Best Trees to Plant in Hampton Roads: Climate-Adapted Varieties for Your Yard

Choosing the right tree for your Hampton Roads yard means accounting for our hot, humid summers, mild winters, salt air exposure, and occasional hurricanes. The region sits squarely in USDA Hardiness Zone 8a, which opens the door to a wide variety of species, but not every tree thrives here. After years of removing trees that were wrong for their location, we have strong opinions on what works and what does not.

Here are the 10 best trees to plant in Hampton Roads, along with two you should avoid entirely.

Top 10 Trees for Hampton Roads Yards

1. Live Oak (Quercus virginiana)

The signature tree of the coastal Southeast. Live oaks develop a massive, spreading canopy that provides exceptional shade and withstands hurricane-force winds better than almost any other species. They are semi-evergreen, keeping most of their leaves through winter.

• Growth rate: Moderate (1-2 feet per year)
• Mature size: 40-80 feet wide, 40-50 feet tall
• Salt tolerance: Excellent
• Best for: Large yards where you want a long-lived, wind-resistant shade tree

2. Bald Cypress (Taxodium distichum)

A Virginia native perfectly adapted to our wet soils and high water tables. Bald cypress thrives in areas where other trees struggle with standing water. Despite being a conifer, it drops its needles in fall, creating a beautiful rust-colored display before going dormant.

• Growth rate: Moderate to fast (1-2 feet per year)
• Mature size: 50-70 feet tall, 20-30 feet wide
• Salt tolerance: Good
• Best for: Low-lying or poorly drained areas throughout Norfolk, Chesapeake, and Suffolk

3. Crape Myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica)

Hampton Roads' most popular ornamental tree, and for good reason. Crape myrtles deliver vibrant summer blooms in white, pink, red, and purple, along with attractive bark and fall color. Available in sizes from small shrubs to 30-foot trees, they fit almost any yard.

• Growth rate: Fast (2-3 feet per year)
• Mature size: 15-30 feet tall depending on variety
• Salt tolerance: Moderate
• Best for: Smaller yards, street plantings, and adding seasonal color

4. Red Maple (Acer rubrum)

One of the fastest-growing native shade trees in our area. Red maples deliver brilliant fall color and adapt well to both wet and moderately dry sites. The "October Glory" and "Red Sunset" cultivars perform especially well in Hampton Roads.

• Growth rate: Fast (2-3 feet per year)
• Mature size: 40-60 feet tall, 25-35 feet wide
• Salt tolerance: Low to moderate
• Best for: Quick shade in medium to large yards, away from salt spray

5. Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis)

A smaller native tree that announces spring with a burst of magenta-pink flowers appearing directly on its branches before the leaves emerge. Redbuds work well as understory trees beneath larger oaks and maples, and they fit neatly into compact landscapes.

• Growth rate: Moderate (1-2 feet per year)
• Mature size: 20-30 feet tall, 25-35 feet wide
• Salt tolerance: Low
• Best for: Small yards, understory planting, and early spring interest

6. Willow Oak (Quercus phellos)

A favorite street and lawn tree across Virginia Beach and Norfolk. Willow oaks grow faster than most oaks and have fine, willow-like leaves that create dappled shade rather than dense darkness. They develop a graceful, symmetrical shape with minimal pruning.

• Growth rate: Moderate to fast (2-3 feet per year)
• Mature size: 40-60 feet tall, 30-40 feet wide
• Salt tolerance: Moderate
• Best for: Lawn shade, street trees, and properties in established neighborhoods

7. Southern Magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora)

An iconic Southern evergreen known for its large, glossy leaves and fragrant white flowers. Southern magnolias provide year-round privacy and wind protection. Smaller cultivars like "Little Gem" and "Bracken's Brown Beauty" fit residential lots better than the full-sized species.

• Growth rate: Slow to moderate (1-2 feet per year)
• Mature size: 60-80 feet tall (full size) or 20-30 feet (compact cultivars)
• Salt tolerance: Good
• Best for: Evergreen screening, coastal properties, and specimen planting

8. Loblolly Pine (Pinus taeda)

The dominant native pine throughout Hampton Roads. Loblolly pines grow quickly and provide year-round greenery, making them excellent for privacy screens and windbreaks. They are well adapted to our sandy, acidic soils and tolerate periodic flooding.

