Mast Producing Trees and Shrubs Native To North America
Native mast-producing trees and shrubs are among the most valuable and multipurpose plants for North American landscapes, producing food, shelter, and many other valuable products and services for humans and wildlife alike.
Selecting which species of mast-producing tree or shrub to plant can be a challenge for inexperienced gardeners and landowners, so this site includes profiles of many of the most popular families and species.
The following is a sampling of native North American trees, shrubs, and woody vines that produce hard or soft mast, listed alphabetically by scientific name.
For beauty, productivity, and overall benefit to humans and wildlife, the top mast-producing trees and shrubs native to North America include:
- Serviceberry family (Amelanchier sp.)
- Aronia family (Aronia sp.)
- Hickory family (Carya sp.)
- American chestnut (Castanea dentata) and its hybrids
- Hazelnut family (Corylus sp.)
- Walnut family (Juglans sp.)
- Crabapple family (Malus sp.)
- Mulberry family (Morus sp.)
- Prunus family (Prunus sp.)
- Oak family (Quercus sp.)
- Blackberry family (Rubus sp.)
- Elderberry family (Sambucus sp.)
- Blueberry family (Vaccinium sp.)
- Viburnum family (Viburnum sp.)
Additional mast-producing trees and shrubs native to North America include:
- Sugar maple (Acer saccharum)
- White baneberry (Actaea pachypoda)
- Buckeye family (Aesculus sp.)
- Mariposa manzanita (Arctostaphylos manzanita)
- Bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi)
- Pawpaw (Asimina triloba)
- Hackberry family (Celtis sp.)
- Dogwood family (Cornus sp.)
- Downy hawthorn (Crataegus mollis)
- American persimmon (Diospyros virginiana)
- Black crowberry (Empetrum nigrum)
- American beech (Fagus grandifloria)
- Green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica)
- Wintergreen family (Gaultheria sp.)
- Honey locust (Gleditsia triacanthos )
- Toyon (Heteromeles arbutifolia)
- Common winterberry (Ilex verticilatta)
- Eastern red cedar (Juniperus virginiana)
- American spicebush (Lindera benzoin)
- Hairy honeysuckle (Lonicera hispidula)
- Oregon grape (Mahonia aquifolium)
- Southern Wax Myrtle (Myrica cerifera)
- Black gum (Nyssa sylvatica)
- Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus vitacea)
- Jack pine (Pinus banksiana)
- Alderleaf buckthorn (Rhamnus alnifolia)
- California coffeeberry (Rhamnus californica)
- Staghorn sumac (Rhus typhina)
- American black currant (Ribes americanum)
- Canadian gooseberry (Ribes oxyacanthoides)
- Virginia Rose (Rosa virgininana)
- Soapberry (Shepherdia canadensis)
- Blue witch nightshade (Solanum umbelliferum)
- Mountain ash family (Sorbus americana)
- Snowberry (Symphoricarpus albus)
- American elm (Ulmus americana)
- Wild grape (Vitus riparia)
Certain non-native but naturalized mast-producing trees and shrubs are also highly beneficial to humans and wildlife. You can find our top choices at The Best Non-Native Mast-Producing Trees and Shrubs.
Recommended Reading
- Native Trees for North American Landscapes
- Native Trees, Shrubs, and Vines: A Guide to Using, Growing, and Propagating North American Woody Plants
- Native Trees Shrubs, and Vines for Urban and Rural America: A Planting Design Manual for Environmental Designers
[…] Native mast-producing trees and shrubs are almost always the best choices for wildlife and the environment, because they are well-adapted to local conditions and the local wildlife is well-adapted to them. Although there are exceptions, many native wildlife species show a marked preference for native mast species. […]
[…] Mast-producing trees provide many benefits for wildlife, for humans, and for the environment. […]
[…] primary source of chestnuts in the United States and they can be a useful addition to a stand of native mast-producing trees. It may also be possible to become a cooperating grower of pure or hybrid American Chestnuts. […]
[…] mast-producing trees and shrubs in the home landscape can lower your heating and cooling bills by up to […]
[…] Mast producing trees and shrubs are most often valued for their beauty and wildlife uses, but many types of hard and soft mast are also edible by humans. Among the most popular native edible fruits and nuts are: […]
[…] but you can continue to attract birds to your yard throughout the summer months with the help of mast-producing trees and shrubs. Many species of birds enjoy a delicious fruit snack, including both backyard favorites such as […]
[…] next two or three rows should consist of slower growing, mast producing hardwoods such as oaks, walnuts, and hickories. These trees provide food and shelter for wildlife, and can be […]
[…] native mast-producing trees provide the most benefits for wildlife and the local environment, many non-native mast-producing […]
[…] deciding what species of native mast-producing tree or shrub to plant, it is helpful to have an understanding of the type of forest ecosystem native to your […]
[…] of the easiest ways to improve quail habitat on your property is to plant a native hedgerow mixing mast-producing shrubs, native grasses, and forbs, especially legumes. Hedgerows are particularly useful to connect […]
[…] for Afghanistan, the Fruit Tree Planting Foundation, and City Fruit are just a few of the ways mast-producing trees can be used to fight poverty and hunger. Here are some ways you can […]
[…] include a mix of several different species each of trees, shrubs, grasses, and flowering plants. Native mast-producing trees and shrubs are an especially valuable addition to wildlife hedgerows, because they provide both food and […]
[…] shrub Vaccinium corymbosum, or Highbush blueberry. The Vacciniums are one of the few families of mast-producing trees and shrubs native to North America that have no Eurasian family members, and they remain one of the most popular and beloved of all […]
[…] and reduces the time between harvests by up to three years. It is suitable for a number of native mast-producing conifer species, including firs, pines, and […]
[…] is one reason mast-producing trees are so valuable a part of conservation and restoration efforts. As truly multipurpose plants, they […]
[…] an introduced species in North America, so unlike some non-native mast-producing trees and shrubs, native mast-producing trees and shrubs do not rely on honeybees for pollination. However, the activity of honeybees and other pollinators […]
[…] attracting squirrels to your property, the most important thing to do is to plant a diverse mix of mast-producing trees and shrubs. The more species you plant, the less likely it is that all your trees and shrubs will have a poor […]
[…] Hard and soft mast is a major food source for whitetail deer throughout the year. You can create a low maintenance permanent food plot for deer by planting a diverse mix of mast-producing trees and shrubs. […]
[…] or observe them, you can enhance wild turkey habitat around your home by planting a diverse mix of mast-producing trees and shrubs. A woodlot that is well managed to increase mast production is the equivalent of a permanent food […]
[…] them to actually move in to your neighborhood, you need to plant as diverse as possible a mix of mast-producing trees and shrubs, i.e., producers of nuts, berries, et cetera. Oak (which produces acorns) is the most important for […]
[…] nuts for your family (or the local wildlife) to eat? (Here at the Mast Tree Network, we recommend native fruit and nut trees, which provide all the benefits of any other kind of tree, plus delicious and nutritious food for […]
[…] production should include about 50% native oaks of several different species, and about 50% other mast producing trees and shrubs, for a minimum of 10 different […]