When planting on clay it’s best to plant on a slope and take care to improve the soil when planting. Shade-loving shrubs will appreciate the canopy of the silver maple. Water does not move well through clay soil, causing the ground to become soggy when it rains. The acorn produced by the bur oak tree has a fringed top. The tree can reach a height of 70 feet and width of 60 feet. Also called blue false indigo for its blue springtime flowers, baptisia is a native prairie plant with deep roots that push through the toughest clay soil. Raskauskas is active in the small business she and her husband have owned since 2000 and is a former MS Office instructor. Fir Trees. Arborvitae The arborvitae class of plants is made up of a few different varieties of tall, pyramid-shaped trees or shrubs with needles and cones, any of which will grow tall and strong in clay. Their glossy-green hue turns yellow in fall. Propagate via seeds in fall, hardwood cuttings in summer or softwood cuttings in spring. Grafted Citrus trees do better on clay soils than cutting grown trees, and those on a full-size rootstock tend to do better than those on dwarf. Shagbark hickory (Carya ovata) is from the Juglandaceae, or walnut, family. Plant a river birch tree in full sun to partial shade in moist, acidic soils. Arborvitae are hardy up to USDA growing zone 3. Plant early spring bloomers, such as Bearded Irises, Hepatica, and Creeping Phlox. Plant crab apples in the landscape, away from sidewalks or driveways, to avoid messy and potentially slippery areas caused by falling fruit. The sap of the silver maple can be used to make maple syrup; it can also be dried and used in fireplaces. Therefore, it is important when choosing plants for clay soils, that they are chosen from species which grow naturally in clay soils. Samuels studied pre-medicine at Berry College. Plant a Chinese elm in any soil in full sun to partial shade with regular watering. The peculiarity of clay is that in the absence of rain, the top layer of soil … Cold hardy to USDA zone 3, silver maple is a deciduous tree that can reach 65 feet tall and 50 feet wide. Its lupine-like flowers turn into blackened seed pods which are often used in dried flower arrangements. sand. T.M. We’ve selected some of the best trees to grow in clay, although we still recommend improving clay soil prior by working in some organic matter. Propagate via seeds or by cuttings. Learn which plants thrive in your Hardiness Zone with our new interactive map! Learn which plants thrive in your Hardiness Zone with our new interactive map! E = evergreen; N = native to Maine Trees: Acer saccharinum N Silver Maple Betula nigra River Birch Carya ovata N Shagbark Hickory Crataegus species (some N) Hawthorn Fraxinus pennsylvanica N Green Ash Gleditsia triacanthos Honeylocust Juglans cinerea N Butternut Larix decidua European Larch Larix laricina N Tamarack Malus cultivars Crabapple Populus species (some N) […] While the plants listed prefer or tolerate clay conditions, it’s always good to amend the soil with compost on a routine basis to provide nutrients for the plants. All Rights Reserved. Flowering crab apple trees grow up 25 feet tall. Bur oak is USDA cold-hardy to zone 2. Hackberry is a tough shade tree that grows in a wide range of soils. Trees planted in clay soil need to withstand drying out between rains and being oversaturated during a storm. It produces brown cones. Some trees are native to clay soils, making them better performers. River birch ( Betula nigra) is part of the Betulaceae family. 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