• Growth rate: Fast (2-3 feet per year)
• Mature size: 60-90 feet tall, 25-35 feet wide
• Salt tolerance: Moderate
• Best for: Privacy screens, windbreaks, and naturalizing large lots

9. River Birch (Betula nigra)

Prized for its peeling, cinnamon-colored bark that adds winter interest to any landscape. River birch handles our wet conditions and summer heat far better than white or paper birch. The "Heritage" cultivar is the most commonly planted and performs reliably throughout the region.

• Growth rate: Fast (2-3 feet per year)
• Mature size: 40-70 feet tall, 25-40 feet wide
• Salt tolerance: Low
• Best for: Wet areas, ornamental bark interest, and multi-trunk specimens

10. Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua)

A native tree with some of the most spectacular fall foliage in Virginia, turning shades of yellow, orange, red, and deep purple. Sweetgum is exceptionally tough, tolerating poor drainage, compacted soil, and urban conditions. The main drawback is the spiky seed balls it drops in fall and winter.

• Growth rate: Moderate to fast (1-2 feet per year)
• Mature size: 60-75 feet tall, 40-50 feet wide
• Salt tolerance: Moderate
• Best for: Large properties where seed balls are not a concern, naturalized areas

Trees to Avoid in Hampton Roads

Not every popular tree belongs in our area. These two are widely planted but cause more problems than they are worth.

Bradford Pear (Pyrus calleryana) - Invasive

Virginia has banned the sale of Bradford Pear trees effective 2024 due to their invasive spread. Beyond the legal issue, Bradford Pears have notoriously weak branch structure and split apart in moderate wind. Their average lifespan is only 15-25 years. If you have one, consider having it removed and replaced with a native alternative like Eastern Redbud or crape myrtle.

Leyland Cypress (Cupressus x leylandii)

Once the go-to privacy screen tree, Leyland Cypress is plagued by Seiridium canker and bot canker diseases in our humid climate. These diseases are largely untreatable and cause entire branches to brown and die. Leyland Cypress also has shallow root systems that make mature trees prone to toppling in storms. Consider Green Giant Arborvitae or Loblolly Pine as more resilient alternatives.

Planting Tips for Virginia's Zone 8a Climate

Giving your new tree the best start requires attention to timing, placement, and soil preparation.

Best Time to Plant

Late fall through early spring (October through March) is the ideal planting window in Hampton Roads. Trees planted during dormancy establish root systems before the stress of summer heat. Avoid planting in July and August when heat and drought stress are at their peak.

Site Preparation

• Remove existing stumps - Old tree stumps and their root systems occupy space your new tree needs. Have them ground down or excavated before planting.
• Test your soil - Virginia Cooperative Extension offers affordable soil testing. Hampton Roads soils tend to be sandy and slightly acidic, which most native trees prefer.
• Check drainage - Dig your planting hole and fill it with water. If it does not drain within 24 hours, choose a water-tolerant species like Bald Cypress or River Birch.
• Mind the utilities - Call 811 before digging to locate underground lines.

Planting Best Practices

• Dig the hole 2-3 times wider than the root ball but no deeper
• Set the root flare at or slightly above grade level
• Backfill with the original soil (do not amend the planting hole)
• Apply 2-3 inches of mulch in a wide ring, keeping it away from the trunk
• Water deeply once per week for the first two growing seasons

Long-Term Care

Young trees benefit from professional structural pruning during their first few years to develop strong branch architecture. This small investment early on prevents costly problems later, including storm damage and the eventual need for removal of a poorly formed tree.

Clear the Way for New Growth

Starting fresh with a new tree often means dealing with what is already there. Whether you need an old stump ground down, a dead tree removed, or an entire area cleared for new landscaping, Tree Stump Removal and Excavation can help. We serve Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Hampton, Newport News, Suffolk, Portsmouth, Smithfield, and all surrounding Hampton Roads communities.

Call or text us at (757) 899-9700 for a free estimate on stump grinding, stump removal, tree removal, or lot clearing.