The best fast growing shade trees for Tennessee and the Southeast are native: tulip poplar, American sycamore, river birch, red maple and willow oak. Plant them bare-root while dormant, space them for their full spread, and skip weak-wooded or invasive trees near buildings and pavement. Seedlings bought by the hundred keep the cost low.
This guide comes from Tennessee Wholesale Nursery, the family-owned wholesale nursery in Altamont, Tennessee, near McMinnville, growing trees, shrubs, perennials, wetland and native plants. This site is the nursery's own guide to planting in bulk. Hybrid poplar and weeping willow often top lists of fast growing shade trees. Both grow quickly, but neither is native to the Southeast, and willow belongs on wet ground well away from pipes and buildings. This guide sticks to native trees for the Southeast and East. Each pick below gives its listed zones, the ground it likes and the drawback to plan around. After the picks come spacing for rows, groves and parking areas, then the first-year care that gets young trees growing. It is written for landscapers, farms, schools, parks and homeowners planting many trees at once. Every tree here is in the nursery's Trees collection, sold in bundles from 25 to 1,000 plants depending on the size.
Fast growing shade trees to plant
1. Tulip poplar: tall, straight and native
Tulip poplar is Tennessee's state tree and one of the quickest native hardwoods to gain height. It grows a tall, straight trunk and bears tulip-shaped flowers in spring. Give it deep, moist, well-drained soil and full sun. It gets very large, so keep it clear of power lines and small yards. Tulip Poplar Seedlings are listed for zones 3 to 9, in bundles of 100, 500 or 1,000.
Tip: Plant it in open ground where it has room to reach full height.
2. American sycamore: big shade for open ground
American sycamore is a fast-growing native that gets very large, with pale, peeling bark. It does well in moist ground and along stream banks. Its drawback is litter: big leaves, bark and seed balls drop through the year. Sycamore Seedlings are listed for zones 3 to 9 and come in 6 to 12 inch, 12 to 18 inch and row run 6 to 24 inch sizes, in bundles of 100, 500 or 1,000.
Tip: Plant it in fields and along creeks, away from patios and parking.
3. River birch: fast shade for moist, acid soil
Virginia Cooperative Extension calls river birch a fast-growing shade tree, about 60 feet tall and 40 feet wide. It tolerates wet soil and low, poorly drained spots. It is very sensitive to alkaline soil, and it bleeds sap when pruned in spring, so avoid spring pruning. The River Birch Tree is listed for zones 4 to 9, from 6-inch plants up to 3 to 4 feet.
Tip: Water it through dry spells. It needs extra water in a drought.
4. Red maple: adaptable shade with fall color
Red maple is a native that takes both wet and drier ground, and its leaves turn red, orange and yellow in fall. It suits yards, schools, parks and reforestation blocks. Its roots run near the surface, so give it room from sidewalks and drives. Red Maple Seedlings come bare-root in 6 to 12 inch, 12 to 18 inch and row run 6 to 24 inch sizes, in bundles of 100, 500 or 1,000.
Tip: Bundles of 1,000 suit groves and reforestation.
5. Willow oak: a quick oak for lawns and streets
Willow oak grows fast for an oak. Its narrow, willow-like leaves make light litter, and its acorns are small. It takes moist ground and gives long-lived shade, which makes it a good pick for lawns, school grounds and street rows. Willow Oak Seedlings are listed for zones 3 to 9 and come in 6 to 12 inch, 12 to 18 inch and row run sizes.
Tip: Choose it where you want oak shade without heavy leaf cleanup.
Spacing for rows, groves and parking areas
Space each tree for the canopy it will have, not the stick you plant. For single shade trees in a lawn, a row along a drive or a parking island, set them roughly as far apart as their mature spread. A river birch, at about 40 feet wide, needs close to that between trunks for a full crown. For a grove, a reforestation block or quick canopy cover, plant seedlings closer, from 8 by 8 to 12 by 12 feet, and thin them later. At 10 by 10 feet that is 435 seedlings per acre, and the nursery's guide to planting tree seedlings in bulk has the full table. Near pavement, pipes and buildings, skip trees with brittle wood or thirsty roots. Silver Maple Tree grows fast but has weak wood and shallow roots, so keep it to open land and wet ground. For sturdy oak shade on open ground, mix Burr Oak Seedling stock in with the faster trees.
Care and keeping: Water each tree right after planting, as the nursery's planting instructions say, and keep the soil moist through its first dry spells. Keep grass and weeds back from around each trunk. Spread mulch or pine needles around the stem so water soaks in slowly. Walk the rows after heavy rain and firm any loose trees.
Frequently asked questions
What is the fastest-growing hardwood tree?
Tulip poplar, American sycamore and river birch are fast-growing native hardwoods for the Southeast, and Virginia Cooperative Extension calls river birch a fast-growing shade tree. Hybrid poplar is often named as faster, but it is not native here. For a planting meant to last for decades, a native hardwood is the safer choice.
Which fast-growing shade trees have non-invasive roots?
No tree root is fully non-invasive, because roots spread well beyond the trunk. Willow oak and tulip poplar are easier to live with near lawns than silver maple or weeping willow, which are known for shallow, thirsty roots. Give any shade tree plenty of room from foundations, septic lines and sidewalks.
Which fast-growing shade trees are not messy?
Willow oak drops small acorns and narrow leaves, so cleanup is light. Red maple is also fairly tidy. Sycamore is the messy pick, shedding large leaves, bark and seed balls through the year. Plant sycamore in fields and along stream banks, away from patios and parking, where its litter does no harm.
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