People love the trees that shape their property’s landscape. They make our environments warm and cosy in the winter time. Also, they provide a source of wind resistance and helps our homes retain heat in the winter. In hurricane-prone areas, they help decrease wind damage.
It may take some time and careful preparation to create a wind-resistant landscape, but the benefit is well worth it. Keep reading to find out what trees serve best as trees resistant to wind damage.
Plant Hardiness Matters: Wind Resistant Tree Zones
Plant hardiness is the ability of a plant to survive adverse growing climates such as drought, flooding, heat and cold. plant hardiness zones have been used by growers for years to simply identify the plants that are most likely to survive the winter in their areaThe science behind plant hardiness can be complicated. Plant genetics determine the ability of a plant to withstand cold temperatures without damage.
Many plants require very specific growing environments to thrive. You can adjust many things, such as soil type, moisture levels and amount of sunlight in your garden, but temperature can be hard to control. Choosing plants with hardiness levels appropriate to specific planting zones gives you the best chance of gardening and landscaping success.
A Brief Overview of Planting Zones
Knowing what wind-resistant tree zone you live in will help you make a better decision on what type of trees for blocking wind that will thrive in your yard.
In the United States, Zone 1 is mostly the state of Alaska. This environment tends to be a very harsh environment, and the types of trees that thrive there must be able to withstand extremely cold temperatures and frequent drought.
Zone 2 covers both Alaska and some areas of the continental United States.
Zone 3 covers southern Alaska and northern parts of the United States and the western mountains.
Zone 5 includes some areas in South Alaska, the North Central United States and some regions within New England.
Zone 6 covers areas known for having what is called mild climate. This zone covers a large portion of the United States.
Zone 7 covers almost 15 states in the United States. Winters in this zone will have temperatures between 0 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit. You can expect to see a variety of plants in nurseries, local home and garden stores and greenhouses.
Zone 8 has mild winters with the low temperatures between 10 and 20 degrees Fahrenheit (10 and -6 C.). Most Zone 8 areas have temperate summer climates with cooler nights and a long growing season. This combination allows for lovely flowers, thriving vegetable plots and fruit trees.
The growing season in Zone 9 lasts from February to December. Magnolia, Hazelnut, Red Maple and Tulip Tree are the most popular trees for this zone.
Zones 10 & 11-12 – the warmest zones located in the deep southern half of the country and on the southern coastal margins (e.g Phoenix, San Francisco, Miami, state of Hawaii).
Wind Zone Map
Houston, Texas is the ideal place to plant any trees because Texas as almost all of the states is in Wind Zone 1 (70-mph fastest-mile wind speed), but be careful if you live in Wind Zone 2 (100-mph fastest-mile wind speed) or Wind Zone 3 (110-mph fastest-mile wind speed).
Top 25 Wind-Resistant Trees
Here is a list of highly recommended trees that block wind damage in the United States.
- Bald Cypress (zones 4-10): This conifer is called a swamp tree down South and often sheds needles in winter.
- Live Oak (zones 7-10): Another popular tree of the South, this one is very good for withstanding the hurricane weather typical in the Southeastern United States.
- Green Giant Arborvitae (zones 5-7): An evergreen tree that has a defined pyramid shape.
- Eastern White Pine (zones 3-6): A conifer grows up to three feet every year.
- Colorado Blue Spruce (zones 3-6): An evergreen that has a unique color.
- White Fir (zones 4-7): An evergreen that has become a popular tree for Christmas.
- Chinese Juniper (zones 4-9): An evergreen that is great for locations that have problems with deer browsing.
- White Cedar (zones 3-7): A popular cone-shaped conifer.
- Norway Spruce (zones 3-7): A sturdy evergreen that tolerates various soils.
- Douglas Fir (zones 4-6): A sturdy tree that’s perfect for icy and snowy environments.
- Eastern Redcedar (zones 2-9): An evergreen that loves to be in direct sunlight.
- Dawn Redwood (zones 5-8): A conifer that sheds needles during the winter.
- Port Orford Cedar (zones 6-10): An evergreen tree that is native to Oregon.
- Basswood (zones 2-8): A tree that has very fragrant flowers and influences pollination by attracting bees.
- Paper Bark Birch (zones 2-7): A tree with white bark that peels. This tree used to be hollowed out and made into a canoe.
- Cherry Birch (zones 3-8): A wintergreen oil-producing tree.
- Green Ash (zones 3-9): An ash tree known for its opposite branching.
- Sugar Maple (zones 3-8): One of the best trees to make maple syrup because it has a good concentration of sugar.
- American Holly (zones 5-9): A tree that loves acidic and moist soils.
- American Persimmon (zones 4-9): A deciduous tree that produces persimmon fruit (a fruit that tastes similar to an apricot).
- Southern Magnolia (zones 6-10): A popular tree in the South that has sweet-smelling flowers that bloom from May to June.
- Crepe Myrtle (zones 6-10): A plant that can be either a tree or a shrub that flourishes in the South. Both the shrub and tree have long-lasting blooms.
- Eastern Redbud (zones 3-9): A tree that has vibrant rosy-purple flowers in the spring and heart-shaped yellow leaves in the fall.
- Northern Bayberry (zones 4-6): A very fragrant tree native to North America that loves alkaline soil.
- Isanti Red-Osier Dogwood (zones 2-8): A tree that thrives in moist soil. It displays blood-red stems in the winter.
How to Plant and Space Your Trees for Blocking Wind?
Most people believe that planting trees resistant to wind damage close together maximizes the wind resistance. However, trees for blocking wind need to have ample space between them when you are planting them because they will need the space when they start to grow.
Shorter trees require about 10 feet of space between each tree and 15-to-20 feet between each row. Taller trees require about 15 feet between each tree and 25 feet of space between rows.
Another thing to consider when planting your trees for blocking wind damage is to mix the types of trees you plant on each row. If a row has the same tree planted in it, a disease or pest that destroys that type of tree will weaken the wind resistance of these trees. Therefore, it’s wise to alternate your trees by planting at least two or three types of trees on each row.
