Prohibited Plants List
The City of Springfield follows state guidance on PROHIBITED plants. Please refer to the Massachusetts Prohibited Plant List.
Approved Species List
This Approved Species List is for use when selecting a tree species for planting on the City tree belts, within the City Right-of-way and other municipal properties. If you are interested in planting your own tree on the tree belt, please contact the Forestry Division.
This is not an exhaustive list and other species not listed may be used at the discretion of the City Forester. If there is another desired species not listed, please contact the Forestry Division.
Medium to Tall Tree Species
| Common Name | Scientific Name |
| Abies balsamea | |
| Abies concolor | |
| Abies fraseri | |
| Acer rubrum | |
| Acer saccharum | |
| Aesculus hippocastanum | |
| Aesculus hippocastanum ‘Baumannii’ | |
| Aesculus x carnea | |
| Betula nigra 'Heritage' | |
| Carpinus betulus | |
| Cedrus atlantica 'Glauca' | |
| Celtis occidentalis | |
| Cercidiphyllum japonicum | |
| Cladrastis kentukea | |
| Corylus colurna | |
| Eucommia ulmoides | |
| Ginkgo biloba | |
| Ginkgo biloba 'Princeton Sentry' | |
| Gleditsia triacanthos var. inermis | |
| Gymnocladus dioicus ‘Espresso’ |
| Ilex opaca | |
| Juglans nigra | |
| Juniperus virginiana | |
| Koelreuteria paniculata | |
| Laburnum x watereri | |
| Larix decidua | |
| Liquidambar styraciflua | |
| Liquidambar styraciflua 'Happidaze' | |
| Liquidambar styraciflua 'Slender Silhouette' | |
| Liriodendron tulipifera | |
| Liriodendron tulipifera 'Emerald city' | |
| Maclura pomifera 'White Shield' | |
| Magnolia acuminata | |
| Metasequoia glyptostroboides | |
| Nyssa sylvatica | |
| Ostrya virginiana | |
| Picea abies | |
| Picea glauca | |
| Picea omorika | |
| Picea orientalis | |
| Picea pungens | |
| Pinus nigra | |
| Pinus strobus | |
| Platanus x acerifolia | |
| Pseudotsuga menziessii | |
| Quercus acutissima | |
| Quercus alba | |
| Quercus bicolor | |
| Quercus coccinea | |
| Quercus imbricaria | |
| Quercus × warei 'Long' REGAL PRINCE | |
| Quercus macrocarpa | |
| Quercus palustris | |
| Quercus palustris 'Green Pillar' | |
| Quercus robur | |
| Quercus rubra | |
| Sciadopytus verticillata | |
| Styphnolobium japonicum | |
| Taxodium distichum | |
| Thuja plicata | |
| Tilia americana | |
| Tilia cordata | |
| Tilia tomentosa | |
| Ulmus americana |
| Ulmus parvifolia | |
| Ulmus x |
| Zelkova serrata |
Small and Underwire Tree Species
| Common Name | Scientific Name |
| Acer griseum | |
| Acer miyabei | |
| Amelanchier arborea ‘Robin Hill’ | |
| Amelanchier x grandiflora 'Autumn Brilliance' | |
| Carpinus caroliniana | |
| Cercis canadensis | |
| Cornus florida | |
| Cornus kousa | |
| Cornus mas | |
| Cornus x rutgersensis | |
| Crataegus viridis 'Winter King' | |
| Cretaegus laevigata | |
| Halesia carolinia / Halesia tetraptera | |
| Maackia amurensis | |
| Magnolia x loebneri ''Leonard Messel' | |
| Magnolia x soulangiana | |
| Malus Spp. | |
| Oxydendrum arboreum | |
| Parrotia persica | |
| Prunus (varieties) |
| Prunus cerasifera ‘KV’ | |
| Prunus sargentii | |
| Prunus subhirtella 'autumnalis' | |
| Sorbus alnifolia | |
| Stewartia pseudocamellia | |
| Styrax japonicus | |
| Syringa reticulata | |
| Zelkova serrata 'City Sprite' |