Westchester County NY Government

Municipal “street tree”

There are some non-native trees that are particularly well suited to use as street trees. While not native (and therefore often less supportive of local biodiversity), they do not grow aggressively or invade our local ecosystems, and therefore are not considered invasive at this time. They can be a good choice for planting in Westchester in certain settings. For example, the London planetree (Platanus x acerifolia) and the gingko tree (Ginkgo biloba) are good choices for planting near streets, sidewalks and driveways with plenty of space for large mature trees. While they are non-native trees, they can tolerate harsh conditions and are not considered invasive at this time. Below is a selection from the list of “New York City Approved Street Trees” that are non-native and that are recommended for Westchester County:

Title: New York City Approved Street Tree List
Sponsor Organization: New York City Parks
Description: Database of approved street trees for planting in NYC.

To look up any of the trees on this list for photos and growing requirements, use the Woody Plant Database:

Title: Woody Plant Database
Sponsor Organization: Cornell University Urban Horticulture Institute
Description: Find the right tree for your site. Use this tool to help you choose the right tree, shrub or woody vine based on your site’s conditions. See photos and growing requirements of many trees using this tool.

When selecting a tree to plant, make sure to check its cold hardiness rating to see if it can tolerate the minimum winter temperatures of your locale.

The 2012 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map shows that the planting zones for Westchester County are 6b and 7a. The northernmost communities have colder winter temperatures, and therefore are in Zone 6b. New York planting zones range from 3b (coldest winter temperatures in NY) to 7b (warmest winter temperatures in NY). Check the hardiness zones for which the tree you are considering is rated. For example, according to the Cornell School of Horticulture’s Woody Plant Data Base, a white oak tree (Quercus alba) is “hardy to Zone 3b”. This means that the tree can be planted in zones as cold as Zone 3b, and in all warmer zones in New York, that is Zones 3b,4a, 4b,5a,5b,6a,6b,7a, and 7b.

Plant trees that can cope with our changing climate
Due to our changing climate, scientists have predicted which species of trees will thrive in Westchester in the future. The US Forest Service Climate Change Tree Atlas provides the results of modeled potential suitable habitat for 125 tree species in the East. The species list for Westchester County can be found in the Urban Areas List. Use the Woody Plant Database to learn about each species listed in the Climate Change Tree Atlas.

Title: Climate Change Atlas - Urban Areas Summaries
Sponsor Organization: US Forest Service
Description: Urban area 63217, New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut is the selection for Westchester County. The USFS recommends selecting species currently present (often common or abundant) that are likely to cope with the changing climate: for these species, we simply select among those with a Fair, Good, or Very Good capability to cope under low (Capabil45) or high (Capabil85) emissions.

Below is the list of recommended native trees that are predicted to cope well with climate change in Westchester County.

Lasdon Park and Arboretum, Westchester’s “Public Garden”, has a collection of street trees that are labelled and on display as part of the “Street Tree Allee Collection." Visit to learn more and see the trees in person before you choose one.

Title: Lasdon Park and Arboretum
Sponsor Organization: Westchester County Department of Parks, Recreation, and Conservation and Friends of Lasdon Park & Arboretum
Description: Lasdon Park, Arboretum, and Veterans Memorial, located in Katonah, New York on 234 acres of landscape consisting of ornamental display gardens, containers, orchard, tree and shrub collections, conservatory with tropical plants and changing exhibitions, greenhouses, forests, meadows, and hiking trails. The “Street Tree Allee” Collection may be useful for viewing as one selects a species of tree to plant.

The species of trees that have evolved in any particular region are referred to as “native” trees and are an important part of the local ecosystems. Healthy ecosystems clean our air and water, maintain our soil, help regulate the climate and provide us with food. For the purposes of this website, trees considered “native” to the Northeastern U.S.A. are those that were here before European settlers arrived. Many popular trees, while attractive, are not native to this region and provide little to no support to the wildlife in our region. Native trees support our local insects, birds, and animals; are adapted to local weather conditions; provide a unique natural heritage to Westchester County, and are critical to the health of our ecosystem.

Title: Homegrown National Park – Tallamy’s Hub
Sponsoring Organization: Homegrown National Park
Description: Doug Tallamay is a preeminent Professor of Entomology and Biology at the University of Delaware. This website provides access to many of his talks and articles which detail why it is critical to our health and well-being that we plant native trees.

Do not plant invasive trees
An "invasive” species is one that is not native to the ecosystem under consideration; and whose introduction causes, or is likely to cause, economic or environmental harm or harm to human health. Please do not plant any non-native, invasive trees.

There are a few tree species that were imported to Westchester years ago that have actually harmed the local ecosystem. For example, the Norway maple (Acer platanoides) was planted along streets in Westchester for decades to replace the American elms (Ulmus americana) that were decimated by Dutch elm disease. Norway maples can tolerate the harsh conditions of the urban landscape, such as road de-icing salt. Due to its successful growth and reproduction, however, the Norway maple has invaded our woodlands to the point of outcompeting our native trees and damaging the local ecosystem. It is now referred to as an “invasive” tree species and New York State now regulates planting of Norway maples, as well as other invasive plants.

Read more about Combating Invasive Species.

In 2015, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation implemented rules prohibiting and regulating invasive species in New York to help control invasive species by reducing their introduction and spread. The regulations list what tree species you should not plant. (NYCRR Part 575).

Title: New York Invasive Species Regulations
Sponsoring Organization: NYS Department of Environmental Conservation
Description: This resource lists which trees one should not plant. It also lists other species such as other plants, fish, etc. of which New York prohibits introduction. It contains all the information you need to understand the current invasive species regulations in NYS.

Westchester is also in the Lower Hudson Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management (Lower Hudson PRISM) that monitors and manages invasive species throughout the region. Think of Lower Hudson PRISM as your “neighborhood watch” for new invasive species and managing current infestations. Learn more about the Lower Hudson PRISM.

Title: Species Information
Sponsoring Organization: Lower Hudson PRISM
Description: List of all invasive and potentially invasive species in the Lower Hudson region that is updated annually by Lower Hudson PRISM Partners annually.

For your convenience, below is Lower Hudson PRISM’s list of invasive trees that should NOT be planted in Westchester County.