What Are Understory Trees And Why You Should Consider Planting One In Your Yard

For those who have been craving more shade, comfort, and diversity in their yard, planting a tree seems like the natural conclusion. Trees are great for your yard and its environment, as they can cool and clean the air, strengthen your soil, and buffer noise pollution. In addition to the environmental benefits to your yard, trees can also increase the property value of your home and save energy by providing shade and blocking wind. While deciding to plant a tree may be easy, picking which one may be hard. Even though choosing a tremendously tall tree is tempting and still a good choice, you should not overlook the magic of an understory tree.

Understory trees are shorter but equally valuable. They grow underneath the crowns of taller trees, typically growing between 15 and 50 feet tall. Due to their natural habitat under the canopies, understory trees thrive best in shade. Understory trees can serve several critical purposes in both their natural environments and your yard. In forests, understory trees are critical because they serve as homes to a large variety of wildlife, serving as the only nesting spot for certain birds, such as thrushes and warblers. As such, planting understory trees in your yard can bring crucial wildlife to control pests in your garden.

Size is the first and most obvious reason understory trees may serve you well in your yard. Larger trees take up significantly more space, so unless you have a massive yard, it can be difficult to safely plant a large tree near your house. On the other hand, understory trees are smaller and can be planted much closer to your home with minimal worry of damage. As long as you keep your trees healthy and thriving with these maintenance tips, you should have nothing to worry about when planting an understory tree, even if it's close to your home.

Their size also allows them to grow around and under powerlines. Unlike taller trees, which would require constant maintenance and pruning, understory trees likely won't grow to the height of powerlines. However, they will likely not provide as much privacy as taller trees, which is one you'll want to consider before planting a tree, alongside your preferred aesthetics and your specific habitat.

To find what trees may work in your yard, you can use Arbor Day's Tree Finder, which can help you narrow down the options based on where you live, what you're looking for, and what kind of soil you have. When you're ready, repurpose empty pet food bags to make planting a tree a breeze. Once the leaves start to fall, transforming fall leaves into fuel for your garden is easier than you think. You'll have a lovely small tree in no time.