Selecting Trees for Rooftop and Terrace Gardens

City gardeners and landscape designers know that choosing the right tree for a rooftop or terrace garden can be quite the challenge! Environmental factors range from the amount of sunlight and wind exposure to the amount of space available and the rooftop's weight limitations. There's a lot to consider, and frankly, a lot that won't work.

Look at it this way: Got a rooftop garden on the 12th floor with no other tall buildings around? That's sort of like a mountain top – full sun and high winds – think pine trees or birches. What about a smaller, shadier space with a taller building or two around? This is more like the edge of a forest – partial sun, can't get too big, very cold – think dogwoods. Imagining what naturally occurring environment most closely resembles your outdoor space can be a big help in selecting plants, and hopefully save you a lot of headaches and $$ spent on replacing dead stuff. 

Here's a list of trees that grow well on rooftops:

- Eastern White Pine (Pinus strobus), Limber Pine (Pinus flexilis "Vanderwolf's Pyramid")

Loves full sun, and can handle high winds and harsh winters. Bonus, they're evergreen!

- River Birch (Betula nigra)

Full sun is best, and being multi-branched helps it handle wind well. Small leaves offer dappled shade and turn golden yellow in autumn. *Might experience some leaf-drop in summer, but that's normal.

by rkla studio

- Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperis virginiana)
Another great evergreen with pretty berries to boot. They tend to stay narrow and upright, so good for small spaces. It prefers full sun, and can handle a lot of wind. Do not plant it near your apple trees.

- Crape Myrtle (Lagerstroemia sp.)
Due to a mix of climate change and the propagation of some hardier cultivars this pretty flowering large shrub/small tree is now usually able to handle NYC's challenging climate. They love full sun, grow pretty quickly, and have a long blooming period later in the summer (flowers come in a multitude of colors and have a lovely fragrance). Their fall color is also awesome.

- Flowering Dogwood Tree (Cornus florida), Kousa Dogwood Tree (Cornus kousa)
These gorgeous spring-flowering (white or pink) trees can do full sun or part shade. They have a wider spread, so give them space. Awesome red fall color, and pretty berries keep them showy throughout the seasons. Birds love them too.

Staghorn NYC also designs rooftop gardens – check out some of ours on our website or email us for a no-fee initial consultation.