 50 feet, Form: oval, round, vase-shaped. This fast-growing tree is adaptable to many soil types and conditions. The tree develops attractive corky ridges in the bar as the tree ages. Leaves turn yellow in the fall. |
Black Cherry | Prunus serotina | Height: 50 to 60 feet, Spread: 20 to 30 feet, Form: pyramidal with a fast growth rate. Requires moist, well-drained sites in full to part shade. Tolerant of dry sites. Showy clusters of white flowers in the spring with yellow to orange fall color. Black Cherry is found in dry highland sites in the Chicago region. (Read more about Black Cherry) |
Early Glow Ohio Buckeye | Aesculus glabrar | Height: 35 to 40 feet, Spread: 20 to 30 feet, Form: round. Prefers moist, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade. Adaptable to wet and dry locations. Attractive yellow-green flower in the spring and bright red fall color. Buckeye trees are native to Illinois and are very rare on Village Parkways. (Read more about Early Glow Ohio Buckeye) |
Swamp White Oak | Quercus bicolor | Height: 50 to 60 feet, Spread: 50 to 60 feet, Form: round. Full sun to shade. Prefers moist, well-drained soil. Tolerant of many conditions and soil types. Leaves are dark green on top with silvery/white underside. Fall color is yellow to brown. This oak makes an excellent shade tree. (Read more about Swamp White Oak) |
Bur Oak | Quercus macrocarpa | Height: 70 to 80 feet, Spread: 70 to 80 feet, Form: round. Adaptable to many soil types and locations. This Oak can be found on moist lowland forests to dry highland forests. Prefers full sun and makes an excellent shade tree for large locations. (Read more about Bur Oak) |
Yellowwood | Cladrastis kentukea | Height: 30 to 50 feet, Spread: 40 to 55 feet, Form: rounded, medium sized tree. Prefers full un and is tolerant of dry and wet conditions. White clusters of flowers hand from the tree in the spring. The yellowwood is native to North Caroline, Kentucky, Tennessee, Indiana and a few locations in southern Illinois. This rare Illinois native tree adapts well to parkways. (Read more about Yellowwood) |
Bald Cypress | Taxodium distichum | Height: 50 to 70 feet, Spread: 20 to 45 feet, Form: pyramidal cone-bearing tree. Tolerates a wide range of soils and conditions. Excellent choice for wet locations but adaptable to drier upland locations. Native to Southern Illinois and Southern United States swamps. Feather-like leaves turn orange in the fall. (Read more about Bald Cypress) |
Elm Tree Cultivars | Ulmus species | Height: various, Spread: various, Form: arching, upright, vase-shaped. The elm will be selected from a list of Dutch elm disease resistant trees. Adaptable to many soil types and locations. This fast-growing tree makes an attractive street tree with its long arching branches. Fall color is yellow to rust colored depending on the cultivar. |